Research

Basic Acupuncture Research:

Acupuncture & Pain:

Acupuncture & Arthritis:

  • Arthritis: Acupuncture
    To ease arthritis pain, you do not necessarily have to rely solely on pain pills and steroids; there are a few alternative treatments that may help you find relief, including acupuncture…
  • Acupuncture Helps Knee Osteoarthritis
    Traditional Chinese acupuncture is “effective” at reducing knee osteoarthritis pain and improving function in people with knee osteoarthritis, say the researchers, who presented their findings in San Antonio at the American College of Rheumatology’s annual scientific meeting…
  • Study Finds Acupuncture Effective for Arthritis Pain
    A study funded by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), both components of the National Institutes of Health, has found that acupuncture may provide pain relief and improve function for people with knee osteoarthritis…
  • Arthritis (Osteo-arthritis & Rheumatoid) Research from The Journal of Chinese Medicine

Studies on Acupuncture to Enhance Athletic Performance:

  • Ear Acupuncture Enhances Athletic Recovery – Am J Chin Med. 2011;39(6):1131-8).
    http://www.jcm.co.uk/research-archive/article/ear-acupuncture-enhances-athletic-recovery-1925/
  • Akimoto, T., Nakahori, C., Aizawa K., (August, 2003). Acupuncture and the Response of Immunologic and Endocrine Markers During Competition. Medical Science in Sports and Exercise, 35, 1296-1302
  • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California. “Responses of Nitric Oxide-cGMP Release in Acupuncture Point to Electroacupuncture in Human Skin In Vivo Using Dermal Microdialysis.” In Microcirculation, 2009 May 26:1-10.
  • Pelham, T., Holt, L., Stalker, R., (2001). Acupuncture in Human Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 15(2) (pp 266-271)
  • Resourced from Article written by: Diane Joswick, L.Ac., MSOM, Acufinder
    • Studies have shown that acupuncture has measurable effects on the flow of blood to certain areas of the body, which could in turn boost athletic performance. One such study conducted at the Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine involved athletes running 5,000 meters, and afterwards sitting for acupuncture treatments before they had a chance to catch their breath. The heart rates of the athletes who received the treatments recovered more quickly than those in the control group. 
    • Another study published in the American Journal of Acupuncture measured the effects of acupuncture on anaerobic threshold and work capacity during exercise in healthy young males. Researchers found that individuals in the acupuncture treatment group had higher maximal exercise capacity and were able to perform higher workloads at the onset of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) than individuals in the placebo group. The individuals that received acupuncture also had lower heart rates.
    • A recent study published in the January, 2008 issue of the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine examined the effects of acupuncture on cyclists. Twenty young (between 18 and 30 years of age) male cyclists underwent three tests per week, riding a stationary bike for 20 kilometers as fast as possible. The volunteers were divided into three groups that either received acupuncture, sham acupuncture or no acupuncture. Acupuncture points were chosen on the basis of Traditional Chinese Medicine and administered immediately before cycling. Sham acupuncture was shallow needling of known acupoints. Not only did the study show that the group that received acupuncture had a higher RPE (Rates of Perceived Exertion) scores compared to the other tests. The men receiving the real acupuncture treatments completed their cycling tests at a higher acceleration than the others.

Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine & Gynecology:

Acupuncture & Pregnancy:

Acupuncture for Post-Partum:

Acupuncture & Fertility:

  • Studies by Chen, Dong and Luo et al have shown that acupuncture relieves stress. The relationship between stress and infertility is thought to be through the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPA), which plays a significant role in fertility. The axis regulates both our sex hormones and our stress responses, which suggests stress contributes to a range of fertility disorders such as amenorrhea, anovulation, ovulatory disorders and irregular periods.
  • Stener-Victorin et al studied the use of electro-acupuncture on 24 women suffering from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) with oligo/amenorrhoea. In cases of mild obesity, ovulatory cycles increased from 15% to 66%, suggesting acupuncture is a long-lasting effective treatment for ovulation induction.
  • Stener-Victorin E, et al Reduction of blood flow impedance in the uterine arteries of infertile women with electro-acupuncture. Hum Reprod 1996;11:1314 -7.  Another study Stener-Victorin led, demonstrated that a certain acupuncture protocol increases uterine blood flow (decreased the pulsatility index of the uterine arteries). This means that acupuncture increased the blood flowing through the uterine arteries. Therefore, when the diet is nutritionally sound and the body is in balance, adequate nutrients will be more easily supplied to the uterus when using the Stener-Victorin protocol. This supports the development of a healthy endometrial lining, which is an important prerequisite for embryo implantation and growth.  
  • Gerhard & Postneek assessed the hormonal effect of ear acupuncture on 45 infertile women with oligomenorrhea (scanty or infrequent menstrual flow) or luteal phase deficiency. Results were compared with 45 women undergoing conventional hormone therapy. The authors assert, ‘Based on our data, [auricular] acupuncture seems to offer a viable alternative for female infertility due to hormonal disorders.’ They also observed a reduced miscarriage rate in the auricular acupuncture group compared to the hormonal treatment.
  • Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: A prospective, randomized trial. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
  • Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilisation: Systematic review and meta-analysis. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
  • The relationship between perceived stress, acupuncture, and pregnancy rates among IVF patients: A pilot study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  • Paulus, et.al. Influence of Acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy: Fertility and Sterility Vol: 77, No. 4, APRIL 2002
  • Stener-Victorin E, et al, Ovarian blood flow responses to electro-acupuncture stimulation at different frequencies and intensities in anaesthetized rats: Auton Neurosci. 2003 Oct 31;108(1-2):50-6.
  • Manheimer E et al. BMJ 2008;336 pg 545-549 – Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilization: systematic review and meta-analysis.
  • Quintero et.al A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Cross-Over Study Evaluating Acupuncture as an Adjunct to In-Vitro Fertilization: Fertility and Sterility Vol: 81, Supplement 3, April, 2004
  • Magarelli et.al. Acupuncture & IVF poor responders: a cure?: Fertility and Sterility Vol: 81, Supplement 3, April, 2004
  • Gurfinkel et al., Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities. Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec;5(4):345-8.

