| |
Research: Gynaecological disorders
| Miscarriage |
Acupuncture for Miscarriage
Acupuncture aims to rebalance the hormones after a miscarriage and gently rebuild the body and provides emotional support. Rest is encouraged and if another pregnancy is planned, acupuncture can help with preconception.
Acupuncture can increase blood flow to the reproductive organs so that eggs and sperm are bathed in nutrient-rich blood while they are maturing. Better quality eggs, endometrial lining and sperm lead to better quality embryos and healthy implantation.
< back to top |
| PCOS |
Electro acupuncture treatments induce regular ovulations in women with PCOS
In a study of twenty-four women (age 24-40) with PCOS and oligo-/amenorrhea research shows that repeated electro-acupuncture treatments induced regular ovulations in 9 women (38%), more than one third of the women with PCOS. Stener-Victorin E, Waldenstrom U, Tagnfors U, Lundeberg T, Lindstedt G, Janson PO: Effects of electro-acupuncture on anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2000, 79:180-188.
< back to top |
| Endometriosis |
Acupuncture and Endometriosis
In a study published in the December 2002 issue of The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers selected 67 women diagnosed with dysmenorrhea (painful periods) due to endometriosis. It was reported that 81% of these women had less painful periods after receiving the acupuncture treatments. Research shows that acupuncture promotes blood circulation, regulates the endocrine system and suggests that acupuncture could act as an analgesic by elevating levels of endorphins in the blood.
Less painful periods with acupuncture
In a study published in the December 2002 issue of The Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers selected 67 women diagnosed with dysmenorrhea (painful periods) due to endometriosis. It was reported that 81% of these women had less painful periods after receiving the acupuncture treatments. Research shows that acupuncture promotes blood circulation, regulates the endocrine system and suggests that acupuncture could act as an analgesic by elevating levels of endorphins in the blood.
< back to top
|
| Anovulation |
Electro acupuncture helps restore regular ovulation
In absent periods, evidence suggests that the hypothalamic dysfunction is sensitive to emotional and physical stresses, diet, body weight, exercise, environmental factors etc. Acupuncture is used clinically for the treatment of amenorrhea. In one study, electrical acupuncture helped restore regular ovulation to more than a third of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Stener-Victorin E, Waldenstrom U, Tagnfors U, Lundeberg T, Lindstedt G, Janson PO: Effects of electro-acupuncture on anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2000, 79:180-188.
Acupuncture can normalize the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, improve ovulation and enhance pelvic blood flow, which may help with implantation
A review of acupuncture and female infertility, by physicians from New York Weill Cornell Medical Center, identified that acupuncture can normalize the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, improve ovulation, and enhance pelvic blood flow, which may help with implantation. Chang R, Chung P, Rosenwaks Z. Role of acupuncture in the treatment of female infertility. Fertility and Sterility. December 2002; 78:1149-53.
< back to top |
| Painful periods / dysmenorrhoea |
Acupuncture for Painful Periods
Acupuncture can treat painful periods and provide symptom management. In a randomised control trial of 43 women with primary dysmenorrhoea found that acupuncture significantly increased the proportion of women with reduced pain compared with other treatment (10/11 [91%] with acupuncture v 4/11 [36%] with placebo acupuncture v 1/10 [10%] with monthly medical visits v 2/11 [18%] with no medical treatment. [1]
[1] Helms JM. Acupuncture for the management of primary dysmenorrhea. Obstet Gynecol 1987;69:51–56.
Acupuncture treatment of dysmenorrhoea resistant to conventional medical treatment
We evaluated the effect of acupuncture on NSAID resistant dysmenorrhoea related pain [measured according to Visual Analogue Scale (VAS)] in 15 consecutive patients. Pain was measured at baseline (T1), mid treatment (T2), end of treatment (T3) and 3 (T4) and 6 months (T5) after the end of treatment. Substantial reduction of pain and NSAID assumption was observed in 13 of 15 patients (87%). Pain intensity was significantly reduced with respect to baseline (average VAS = 8.5), by 64, 72, 60 or 53% at T2, T3, T4 or T5. Greater reduction of pain was observed for primary as compared with secondary dysmenorrhoea. Average pain duration at baseline (2.6 days) was significantly reduced by 62, 69, 54 or 54% at T2, T3, T4 or T5. Average NSAID use was significantly reduced by 63, 74, 58 or 58% at T2, T3, T4 or T5, respectively, and ceased totally in 7 patients, still asymptomatic 6 months after treatment.
