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Injuries and pain

Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Adjunctive Therapy in Osteoarthritis of the Knee

Conclusions: Acupuncture seems to provide improvement in function and pain relief as an adjunctive therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee when compared with credible sham acupuncture and education control groups.

Brian M. Berman, MD; Lixing Lao, PhD; Patricia Langenberg, PhD; Wen Lin Lee, PhD; Adele M.K. Gilpin, PhD; and Marc C. Hochberg, MD

Acupuncture versus metoprolol in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized trial of trigger point inactivation.

Conclusions. Trigger point inactivation by dry needling is a valuable supplement to the list of migraine prophylactic tools, being equipotent to metoprolol in the influence on frequency and duration (but not severity) of attacks, and superior in terms of negative side-effects.

Hesse J, Mogelvang B, Simonsen H. Journal of Internal Medicine. 1994; 235: 451-456. 

Acupuncture Relieves Gynecologic Surgery Pain

 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.

Acupuncture for Migraine and Recurrent Headaches

Conclusions: Acupuncture fared most favorably when compared to sham treatments. Nine of the 14 trials comparing true and sham acupuncture in migraine and tension-type headache patients either "showed trends in favor of acupuncture" or had patients who "did significantly better than those in the sham acupuncture group."

Acupuncture is as effective as low-dose prednisolone for mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome.

Conclusions: Short-term acupuncture treatment is as effective as short-term low-dose prednisolone for mild-to-moderate CTS. For those who do have an intolerance or contraindication for oral steroid or for those who do not opt for early surgery, acupuncture treatment provides an alternative choice.

Abstract Source: Clin J Pain. 2009 May;25(4):327-33. PMID: 19590482
Abstract Author(s):Chang MH, Hsieh CL, Hwang KL, Li TC, Wang NH, Yang CP, Yu SC

Acupuncture Effective For Chronic Headaches

Conclusions: Acupuncture can lead to persisting, clinically relevant benefits for primary care patients with chronic headache, particularly migraine.

 

Vickers AJ, et al. BMJ Epub 2004 Mar 15.

Source: http://www.acupuncture.com/newsletters/m_may04/res.htm#1#1

 

Acupuncture in Chronic Epicondylitis

Conclusions: In the treatment of chronic epicondylopathia lateralis humeri, acupuncture in which real acupuncture points were selected and stimulated was superior to non-specific acupuncture with respect to reduction in pain and improvement in the functioning of the arm. These changes are particulary marked at early follow-up.

M. Fink, E. Wolkenstein1, M. Karst2 and A. Gehrke

Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany, 1Ludwig Botlzmann Institute for Acupuncture, Vienna, Austria and 2Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany

Acupuncture and Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints)

Conclusions: Athletes in the study group receiving only acupuncture and athletes in the study group receiving acupuncture and sports medicine received the most pain relief, were least hindered by pain during sporting and non-sporting activities, and felt overall that the treatments were more effective than those reporting in the group receiving Sports medicine only.

Matt Callison, M.S., L.Ac. works at the University of California, San Diego RIMAC Athletic Training Center.

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