Mark Reese's Acupuncture-Blog

Headline Announces, 'Acupuncture Relieves Gynecologic Surgery Pain'

2012-05-22T15:05:35Z

While hardly surprising to anyone in the field or any of our patients who have used acupuncture for post-operative pain it did give sense of pride that two Western medical journals such as Anesthesiology and Obstetrics and Gynecology would publish such favorable studies of acupuncture. You can read about it here.

Acupuncture reduces post-operative pain following gynecologic and abdominal surgeries. A new study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology concludes that, “Pain control after hospital discharge is suboptimal for many women after both vaginal and abdominal surgery.” The researchers add that there is a need to improve post-operative at-home pain control measures, “Given increasingly rapid hospital discharge….” Acupuncture helps to improve recovery times and improves at-home pain control.

In Anesthesiology, The Journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, research concludes that, “Pre-operative insertion of intradermal (acupuncture) needles reduces postoperative pain, the analgesic requirement, and opioid-related side effects after both upper and lower abdominal surgery. Acupuncture analgesia also reduces the activation of the sympathoadrenal system that normally accompanies surgery.” In another study published in Pain, the Journal of the International Association for the Study of Pain, researchers conclude that, “Our findings demonstrates that preoperative treatment with low-EA (electroacupuncture) and high-EA (electroacupuncture) can reduce postoperative analgesic requirements and associated side effects in patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery.” In yet another study published in the BJA, British Journal of Anaesthesia, researchers conclude that, “Perioperative acupuncture may be a useful adjunct for acute postoperative pain management.” The researchers also note that acupuncture reduced opioid side-effects including nausea, dizziness, sedation, pruritus and urinary retention.

IVF Drugs (potentially) Linked to Leukemia in Children

2012-05-03T15:51:12Z

The British newspaper, The Telegraph, published a slightly alarmist article whose headline screams about a link between fertility drugs and childhood cancer. However the body of the article is a bit more accurate than the headline, as it reveals the still tenuous nature of that link. The story is about new French research which does suggest that there may be an increase in the likelihood of such leukemia among the children of women using such pharmaceuticals but goes on to say that even if this is proven as a risk factor that the actual increase is relatively small.

. . . French researchers will tell a conference in London today they believe there is an association between the use of ovarian stimulation drugs and two types of childhood leukaemia.

Specifically, they have calculated that their use is associated with a 2.6-fold increase in the risk of developing the most common form of childhood leukaemia, called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and a 2.3-fold increase in the risk of developing a rarer type, called acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

However, French researchers will tell a conference in London today they believe there is an association between the use of ovarian stimulation drugs and two types of childhood leukaemia.Specifically, they have calculated that their use is associated with a 2.6-fold increase in the risk of developing the most common form of childhood leukaemia, called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and a 2.3-fold increase in the risk of developing a rarer type, called acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

From the perspective of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, as well as the fertility work that we do at the Northside Holistic Center, this is quite interesting and wouldn't be too surprising. We counsel our patients to carefully research fertility drugs before using them and encourage them to solely use our methods before resorting to the more drastic Western interventions which may have future negative ramifications. However we also understand that there is a place for such drugs either when time is a factor or when more conservative, natural interventions alone have not been enough. In that case, we work with the client to minimize any damage that these powerful drugs may be causing in her body.

Chinese Medicine Treats Both Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis

2012-05-01T16:25:43Z

Both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis respond very well to Chinese medicine – acupuncture and herbal therapy. Crohn's disease is an autoimmune disease which involves chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The main symptoms of Crohn's disease are abdominal pain, fever, fatigue and persistent, watery diarrhea. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and can come and go with periods of flare-ups.

Articles and Research

In a study published in the journal, Digestion, acupuncture was found effective for treating Crohn'sdisease.

In this German study, 51 patients with mild to moderately active Crohn's disease had a decrease in disease activity after receiving 10 sessions of acupuncture. Study members also showed an improvement in general well-being and reported an improvement in quality of life.

Source: Joos S, Brinkhaus B, Maluche C, Maupai N, Kohnen R, Kraehmer N, Hahn EG, Schuppan D. Acupuncture andmoxibustion in the treatment of active Crohn's disease: a randomized controlled study. Digestion. 2004;69(3):131-9.

