Complementary Medicine Research最新文献

{"title":"The Improvement in Function of Poststroke Spasticity by Vibrational and Heated Stone-Needle Therapy and Meridian Dredging Exercise: A Randomized, Controlled, Preliminary Trial.","authors":"Hui-Jun Sun, Jie Zhang, Jian-Ping Lu, Mei-Ting Wu","doi":"10.1159/000534993","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000534993","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Poststroke spasticity (PSS) is a common complication of stroke. Current PSS treatments have been linked to high costs, lack of long-term effectiveness, and undesirable side effects. Vibrational and heated stone-needle therapy (VHS) has not been utilized to treat PSS, and its safety and effectiveness have yet to be proven by high-quality clinical research.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of VHS combined with meridian dredging exercise (MDE) in patients with PSS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>One hundred participants with stroke were included and randomly assigned to a treatment group (VHS plus MDEs) and a control group (MDEs alone). Patients in both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The primary outcome measures were the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), while the secondary outcome measures were the Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Scale and Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QOL). The evaluations were at baseline (T0) at 4 weeks of treatment (T1) and at 12 weeks of follow-up without treatment (T2).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>At T1 and T2, there were significant differences in MAS between the two groups (p = 0.001). From the perspective of distribution, the VHS plus MDE group had significant changes, and the group-time interactions of upper and lower extremities in FMA, ADL, and SS-QOL were statistically significant (p < 0.001), indicating that patients' symptoms improved after treatment. But the overall effect size is small, especially the effect size of improvement in SS-QOL at T1.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>VHS in combination with MDE can consistently alleviate PSS, enhance limb function, and improve the quality of life of patients with PSS. But we need to optimize the device further and observe the improvement of patients for a more extended period.</p><p><p><title>Hintergrund</title>Spastik nach Schlaganfall (PSS; <italic>post-stroke spasticity</italic>) ist eine häufige Komplikation des Schlaganfalls. Gegenwärtige PSS-Behandlungen sind mit hohen Kosten, mangelnder langfristiger Wirksamkeit und unerwünschten Nebenwirkungen in Verbindung gebracht worden. Vibrierende und erhitzte Steinnadeln (VHS) sind bisher nicht zur Behandlung des PSS eingesetzt worden, und der Nachweis ihrer Sicherheit und Wirksamkeit durch hochwertige klinische Forschung steht noch aus.<title>Ziel</title>Beurteilung der Wirksamkeit von vibrierenden und erhitzten Steinnadeln (VHS) in Kombination mit Meridian-Ausbagger-Übungen (MDE) bei Patienten mit PSS.<title>Methoden</title>100 Patienten mit Schlaganfall wurden eingeschlossen und per Randomisierung auf eine Behandlungsgruppe (VHS plus MDEs) und eine Kontrollgruppe (nur MDE) aufgeteilt. In beiden Gruppen wurden die Patienten 4 Wochen lang behandelt. Die primären Messinstrumente waren die Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) und das Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), als sekundäre Messinstrumente w","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"492-501"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"72013779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy of Arsenicum album 30C in the Prevention of COVID-19 in Individuals Residing in Containment Areas: A Prospective, Multicenter, Cluster-Randomized, Parallel-Arm, Community-Based, Open-Label Study.","authors":"Debadatta Nayak, Karthikeyan Devarajan, Partha Pratim Pal, Hima Bindu Ponnam, Nidhi Jain, Vipul Shastri, Ramesh Bawaskar, Raveendar Chinta, Anil Khurana","doi":"10.1159/000526897","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000526897","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>During the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, non-pharmacologic interventions were the strategies for the prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India, had advised Arsenicum album 30C as a prophylactic to prevent COVID-19. This study was undertaken to evaluate the protective efficacy and safety of the Arsenicum album 30C.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a prospective, multicenter, cluster-randomized, parallel-arm, community-based, open-label study involving apparently healthy individuals residing in containment areas of 7 cities in India. Clusters are defined as the population residing in the containment areas, who are under restriction for movement. Forty-two clusters were randomly assigned at 2:1 to the Arsenicum album 30C group (30 clusters) or to the control group (12 clusters, which received no specific therapy). The medicine was given twice daily for 7 days. The primary outcome was the incidence of COVID-19, as per the case definition notified by the National Centre for Disease Control, Government of India, during 3-week follow-up period.