Chinese Herbal Medicine & Fertility Studies

Chinese Medicine and Male Factor Infertility:

  • Acupuncutre Studies:
    • Acupuncture associated with Increased number of motile sperm,  Increased number of sperm with intact tails, and Increased % of viable sperm in 32 subfertile males with sperm impairment – Sherman S et al, Arch Androl. 1997 Sep-Oct;39(2):155-61
    • Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Therapy Associated with a significant decrase in Anti-Sperm Anti-Bodies (ASABs) as compared to treatment by oral Prednisone – Fu B et al, J Tradit Chin Med. 2005; 25(3):186-9
    • Acupuncture improving very low Sperm count – Sherrman S. Andrologia. 2000 Jan;32(1):31-9.
    • Acupuncture and ICSI – Improvement in rapid sperm movement, normal morphology and fertilisation rates – Zhang M et al, J Huazhong Univ Sci Tech Med Sci.2002;22(3):228-30
    • Acupuncture Improving Morphology:
      • Trial 1: Controlled study with 28 infertile men – 10 acupuncture treatments (2/wk) significant improvement in sperm quality especially morphology – Pei J et al, Fertil Steril. 2005 Jul;84(1):141-7
      • Trial 2; Controlled study with19 infertile men randomised into 2 groups, 1st given 10 acupuncture and moxa treatments (1/wk), 2nd given sham acupuncture – significant increase in
        % of normal forms in acupuncture group – Gurfinkel E et al, Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec;5(4):345-8.
  • Chinese Herbal Medicine Studies
    • A Comprehensive Review of Studies Related to Chinese Herbal Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Conjunction with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), IVF, and IUI for Male and Female Infertility by Ray Rubio, DAOM, L.Ac., (FABORM)
    • EFfect of Chinese Herbal Therapy on Chromosomal issues in Sperm – decreasing high aneuploidy after 6 months of Chinese Herbal Therapy – Tempest J et al, Asian Jnl Andrology 2005, 7 (4) 419 – 425
    • Chinese Herbal Therapy improving pregnancy rates in patients with Anti-Sperm Antibodies, both undergoing IUI and Not undergoing IUI compared to patients just recieving IUI without any Chinese Herbal therapy intervention  – Lian F et al Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 2002, 22(2):95-7
    • Adding the Chinese Herbal Formula, “Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang”, protects from in vitro effects of Anti-Sperm Anti-bodies – Yamanaka M et al Nippon Hinyokika Gakkai Zasshi, 89(7):641-6 1998
    • The Chinese Medicinal, Shan Zhu Yu,Improves Sperm’s swimming ability, aka forward progression – Jeng H et al Am J Chin Med 1997, 25 (3-4) p301-6

Chinese Medicine (Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine) and Menopausal & Peri-Menopausal Syndrome:

Acupuncture and Hormones:

  • Hormones come to Light – The Link between Hormones and Acupuncture points
    There are many places where nerve and blood vessel-rich tissues pop up perpendicular to the surface of the body. These correlate well with charted acupuncture points. This is just one of the many pieces of evidence showing that acupuncture points are bio-electric communication gateways between the living matrix and the outside environment…

Male Disorders:

Kidney & Urinary Disorders:

Acupuncture & Fibromyalgia:

Acupuncture addressing Headaches and Migraines:

Acupuncture & Hypertension/High Blood Pressure:

Acupuncture in the treatment Gastrointestinal and Bowel Disorders:

Insomina:

Acupuncture in the Treatment of Fatigue:

Respiratory Disorders:

Acupuncture in the treatment of Allergies/Hayfever/Allergic Rhinitis:

Post Stroke Treatment with Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine:

Acupuncture & Facial Rejuvenation:

  • Crow’s Feet and Wrinkles? Try Acupuncture
    If there’s a Zen way to smooth away wrinkles, facial acupuncture claims to be it. Rather than injecting Botox, a bacterial poison that paralyzes the muscles that cause brows to furrow, proponents of facial acupuncture say they accomplish the same results more gently and naturally by relaxing the muscles…

Acupuncture & Surgery:

Acupuncture & Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):