American journal of acupuncture最新文献

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP), also referred to as chronic relapsing Guillain-Barré syndrome, is a rare neurological disease characterized by progressive symmetrical motor and sensory loss. Current biomedical treatments for this disease are often only short term in nature and have limitations with respect to side-effects and cost. The authors review CIDP from the perspectives of Western biomedicine and traditional Chinese medicine. A case report of a 17-year-old female diagnosed with CIDP and treated successfully with acupuncture is reviewed.

Light therapy has a long history, dating from ancient Egypt to the contemporary treatment of seasonal affective disorder. In the early half of this century, Dinshah Ghadiali, MD PhD, refined a sophisticated system of color therapy. Influenced by a strong background in mathematics and physics, he determined specific "attributes" of the colors of the spectrum, i.e., their specific effects on human physiology. Later research has confirmed many of his concepts and spawned evolution of new systems for application of light therapy including irradiation of acupuncture points. According to the author, his system dovetails nicely with traditional Oriental medicine theory, relating colors to the internal organs and meridian system. Of particular note is recent Russian research which has shown that light is conducted within the body along the acupuncture meridians leading the authors to ponder: Do acupuncture meridians function as a light (photon) transferal system within the body, not unlike optical fiber? Case studies provide support for the clinical benefits of light therapy. The emerging contemporary color therapy systems of Mandel (Colorpuncture) and McWilliams (Chromo-pressure) are discussed, and a newly patented device is introduced.

A wide variety of symptom presentations have been identified in association with exogenous pathogenic attack of the "channel sinews" (CS). In accordance with the Eight Principles of Diagnosis and with reference to the classical literature, the author explores the outcomes of attack by exogenous pathogenic wind, cold, heat, and dampness at the acute stage.

Following the author's own experiences with chronic pain due to a motorcycle accident during medical school, and the pain's unresponsiveness to conventional medicine, he sought other solutions. His journey led him to a new understanding of health and illness. With these insights and through the use of acupuncture, bodywork and various breathing techniques, he began to see phenomena--emotional release, myoclonic shaking, and regression--and healing that could not be explained in terms of a rational or structural framework. He posits that such phenomena represent different forms of de-stressing which together serve to release "blocked feeling," which he suggests is the "energy block" described by acupuncture theory as "stagnant Qi." The fourth in a series, this installment explores the role of repressed anger and its relationship to chronic illness.

This case report describes the treatment of varicose veins of the lower leg and their complete resolution by acupuncture. According to the author, there is no description of this condition and no guidelines for diagnosis and treatment in the literature of Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS), electroacupuncture (EA), and ice massage with placebo treatment for the treatment of pain. Subjects (n = 100) diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee were treated with these modalities. The parameters for evaluating the effectiveness of treatment include pain at rest, stiffness, 50 foot walking time, quadriceps muscle strength, and knee flexion degree. The results showed (a) that all three methods could be effective in decreasing not only pain but also the objective parameters in a short period of time; and (b) that the treatment results in TENS, EA and ice massage were superior to placebo.

This paper explores the relationship between Kidney Essence, Yang, Yin and Qi, and the Mingmen, their origins, the variety of functions they provide to the human organism, mentally, physically and spiritually, and the fundamental paradox they represent in terms of unity and polarity. This exercise is part of an ongoing personal exploration in the service of a more complete understanding of the cosmic and material functions of the Kidney in Chinese medicine and culture, also illuminated by Chinese pulse diagnosis. It is not meant to convey a final statement or as a repository of absolutes, but as an attempt to stimulate and ultimately share new ideas.

Although acupuncture has been practiced for more than 5,000 years, micro-acupuncture is a recent concept. In the mid-1950s, Nogier discovered that the ear may be utilized as a diagnostic and therapeutic system for the entire body. He explored the topology of acupoints on the ear, observing that it is reiterative of the anatomy. Micro-acupuncture extends these principles to other parts of the body, for example, the foot, hand, nose, and even the orbit of the eye. The development, systems, theory, clinical uses and holograms of micro-acupuncture are reviewed. It is suggested that the holographic paradigm may even have implications for the evolution of a new scientific, social and personal consciousness.

Unlabelled: According to Chinese medicine, the differential diagnosis of migraine headache may be classified based on the state of the viscera, channels and collaterals. In this study, acupuncture treatment prescriptions combining distant and local acupoints were selected according to the differential diagnosis. Sixty-four patients were divided into two equal groups: one group received acupuncture, and the other group underwent conventional drug treatment.

Results: The efficacy rates in the acupuncture and control groups were as follows, respectively: Cure: 75% versus 34.4%, marked improvement: 18.8% versus 28.1%, no effect: 6.3% versus 37.5%. The overall effective rates for the acupuncture and control groups were 93.8% and 62.5%, respectively, indicating a significantly greater effect in the acupuncture group (P < 0.01, x = 13.475).