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The analysis included 32,186 individuals residing in 42 clusters (containment areas). A total of 22,693 individuals from 30 clusters received Arsenicum album 30C, and 9,493 individuals from 12 clusters were observed in the control group. The overall protective effect of the Arsenicum album 30C was 80.22% (95% confidence interval [CI], 71.16-86.44; 40 cases per 22,693 [6.04 per 10,000 person-weeks] in the Arsenicum album 30C group vs. 84 cases per 9,493 [29.78 per 10,000 person-weeks] in the control group). The protective effect of the Arsenicum album 30C against laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 was 68.22% (95% [CI], 49.64-80; 32 cases per 22,693 [4.83 per 10,000 person-weeks] in the Arsenicum album 30C group vs. 42 cases per 9,493 [14.93 per 10,000 person-weeks] in the control group). Adverse effects observed in both groups were mild and resolved without medication and sequelae.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Homeopathic medicine Arsenicum album 30C was associated with a decrease in the incidence and provided some protection against COVID-19 as compared to nontreatment. Further randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials may be conducted to validate the results of this study.</p><p><p><title>Ziel</title>In der Anfangszeit der COVID-19-Pandemie setzte man auf nicht-medikamentöse Massnahmen zur Prävention von Infektionen mit SARS-CoV-2 (Schweres-Akutes-Respiratorisches-Syndrom-Coronavirus 2). Das Ayush-Ministerium der indischen Regierung empfahl <italic>Arsenicum album 30C</italic> als Prophylaxe zur COVID-19-Prävention. Das Ziel dieser Studie war die Beurteilung der Schutzwirkung und Sicherheit von <italic>Arsenicum album 30C</italic>.<title>Methoden</title>An unserer prospektiven, multizentrischen, Cluster-randomisierten, unverblindeten Parallelgruppen-Bevölkerungs-","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"375-385"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"33486929","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Coping with Stress by Patients with Gynecological Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study in Türkiye.","authors":"Ekin Dila Topaloğlu Ören, Seda Dorukoğlu, Gül Ertem","doi":"10.1159/000534707","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000534707","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Gynecological cancers are long-term, challenging, and stressful diseases. In Türkiye, the majority of patients with gynecological cancer use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Considering the stress that gynecological cancer patients are exposed to, patients need to know how to cope with stress.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to determine the use of CAM and coping with stress by patients with gynecological cancer and the relationships between them and the factors that predict the approaches to coping with stress in women with gynecological cancer in Türkiye.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The study was conducted with 204 patients between April and August 2022. The data of the study were collected by face-to-face interview and filled out by the patients using the Descriptive Information Form and the Stress Coping Styles Scale (SCSS). Number, percentage, mean, χ2, one-way ANOVA, t test, and the Spearman correlation analysis were used in the data analysis. To analyze the multivariate independent associations between variables, a multivariate ordinal logistic regression model was used, with the SCSS domains as dependent variables. A 95% confidence interval was calculated, and all statistical tests had an alpha level of 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean age of the patients was 58.38 ± 12.64 years (32-80). The prevalence of CAM use by patients was 39.2%, and the most common types of CAM were herbal products (43.8%) and supplication (42.5%). The reasons for using CAM were relaxation (symptomatic)-feeling healthy (63.8%) and treating cancer (36.2%). No statistically significant difference was found between the use of CAM and their approaches to coping with stress (p > 0.05). As a result of multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis, education level under high school, having ovary, cervix, and endometrium cancer, being in the first stage of cancer, receiving chemotherapy, receiving surgical treatment, having another cancer patient in the social environment and increased interest in a partner after the diagnosis of cancer was associated with an effective coping with stress (p < 0.05, adjusted R2 = 0.27, 0.79, and 0.32, respectively). Not working, experiencing an abortion, having another cancer patient in their social environment, being in the third stage of cancer, having an extended family, and living in a rural area of residence were associated with ineffective coping with stress (p < 0.05, adjusted R2 = 0.20 and 0.24, respectively).