Reprinted from Gather.com

A Chinese herbal formula containing Ku Shen (Radix Sophorae flavescentis) has been shown to be as effective as the anti-inflammatory drug mesalamine for treating ulcerative colitis (UC). The study, published in a Chinese medical journal (readable here). This herb is often included in formula for bothUC and Crohn's, though we individualize herbal therapy and acupuncture for the patient.

Hepatic Fibrosis Treated with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology

2012-04-04T05:03:09Z

Recent experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture combined with a specific Chinese herb, curcumin, in treating fibrosis of the liver. In the study (which you can read about here) the researchers concluded that,

Acupuncture combined with curcumin potently protected the liver from… injury and fibrogenesis.” This was confirmed with laboratory measurements of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, hyaluronic acid, laminin and procollagen 3. Other histological findings and measurements of alpha smooth muscle actin, extracellular matrix, fibronection and alpha 1 collagen confirm the synergistic hepatoprotective effects of acupuncture combined with curcumin.

Athletes and Acupuncture

2012-03-05T03:42:30Z

Recently an article was published on Yahoo News which was entitled, Three Health Benefits an Athlete Can Gain from Acupuncture, a segment of which I reprinted in the News section of this website and which is copied below. However, given that acupuncture is so often prescribed for sports injuries and to enhance endurance and performance among competitive athletes, it seemed appropriate to create a section to add research and articles to as they appeared in the scientific and mainstream literature.

Research and Articles

A Taiwanese study (readable here) compared groups of elite athletes using acupuncture to a placebo and found that,

Auricular acupuncture (AA) can enhance athletes' recovery after strenuous exercise . . . Twenty-four elite male university basketball players were randomly divided into two groups; one received AA, and the other acted as a normal control group. All subjects in both groups then rode a stationary bike to exhaustion. The results showed that both maximum heart rate and blood lactic acid concentrations were significantly lower in the AA group, compared with the control group, at 30 and 60 minutes post-exercise.

Yahoo News, and writer Jeanne Rose published a piece entitled, Three Health Benefits an Athlete Can Gain from Acupuncture in which the author gives a whirlwind overview of reasons that professional or amateur athletes might seek acupuncture intervention. A large excerpt from her article:

Here are three of the best health benefits that an athlete can gain from acupuncture therapy, which can improve his or her performance on the field.

Can Relieve Muscle or Joint Pain

If an athlete is suffering from muscle or joint pain, he or she might decide to try acupuncture, since it can relieve these symptoms. Acupuncture has long been used to treat all sorts of pain, which can include pain coming from the muscles and joints. An athlete might have muscle or joint pain as the result of an injury, which can hinder his or her athletic ability. Acupuncture can help reduce the inflammation associated with the injury, and it can help treat the source of the pain or inflammation. If an athlete regularly participates in sports, then acupuncture therapy might help prevent pain or inflammation from starting in the first place. Acupuncture can help with spasms in the muscles, contusions under the skin, arthritis, osteoporosis, and a variety of different conditions that cause muscle or joint pain.

Can Ease Stress or Anxiety

An athlete that is suffering a lot from stress or anxiety should try acupuncture therapy, because acupuncture can basically eliminate stress or anxiety. Acupuncture helps unblock various energy channels within the body, which can eliminate stress or anxiety. An athlete is likely to become stressed or anxious at some point during his or her sport, especially right before an upcoming game. If an athlete is under too much stress, then he or she will likely perform poorly during the competition, and he or she is also more prone to injuries. An athlete that is always anxious is also more likely to suffer injury, since anxiety can hinder his or her concentration. Acupuncture is a great way to help an athlete overcome anxiety or stress related to his or her sport, and can help improve his or her overall mentality. Stress or anxiety can also cause an athlete to become depressed or feel worthless, so it is important that he or she treat these symptoms promptly.

Can Improve Circulation and Promote Healing

Acupuncture can also improve circulation, which can help speed up the healing process, and this is a huge benefit for an athlete. If an athlete has suffered an injury, which is bound to occur sooner or later, he or she will want to recover as fast as possible. Poor circulation throughout the body can hinder healing, because oxygenated blood is what helps repair damaged cells. If an athlete is trying to recover from an injury, then he or she will likely want to do everything possible to increase the circulation throughout the body. Acupuncture can help move blood throughout the body, which means that oxygenated blood is getting to vital organs to help promote healing. Since acupuncture can help reduce pain or inflammation, an athlete will heal faster because he or she will not suffer from muscle spasms as often. Acupuncture can help release and regulate hormones, which are important for healing, and endorphins will naturally be released within the body to also promote healing.