Our findings suggest that acupuncture may be indicated to treat dysmenorrhoea related pain, in particular in those subjects in whom NSAID or oral contraceptives are contraindicated or refused.
V. Iorno1, R. Burani2, B. Bianchini1, E. Minelli3, F. Martinelli4 and S. Ciatto4
1Centro di Medicina del Dolore ‘Mario Tiengo’ Osp Maggiore Policlinico Mangiagalli Regina Elena, Milano, 2Dipartimento di Prevenzione ASL Provincia Milano 1, 3Centro collaborante OMS per la Medicina Tradizionale – Università degli Studi Milano and 4Centro per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica, Firenze, Italia. eCAM Advance Access originally published online on June 28, 2007. eCAM 2008 5(2):133-143; doi:10.1093/ecam/nem050.
Acupuncture helps treat painful periods and provide symptom management
In a randomised control trial of 43 women with primary dysmenorrhoea found that acupuncture significantly increased the proportion of women with reduced pain compared with other treatment (10/11 [91%] with acupuncture v 4/11 [36%] with placebo acupuncture v 1/10 [10%] with monthly medical visits v 2/11 [18%] with no medical treatment. Helms JM. Acupuncture for the management of primary dysmenorrhea. Obstet Gynecol 1987;69:51–56. Acupuncture in patients with dysmenorrhea: a randomized study on clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in usual care.
The clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture in patients with dysmenorrhoea
Study Design
In a randomized controlled trial plus non-randomized cohort, patients with dysmenorrhea were randomized to acupuncture (15 sessions over three months) or to a control group (no acupuncture). Patients who declined randomization received acupuncture treatment. All subjects were allowed to receive usual medical care.
Conclusion
Additional acupuncture in patients with dysmenorrhea was associated with improvements in pain and quality of life as compared to treatment with usual care alone and was cost-effective within usual thresholds.
Claudia M. Witt Thomas, Reinhold,Benno Brinkhaus,Stephanie Roll Susanne Jena and Stefan N. Willich Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité University Medical Center, Berlin, Germany.
< back to top
|
| Heavy bleeding | menorrhagia |
Acupuncture and Heavy Periods
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offer a natural alternative to medical intervention in the treatment of heavy periods. They often refer to heavy periods as 'heat in the blood', usually deriving from liver qi stagnation. Using a selection of acupuncture points, we aim to restore a normal blood flow during the period, free from clots and menstrual pain.
The combined oral contraceptive pill, progestogen-releasing IUCD (Mirena coil), Tranexamic acid (Cyklokapron) are sometimes prescribed by the medical profession to reduce heavy bleeding or Mefenamic acid (eg Ponstan) as a painkiller.
< back to top |
| Premenstrual syndrome | PMS |
Acupuncture and PMT
In a recent acupuncture and PMS study, the success rate of acupuncture in treating PMS symptoms was 77.8%, whereas it was 5.9% in the placebo group. The positive influence of acupuncture in treating PMS symptoms was ascribed to its effects on the serotoninergic and opioidergic neurotransmission that modulates various psychosomatic functions. [1]
< back to top |
| Menopause |
US study finds acupuncture effective for hot flashes and insomnia
From 1997 to 1999, in one of the first studies in the US to explore the effectiveness of acupuncture in alleviating hot flashes, insomnia and nervousness, conducted by Dr. Susan Cohen, D.S.N., APRN, it was found that during the course of acupuncture treatments, hot flashes decreased by 35% and insomnia decreased by 50%. A follow-up study revealed hot flashes significantly decreased in those receiving acupuncture, compared to those receiving routine care.
< back to top |
|
|
|
|