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The prevalence of CAM use by patients was low. While determining the approaches of the patients to cope with stress, their education level, place of residence, family type, diagnosis of cancer, stage of cancer, treatment, partner support, and stressful life events should be considered. As nurses, we need to be more knowledgeable about the use of CA","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"502-516"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138175835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of Multimodal Treatment on Rest/Activity and Autonomic Regulation in Breast Cancer Patients with Cancer-Related Fatigue: Results of a Tri-Centre Trial with a Comprehensive Cohort Design.","authors":"Roland Zerm,&nbsp;Augustina Müller-Glinz,&nbsp;Danilo Pranga,&nbsp;Marcus Reif,&nbsp;Christian Bartsch,&nbsp;Christian Heckmann,&nbsp;Christoph Gutenbrunner,&nbsp;Matthias Kröz","doi":"10.1159/000527354","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000527354","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Breast cancer patients with cancer-related fatigue (BC-CRF) often have lower physical activity. To investigate how this could be improved, we evaluated a multimodal treatment (MT) and a combination of MT with aerobic training (CT) and compared these with aerobic training (AT) regarding rest/activity rhythm and state autonomic regulation (State aR).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this pragmatic comprehensive cohort design study, the explorative analysis focused on actigraphy and State aR including the rest/activity regulation subscale (State aR-R/A) which were assessed at baseline (T0), after 10 weeks of intervention (T1), and State aR additionally 6 months later (T2).</p><p><strong>Statistics: </strong>General linear modelling including propensity scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>65 BC-CRF were randomized, and 61 were allocated by preference to the treatment arms. 105 patients started the intervention. At T1, State aR-R/A improved the most in MT (+3.49, CI [2.42; 4.55]) compared to AT (+1.59, CI [0.13; 3.06]) and CT (+1.68, CI [0.83; 2.52]), showing superiority of MT to AT (p = 0.048). At T2 MT was sustainably superior to AT regarding State aR-R/A (+3.61, CI [2.38; 4.83] p < 0.01) and State aR also showed superiority of MT to AT (p = 0.006). AT T1 24-h activity was higher in MT compared to AT (p = 0.029).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>MT was superior to AT regarding State aR total score after 6 months, State aR-R/A after 10 weeks, and after 6 months. Actigraphically measured total activity also improved after 10 weeks.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":"30 2","pages":"115-129"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9345502","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Top 100 Cited Articles on Acupuncture in the Last 20 Years: A Bibliometric Analysis.","authors":"Yuping Ma, Bo Li, Ying Cui, Zixing Zhang, Shiyi Jiang, Xiong Yan, Junpeng He, Yuzheng Du","doi":"10.1159/000530778","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000530778","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Acupuncture has gained increasing international attention in recent decades. The act of incorporating acupuncture treatment into the routine treatment of COVID-19 in China drove us to review the 100 most influential articles of the last 20 years to learn about the current status and trends of acupuncture.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Method: &lt;/strong&gt;Articles related to acupuncture from January 1, 2001, to July 4, 2022, were searched in the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science Core Collection database. The top 100 most cited publications were selected, and information was extracted. Software such as VOSviewer, GraphPad Prism, Scimago Graphica, and CiteSpace were used to visualize and analyze the extracted data.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Result: &lt;/strong&gt;The 100 most cited articles were identified, with an average of 218 citations (range: 131-625). The majority of the top 100 articles were from the USA (n = 53). The institution that published the most highly cited papers was Harvard University (n = 16). The most influential team was Klaus Linde's group. Pain was the top-ranked journal in terms of the number of publications. The largest clusters for co-occurrence keyword analysis focused on acupuncture and electroacupuncture analgesia and brain imaging responses to acupuncture stimulation via functional MRI. The two highest strength burst keywords were \"randomized controlled trials\" and \"osteoarthritis,\" with \"randomized controlled trials\" being a consistent burst keyword from 2011 to the present.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;This study provides insight into articles of historical significance in the field of acupuncture through bibliometric analysis. These data should provide clinicians and researchers with insight into future directions related to acupuncture.