Here are three of the best health benefits that an athlete can gain from acupuncture therapy, which can improve his or her performance on the field.

Here are three of the best health benefits that an athlete can gain from acupuncture therapy, which can improve his or her performance on the field.Can Relieve Muscle or Joint PainIf an athlete is suffering from muscle or joint pain, he or she might decide to try acupuncture, since it can relieve these symptoms. Acupuncture has long been used to treat all sorts of pain, which can include pain coming from the muscles and joints. An athlete might have muscle or joint pain as the result of an injury, which can hinder his or her athletic ability. Acupuncture can help reduce the inflammation associated with the injury, and it can help treat the source of the pain or inflammation. If an athlete regularly participates in sports, then acupuncture therapy might help prevent pain or inflammation from starting in the first place. Acupuncture can help with spasms in the muscles, contusions under the skin, arthritis, osteoporosis, and a variety of different conditions that cause muscle or joint pain.An athlete that is suffering a lot from stress or anxiety should try acupuncture therapy, because acupuncture can basically eliminate stress or anxiety. Acupuncture helps unblock various energy channels within the body, which can eliminate stress or anxiety. An athlete is likely to become stressed or anxious at some point during his or her sport, especially right before an upcoming game. If an athlete is under too much stress, then he or she will likely perform poorly during the competition, and he or she is also more prone to injuries. An athlete that is always anxious is also more likely to suffer injury, since anxiety can hinder his or her concentration. Acupuncture is a great way to help an athlete overcome anxiety or stress related to his or her sport, and can help improve his or her overall mentality. Stress or anxiety can also cause an athlete to become depressed or feel worthless, so it is important that he or she treat these symptoms promptly.Can Improve Circulation and Promote HealingAcupuncture can also improve circulation, which can help speed up the healing process, and this is a huge benefit for an athlete. If an athlete has suffered an injury, which is bound to occur sooner or later, he or she will want to recover as fast as possible. Poor circulation throughout the body can hinder healing, because oxygenated blood is what helps repair damaged cells. If an athlete is trying to recover from an injury, then he or she will likely want to do everything possible to increase the circulation throughout the body. Acupuncture can help move blood throughout the body, which means that oxygenated blood is getting to vital organs to help promote healing. Since acupuncture can help reduce pain or inflammation, an athlete will heal faster because he or she will not suffer from muscle spasms as often. Acupuncture can help release and regulate hormones, which are important for healing, and endorphins will naturally be released within the body to also promote healing.

Researchers from Japan have found that acupuncture inhibits muscular atrophy in the elderly, leading to potential benefits for the aged, as well as anyone immobilized by disease or injury. An article about this study can be read here.

A team of researchers from Japan have found that acupuncture therapy may benefit the elderly and patients who suffer from poor mobility due to loss of skeletal muscle mass, a condition known as skeletal muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy is common in the elderly and patients who go through extended periods of inactivity, such as when a limb is put in a cast or being bed-ridden due to a prolonged illness. The condition can also be caused by many diseases such as cancer and liver failure.

Although interventions such as exercise and an improved diet are recommended, these are challenging to maintain as patients are often frail and have severe medical conditions.

The study, which was presented last week at the Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in San Diego, the team found that acupuncture can reverse muscle mass loss. Their findings also suggest a molecular mechanism for this effect.

“The main focus of this study is changes in the mRNA expression levels of muscle-specific atrophic genes such as atrogin-1,” said Onda.

They found that mRNA expression level of the E3 ubiquitin ligase atrogin-1 is lowered when muscle mass is loss, and this decrease is significantly reversed by acupuncture.

Onda hopes that her team’s findings will help pave the way for acupuncture to be recognized as an efficacious treatment for muscle atrophy. “Further investigations into its molecular mechanisms will help to decrease the medical community’s suspicion of acupuncture and provide us with a better understanding of how acupuncture treatment prevents skeletal muscle atrophy,” said Onda.