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;title&gt;Hintergrund&lt;/title&gt;Die Akupunktur hat in den vergangenen Jahrzehnten zunehmend die internationale Aufmerksamkeit auf sich gezogen. Die Einbeziehung der Akupunktur in die Routinebehandlung von COVID-19 in China hat uns dazu veranlasst, die 100 einflussreichsten Artikel der letzten 20 Jahre zu überprüfen, um etwas über den aktuellen Stand und die Trends in der Akupunktur zu erfahren.&lt;title&gt;Methode&lt;/title&gt;Artikel mit Bezug zu Akupunktur vom 1. Januar 2001 bis 4. Juli 2022 wurden in der Clarivate Analytics Web of Science Core Collection Datenbank gesucht. Die 100 am häufigsten zitierten Veröffentlichungen wurden ausgewählt und die Informationen wurden extrahiert. Visualisierung und Analyse der extrahierten Daten erfolgten mithilfe der Software VOSviewer, GraphPad Prism, Scimago Graphica und CiteSpace.&lt;title&gt;Ergebnis&lt;/title&gt;Es wurden die 100 am häufigsten zitierten Artikel ermittelt mit durchschnittlich 218 Zitierungen (Spanne: 131 bis 625). Der Großteil der 100 meistzitierten Artikel stammte aus den Vereinigten Staaten (&lt;italic&gt;n&lt;/italic&gt; = 53). Die Institution, die die meisten zitierten Artikel veröffentlichte, war die Harvard-Universität (&lt;italic&gt;n&lt;/italic&gt; = 16). Das","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"393-407"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9917415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reduction of Viral Load in Patients with Acute Sore Throats: Results from an Observational Clinical Trial with Echinacea/Salvia Lozenges.","authors":"Ramon Weishaupt, Alexandar Buchkov, Emil Kolev, Peter Klein, Roland Schoop","doi":"10.1159/000530017","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000530017","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Acute tonsillopharyngitis or sore throat is an initial sign of viral respiratory tract infection (RTI) and an optimal indicator for early antiviral and anti-inflammatory intervention. Both of these actions have been attributed to Echinacea purpurea and Salvia officinalis.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;74 patients (age 13-69 years) with acute sore throat symptoms (&lt;48 h) were treated with five Echinacea/Salvia lozenges per day (4,000 mg Echinacea purpurea extract [Echinaforce®] and 1,893 mg Salvia officinalis extract [A. Vogel AG, Switzerland] daily) for 4 days. Symptom intensities were recorded in a diary and oropharyngeal swab samples collected for virus detection and quantification via RT-qPCR.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;The treatment was exceptionally well tolerated, no complicated RTI developed, and no antibiotic treatment was required. A single lozenge reduced throat pain by 48% (p &lt; 0.001) and tonsillopharyngitis symptoms by 34% (p &lt; 0.001). Eighteen patients tested virus positive at inclusion. Viral loads in these patients was reduced by 62% (p &lt; 0.03) after intake of a single lozenge and by 96% (p &lt; 0.02) after 4 days of treatment compared to pre-treatment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;Echinacea/Salvia lozenges represent a valuable and safe option for the early treatment of acute sore throats capable to alleviate symptoms and contribute to reducing viral loads in the throat.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;title&gt;Hintergrund&lt;/title&gt;Akute Tonsillopharyngitis oder Halsschmerzen/entzündungen sind ein erstes Anzeichen einer viralen Atemwegsinfektion (vAWI) und ein optimaler Indikator für eine frühzeitige antivirale und entzündungshemmende Intervention. Beide Wirkungen werden &lt;italic&gt;Echinacea purpurea&lt;/italic&gt; und &lt;italic&gt;Salvia officinalis&lt;/italic&gt; zugeschrieben.&lt;title&gt;Methoden&lt;/title&gt;74 Patienten (Alter 13–69 Jahre) mit akuten Halsschmerzen/entzündungen (&lt;48 h) wurden mit fünf &lt;italic&gt;Echinacea/Salvia&lt;/italic&gt;-Lutschtabletten pro Tag (Tagesdosis: 4'000 mg &lt;italic&gt;Echinacea purpurea&lt;/italic&gt;-Extrakt [Echinaforce®] und 1'893 mg &lt;italic&gt;Salvia officinalis&lt;/italic&gt; Extrakt [A. Vogel AG, Schweiz]) behandelt für 4 Tage. Die Symptomintensität wurde in einem Tagebuch aufgezeichnet und Rachenabstrichproben wurden zum Virusnachweis und zur Quantifizierung mittels RT-qPCR entnommen.