Treating Neuropathy with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

2012-02-05T02:26:22Z

Because of the association that many people and their physicians make between acupuncture and nerve functioning, it is common for many patients to seek out an acupuncturist immediately upon being diagnosed with any type of neuropathy. For good reason, it turns out: acupuncture and, frequently herbal therapy, can be exceptionally useful in treating neuropathies originating from many disease processes.In broad terms, neuropathy is the manifestation of any disease which affects the peripheral nervous system leading to one or a combination of pain, tingling, 'pins and needles' sensation, numbness, or weakness in the hands and/or feet. Neuropathy can be caused by a large number of triggers ranging from diseases such as cancer, diabetes, or AIDS; nutritional deficiencies; or toxic overloading the body with either environmental poisons or prescription drugs. A large number of neuropathy cases are termed, 'idiopathic', meaning that western medicine can not determine a specific cause of the problem.

An acupuncturist evaluates each person's case of neuropathy differently weighing the health history of the patient; the location of the problem; the drugs or environmental chemical exposure and, from this, weaves together a treatment plan that most effectively restores nerve function. Neuropathies tend to respond incredibly well to acupuncture and, occasionally additional herbal intervention, depending on the cause of the nerve issue.

Research and Articles

A British study recently confirmed that acupuncture can be useful in treating chemotherapy induced neuropathy, finding that 82% of the patients in the study received benefit. In a small related study, from Germany, 83% of the subjects enrolled in the study found sustantial benefit from acupuncture. Both can be read about here. In addition the patients found that,

some patients derived additional benefits from the treatment including a reduction in analgesic use and improved sleeping patterns.

In 2011 the University of Arizona examined acupuncture for HIV-related neuropathies, as well as mortality from that disease and found that:

Acupuncture was clearly effective in reducing attrition and mortality in this sample, especially when health status was taken into account . . . Moreover, these results replicated most of the findings that did not involve the presence of amitriptyline from the initial independent study in this research project.

The University Medical Center in Hamburg, Germany examining acupuncture for chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) found that,

The data suggest that acupuncture has a positive effect on CIPN.

A Chinese study entitled, Fifteen-Day Acupuncture Treatment Relieves Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, evaluated the use of acupuncture in a diabetic population suffering from both sensory and motor nerve damage. It found,

... evidence that acupuncture may be clinically useful for the radical treatment of diabetic neurapathy.

The study

... compared 42 cases treated with acupuncture with 21 cases exposed

to sham acupuncture and observed the effects on nerve conduction velocity and a

variety of subjective symptoms associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Three of the six measures of motor nerves, and two measures of sensory function,

demonstrated significant improvement (p < 0.05) over the 15-day treatment period

in the acupuncture group, while no motor or sensory function significantly

improved in the sham acupuncture group. There were also significant differences

in vibration perception threshold between the groups (p < 0.05) and when compared

to the baseline levels (p < 0.01) in the acupuncture group. Acupuncture was

significantly more effective than sham for treatment of numbness of the lower

extremities, spontaneous pain in the lower extremities, rigidity in the upper

extremities and alterations in temperature perception in the lower extremities

after therapy.

Plantar Fasciitis and Acupuncture, A Solution

2011-12-29T17:58:00Z

Plantar Fasciitis (PF) is a frequent musculoskeletal problem which we treat successfully, almost daily, at the Northside Holistic Center. PF is a painful inflammatory process of the plantar fascia, which is the connective tissue on the sole of the foot beginning at the base of the heel and spreading across the foot toward the toes. It is quite a frequent problem and can mainifest in two distinct populations: athletes who use their feet a lot and heavier people whose feet bear the brunt of the excessive weight. Those who are suffering with PF, and there are as many as 2 million Americans who go through this each year, experience pain in all or part of this region. The pain is often at its worst as they get out of bed in the morning and can often be exacerbated by flexing the muscles in the toes to bring the toes closer to the shin (referred to as 'dorsiflexion').

PF can trigger many other problems including heel spurs caused by the chronic inflammation in the region causing the calcification, as well as knee and back pain caused by gait changes associated with the pain from the feet. When our patients have been suffering for a long time with plantar fasciitis we will often work on these linked issues at the same time as the problem in the plantar fascia, which is at it's source.