&lt;title&gt;Resultate&lt;/title&gt;Die Behandlung wurde außergewöhnlich gut vertragen, es entwickelte sich keine komplizierten AWI und es waren keine Antibiotikabehandlungen erforderlich. Eine einzelne Lutschtablette reduzierte die akuten Halsschmerzen um 48% (&lt;italic&gt;p&lt;/italic&gt; &lt; 0,001) und die allgemeinen Tonsillopharyngitis Symptome um 34% (&lt;italic&gt;p&lt;/italic&gt; &lt; 0,001). Achtzehn Patienten wurden bei der Aufnahme viruspositiv getestet. Die Viruslast wurde bei diesen Patienten nach Einnahme einer einzigen Lutschtablette um 62% (&lt;italic&gt;p&lt;/italic&gt; &lt; 0,03), und nach 4-tägiger Behandlung um 96% (&lt;italic&gt;p&lt;/italic&gt; &lt; 0,02) reduziert im ","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":"30 4","pages":"299-306"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10664317/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10217550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of Foot Massage Applied to Turkish Women Living in Rural Areas on Sexual Distress and Sexual Self-Confidence: A Randomized Controlled Study.","authors":"Nilay Gökbulut,&nbsp;Zeynep Bal,&nbsp;Tuba Uçar","doi":"10.1159/000526347","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000526347","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study was conducted to determine the effect of foot massage applied to women with sexual distress in rural areas on sexual distress and sexual self-confidence.</p><p><strong>Material and methods: </strong>This randomized controlled study was conducted with women who applied to a family health center located in a rural area in northern Turkey and who had sexual distress. The research sample consisted of 84 women, 42 of whom were in the experimental group and 42 in the control group. While foot massage consisting of eight sessions and lasting 4 weeks was applied to the women in the experimental group, no such intervention was applied to the control group. Research data were collected by Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R) and Sexual Self-Confidence Scale (SSS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>It was determined that the pre-intervention sexual distress and sexual self-confidence levels of the women in the experimental and control groups were similar and that the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). After the intervention, it was determined that the mean FSDS-R scores of the women in the experimental group decreased significantly, while the mean SSS score increased significantly, and the difference between the groups was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.001).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Foot massage can be used to reduce the level of sexual distress and increase sexual self-confidence in women with sexual distress. Health professionals who provide health services can use foot massage to positively improve sexuality in women.</p>","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":"30 1","pages":"11-18"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10781375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Would Intermittent Hypoxia Add Significant Benefits to Simple Breathing Pranayama?","authors":"Ram Rahim Msg","doi":"10.1159/000530874","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000530874","url":null,"abstract":"Not required.","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":"30 4","pages":"362-364"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"10281256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characteristics and Effects of Chinese Herbal Medicine in the Management of Female Infertility: A Hospital-Based Study.","authors":"Pei Ying Chou, Chien Min Chen, Ching Chiung Wang, Chen Jei Tai, Yen Kuang Lin, You Jen Tang","doi":"10.1159/000534590","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000534590","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;In Taiwan, Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is used to treat female infertility. Evidence indicates that the absence of monotherapy efficacy assessment and comparison with mainstream interventions may lead to the improper use of CHM for female infertility.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;A retrospective cohort study enrolled female patients at a hospital undergoing CHM intervention to treat infertility from 2012 to 2020 in order to determine the outcomes of CHM monotherapy for female infertility. Kaplan-Meier analysis under strict assumptions was used to estimate the cumulative probability of pregnancy and live births after CHM. Cox hazard regression analysis was used to estimate the hazard ratios of prognostic variables, namely, the woman's age and diagnostic category.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;694 women met the inclusion criteria and accounted for 2,145 cycles. A total of 190 pregnancies resulted in 125 live births, all of which were singleton births of babies with 16 perinatal complications requiring hospitalization. The real cumulative pregnancy rate and cumulative live birth rate (CLBR) for the total population after 10 cycles were between 27.4% and 35.2% and between 18% and 22.1%, respectively. Compared with the live birth rate corresponding to patients aged under 35 years, that of older patients, particularly those aged 38-39 years, was significantly lower (hazard ratio: 0.19, 95% confidence interval: 0.11-0.33). Women with other diagnoses, namely, uterine problems or endometriosis, had a greater probability of a live birth than did women with tubal pathology (hazard ratio: 6.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.99-20.07).