Acupuncture is incredibly useful in remedying this problem and can be used alone or in conjunction with other modalities such as stretching, custom orthotics and physical therapy. It tends to perform much better, long term, and with fewer side effects than steroid injections.

Research/Articles

A Greek study entitled, Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis in Recreational Athletes: Two Different Therapeutic Protocols, (which can be read about here) found that:

Acupuncture should be considered as a major therapeutic instrument for the decrease of heel pain in plantar fasciitis (PF) . . . Scores for pain and mobility/function were significantly smaller [indicating improvement] in the acupuncture group after two months of treatment.

One treatment protocol for plantar fasciitis involves treating the unaffected side. We tend to use this technique when the affected side is so painful that the patient can not bear to be touched in that region. While on the surface this may appear counterintuitive, it is supported by thousands of years of clinical experience. A recent Japanese study demonstrates how this may work from a Western perspective and can be read about here:

Blood supply to the Achilles tendon can be increased by treating the contralateral [opposite side] tendon with either acupuncture or a heat pack. Japanese scientists used lasers to measure blood volume (THb) and oxygen saturation (StO2) of treated and non-treated tendons during treatment (10 minutes for acupuncture, 20 minutes for heat) and recovery periods (40 minutes). During both treatments, THb and StO2 of the treated tendon increased significantly from the resting level. The increased THb and StO2 of the treated tendon were maintained until the end of the recovery period after removal of the acupuncture needle, but they decreased after removal of the hot pack. Although THb of the non-treated tendon did not change during either acupuncture or heat treatment, it increased gradually after removal of the acupuncture needle or hot pack. The authors suggest that blood circulation to an injured tendon in a plaster cast could be improved by applying acupuncture or heat treatments to the contralateral healthy limb.

A British study, from the Orthopedics Department of a Bedford hospital [read it here], on the effects of acupuncture for non-responsive plantar fasciitis concluded that,

Our study demonstrates that acupuncture is effective in treating patients with chronic heel pain due to plantar fasciitis and that the addition of trigger point acupuncture in poor or non-responders may be useful.

Alopecia Often Well Treated by Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

2011-12-02T02:44:32Z

Alopecia is one of the more frustrating disorders for a patient to experience – the loss of patches, broad swatches, or even all the hair on the body [alocepia areata; alopecia totalis; and alopecia univeralis, respectively]. Happily Chinese medicine, using both acupuncture and herbology, can be extraordinarily useful in remedying this problem for most people.

The process of treating this disorder is highly individualized, as is most of what we do in the field of acupuncture and Chinese medicine. The patient is evaluated based, not only on the hair loss pattern, but also on other health history issues and a tailored treatment plan using acupuncture and herbology is created.

Research/Articles

From the Journal of Chinese Medicine, published in Britain comes a well written summary of generally accepted protocol for treating various patterns of alopecia. It can be read here.

From the Journal of Acupuncture Science comes a study comparing a commonly prescribed pharmacetical for alopecia with acupuncture. The article, which can be read here, found that,

Acupuncture is better than medications in the treatment of alopecia areata.

Post Herpetic Neuralgia, Shingles and Chinese Medicine

2011-11-11T05:14:44Z

Any individual who has suffered through shingles (herpes zoster) can attest that the experience can be counted as among the worst that a human being can suffer. Usually shingles manifests as an agonizing, burning pain following one or more nerve paths from the spine outwards, and is accompanied by a fluid-filled rash which gradually evolves into painful scabs.

Cruelly, the visual signs of shingles may vanish after several weeks, but leaving searing nerve pain where it had been yet with little or no outward signs. This pain is termed, post-herpetic neuralgia.

While we often treat acute shingles at the Northside Holistic Center with good effect, it is even more common that people are directed to us by their physician or a peer who has been treated at the clinic for post-herpetic neuralgia. This is because living with the neuralgia is often almost intolerable and acupuncture and Chinese medicine are so effective at alleviating the problem.

Articles and Research

A recent article compared the effectiveness of acupuncture and Chinese medicine to conventional medical care for shingles and found that the effectiveness was the same and was, ultimately cheaper. The article, reprinted below:

Acupuncture Cost-Effective For Herpes Zoster Care - New Research

12 APRIL 2012

New research published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine finds acupuncture as effective as pharmacological drugs for the treatment of herpes zoster. The study also notes that acupuncture is more cost-effective as a treatment modality for this ailment. Herpes zoster, also known as shingles, is a viral infection that causes painful skin rashes with blisters. This is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Adults who have had chickenpox earlier in life have a 50 percent chance of contracting a herpes zoster outbreak later in life, however, herpes zoster can attack at any age.