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;To the best of our knowledge, this is the first retrospective study to employ life table analysis to determine the CHM treatment outcomes in terms of female infertility. The study established a basis to compare in vitro fertilization (IVF) with CHM and identified the advantages and disadvantages of CHM for treating female infertility. Although the CLBR of present study is lower than those reported in IVF studies, CHM in treating female infertility can still be beneficial to women aged younger than 38 years or with diagnoses other than tubal pathology and worth recommendation by reproductive specialists according to the promising results gained from the strict criteria. However, in order to determine the optimal timing, possible mechanism, corresponding side effects, and the efficacy of CHM combined with IVF for treating female infertility, rigorous research is required.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;title&gt;Hintergrund&lt;/title&gt;In Taiwan wird die chinesische Heilpflanzenmedizin (CHM) zur Behandlung weiblicher Infertilität angewendet. Es liegen Hinweise vor, nach denen fehlende Wirksamkeitsbeurteilungen der Monotherapien und Vergleiche mit herkömmlichen Interventionen zu einer unsachgemäßen Anwendung von CHM bei weiblicher Infertilität führen können.&lt;title&gt;Methoden&lt;/title&gt;Eine retro","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"481-491"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"71421411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Peripheral Facial Palsy Caused by Wisdom Tooth Extraction: A Case Report.","authors":"Dong Li, Larissa Tao, Xifang Wei, Wa Cai, Weidong Shen","doi":"10.1159/000534591","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000534591","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Peripheral facial palsy is characterized by acute peripheral facial nerve paralysis. While most cases have no identifiable cause, some are linked to infectious or noninfectious factors. The potential connection between herpes simplex virus-1 and peripheral facial palsy has been studied since the 1970s, with a small number of cases reported following tooth extraction. Patients who have treatment delayed for over a year and still exhibit no signs of recovery have a bleak prognosis. In this case, factors contributing to facial paralysis in this patient are facial nerve injury as a result of wisdom teeth extraction, improper nursing, and delayed treatment.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Case presentation: &lt;/strong&gt;A 23-year-old female presented with numbness and stiffness on the right side of the outer skin around the lips. These symptoms persisted for about 4 years after the extraction of the right lower wisdom tooth. Physical examination revealed House-Brackmann grade II peripheral facial paralysis. Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine treatments were initiated with an aim to facilitate nerve repair and neurofacilitation in the affected area. Following a 4-week course of treatment, the patient experienced a decrease in numbness and stiffness in the area, and treatment was discontinued.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;The combination of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine is a safe and promising supplementary therapy for peripheral facial palsy caused by wisdom tooth extraction. Nevertheless, it is imperative to conduct larger scale and randomized controlled studies to determine whether these complementary interventions have a significant additive or synergistic effect toward achieving complete recovery in the patients.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;title&gt;Hintergrund&lt;/title&gt;Die periphere Fazialisparese ist durch eine akute periphere Gesichtsnervenlähmung gekennzeichnet. Meist ist keine erkennbare Ursache feststellbar, doch besteht bei einigen Fällen ein Zusammenhang mit infektiösen oder nicht-infektiösen Faktoren. Ein möglicher Zusammenhang zwischen dem Herpes-simplex-Virus-1 (HSV-1) und der peripheren Fazialisparese wird seit den 1970er Jahren untersucht, und es wurde über eine kleine Zahl von Fällen nach einer Zahnextraktion berichtet. Patienten, bei denen die Behandlung erst nach einjähriger Verzögerung oder noch später beginnt und die keine Anzeichen für eine Besserung zeigen, haben eine ungünstige Prognose. In diesem Fall sind die Faktoren, die zur Gesichtslähmung des Patienten beitragen, eine Verletzung des Nervus facialis infolge der Weisheitszahnextraktion, unsachgemäße Pflege und ein verzögerter Behandlungsbeginn.&lt;title&gt;Fallbericht&lt;/title&gt;Eine 23-jährige Frau stellte sich mit Taubheitsgefühl und Steifigkeit auf der rechten Seite im Bereich der äußeren Haut um die Lippen herum vor. Die Symptome bestanden seit der Extraktion des rechten unteren Weisheitszahns etwa 4 Jahre zuvor. Die körperliche Untersuchung ergab eine periphere","PeriodicalId":10541,"journal":{"name":"Complementary Medicine Research","volume":" ","pages":"553-558"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49675145","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}