A total of 500 patients with herpes zoster were part of this randomized clinical trial. They were divided into 5 treatment groups to compare Chinese medicine with anti-viral drug therapy. Group 1 received acupuncture and electroacupuncture. Group 2 received moxibustion. Group 3 received red-hot needle treatment. Group 4 received tapping needle technique plus cupping and group 5 received drug therapy. The researchers found no statistical difference between the treatment groups for the “curative effect.” Given the same clinical effects between the treatment groups, the researchers then compared the cost of care and concluded that acupuncture is a more cost-effective modality for the treatment of herpes zoster.

Reference:

Journal of Chinese Medicine. 1-2012. Economic Evaluation of Treating Herpes Zoster with Various Methods of Acupuncture and Moxibustion.

An Italian study, which can read about here, found that,

...acupuncture is as effective as standard drug treatment for acute pain in patients with herpes zoster (HZ).

A Yale School of Medicine case report, abstract viewable here, found that with a patient whose post herpetic neuralgia was unresponsive to a variety of Western medical treatments responded well to acupuncture,

A comprehensive pain treatment regimen, consisting of a stellate ganglia block, medications, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and hypnosis, was administered, but the patient did not gain any incremental pain relief.
The acupuncture service was consulted . . . after acupuncture treatment over a 2-month period, the patient's nausea disappeared. Her left facial pain continued to decline from a maximum of 10 to 0 . . .

[their] conclusions, "Acupuncture and its related techniques may be an effective adjunctive treatment for symptoms associated with post herpetic neuralgia and deserve further study."

Chinese Medicine Has Potential Treatments for Dementia

2011-10-18T15:10:27Z

This article from the Taiwan News describes research into one of the herbs, Tian Ma that we frequently use in practice. The article, which can be read here, says:

...studies conducted by the Taiwanese institution have shown that tianma can be effective in curbing the effects of diseases ranging from dementia to spino-cerebellar atrophy, Huntington’s Disease and other ailments of the cerebral and nervous system. Research has shown that tianma can slow or reduce the effects of these diseases but so far it has not been established whether it can actually cure the diseases themselves.

http://zorgenvoormijnmoeder.blogspot.com

While it is true that we treat dementia with some moderate success and that Tian Ma may be one of the herbs that would be included in a formula and acupuncture protocol for this type of complaint, it would never be true that we would use one ingredient alone for such a purpose. Still, it for the purpose of research, it is useful to have yet another ingredient in our toolbox validated by Western methods.

Another interesting reductionist, yet interesting, study is one published by Japanese researchers and viewable here, looks at the effect of one acupuncture point that we might choose to treat cognitive issues. Again, this point would not be used on it's own, but only in the larger context of a treatment protocol. The study suggests that acupuncture enhances blood flow to the brain without altering the overal blood pressure in the region, a highly desirable goal.

Scientists measured the effects of acupuncture at [acupoint] DU-20 on blood flow velocities in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and anterior cerebral artery (ACA), in 10 healthy male subjects. Mean MCA and ACA blood flow velocities at rest increased significantly after DU-20 acupuncture treatment, whereas mean arterial blood pressure and pulse rate at rest did not change significantly.

Another study which looked at the herbal aspect of what acupuncturists do for people with dementia, looks at one of the many formula which we may use for patients who come to us for Alzheimer's disease. This study, published in Neuroscience Letters (and readable here) found that,

Treatment with the Chinese herbal formula Fuzhisan (FZS) may have a positive effect on cognition, behavioral functions, and cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease

Twenty-two subjects were randomly assigned to receive FZS or placebo for 12 weeks. Positron emission tomography (PET) was used to study the regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose consumption (rCMRglc) at baseline and week 12. Compared with placebo, FZS significantly improved cognitive and behavioural scores at week 12. In addition, FZS treatment favorably improved rCMRglc in the bilateral temporal and parietal cortices, hippocampus and posterior cingulate gyrus.