Qi Spot

I read this article (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1241888/Imagine-excruciating-pain-human-experience-.html) about trigeminal neuralgia and one quotation from the article just made my face cringe.

Okay for those who didn’t quite get the pun, trigeminal neuralgia is the funny doctor term for “very very very painful facial… pain”.

Dr Anish Bahra, consultant neurologist at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, says:

“Acupuncture and nutritional therapy are often tried by patients but there is no evidence to support the use of alternative medicine.”

Let’s hear that again.  She says there is “no” evidence.

As in none, nada, zip.

Therefore, all I have to do is to show ONE bit of evidence.  Just one.

And here it is, courtesy of acupuncture.com (http://www.acupuncture.com/research/face5.htm)

Practical Application of Meridian Acupuncture Treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia
By Beppu S; Sato Y; Amemiya Y; Tode I.

Anesthesia and Pain Control in Dentistry, 1992 Spring, 1(2):103-8.
(UI: 93005964)

Abstract: This report evaluates the effect of meridian acupuncture treatment on trigeminal neuralgia. Ten patients aged 26 to 67 years (mean 55.4 years) who visited the outpatient Dental Anesthesiology Clinic at Tsurumi University Dental Hospital from 1985 to 1990 were studied. Five of the patients suffered from idiopathic and five from symptomatic trigeminal neuralgia. The patients underwent meridian treatment by acupuncture alone or acupuncture combined with moxibustion. The acupuncture method used was primarily basic treatment employing only needles without electrical stimulation. Meridian acupuncture treatments were repeated from two to four times a month.

Five patients were restored to a pain-free state. The other five patients noted a decrease in pain, but with some level of pain remaining (significant pain in one patient). It is concluded that meridian acupuncture treatment is useful and can be one therapeutic approach in the management of trigeminal neuralgia.

No evidence, says Dr. Bahra?  Or is this part of Big Pharma’s campaign to discredit acupuncture in the UK, as it is elsewhere?

Oh, not convinced? Let’s look at more evidence!

Effect of Acupuncture in Trigeminal Neuralgia (Tapan K. Chaudhuri, Abhisek Ray. Medical Acupuncture. December 2008, 20(4): 231-237. doi:10.1089/acu.2008.0640. )

ABSTRACT

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is an extremely painful and difficult condition to treat. Existing medical and surgical therapies are moderately effective in many cases, but for a considerable number of patients, these are less than satisfactory and are fraught with failure to respond, considerable side effects of the medications, complications of surgery, and postoperative relapses. Acupuncture has a long-standing reputation of being helpful in various pain syndromes and reportedly has been effective in TN.

Objective: To describe the experience of using acupuncture in a series of patients with TN that did not respond to conventional therapies.

Design, Setting, and Patients: A series of 17 consecutive patients who were referred through July 2007 with the diagnosis of TN to a solo practice of internal medicine and acupuncture in Kansas City, Missouri.

Intervention: A series of 30-minute treatment sessions consisted of the following: Dispersion of LR 3, MH 6, TH 5, GB 34 with stimulation of LI 4 and ST 36 (2 Hz), and simultaneous stimulation (30 Hz) of the facial points including ST 2, ST 3, LI 20, SI 18, and SI 19. If the supraorbital branch was involved, BL 2 was included. A gold semi-permanent needle was inserted in the trigeminal point of the ipsilateral ear.

Main Outcome Measure: Relief of pain following acupuncture.

Results: Of the 17 patients, 2 did not have classic TN. Three patients did not return after the second treatment. These patients were excluded from this series. Of the remaining 12 patients with classic TN, 4 of 5 men and all 7 women responded with markedly decreased visual analog scale scores (VAS; from mean [SD], 8.75 [1.02] to 1.95 [2.84]; P < .001). Five patients (1 man and 4 women) stayed in complete remission, which has lasted 11–15 months following their last acupuncture treatment. These 5 patients stopped taking all medications for TN. The remainder of the patients have continued to receive acupuncture on an as-necessary basis (mean [SD], 31.65 [18.26] days) for the maintenance of pain relief and no resistance to therapy has developed, with the longest follow-up being 18 months. The patients who had a history of multiple operations and procedures also had a good response. No adverse effects were observed.

Conclusions: Acupuncture produced beneficial effects in the majority of patients in this series. Acupuncture should be considered as a safe therapeutic option in patients with TN, especially before invasive intervention is done.

Note that this article is from 2008.

From China’s Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science.

Treatment of 32 cases of primary trigeminal neuralgia by acupuncture plus moxibustion with warming needle on Xiaguan (ST 7)

Han Zhao-cheng 1
(1)      Acupuncture Department, Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University of TCM, Jinan, 250011, P. R. China

Received: 7 May 2007
Summary  The main acupoints of Acupuncture therapy were Xiaguan (ST 7), Sanjian (LI 3), Xiangu (ST 43), Zulinqi (GB 41), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3). Moxibustion with warming needle on Xiaguan (ST 7), reduction method on Sanjian (LI 3) on the unaffected side and Xiangu (ST 43) and Zulinqi (GB 41) on the affected side, reinforcement method on Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3) on the affected side were given. Moreover, according to the affected area, the local acupoints were added, Yangbai (GB 14) for the opthalmic branch, Quanliao (SI 18) for the maxillary branch and Jiache (ST 6) for the mandibular branch. Among 32 cases, after 24 acupuncture treatments, 4 cases were cured, 19 cases got marked effectiveness, 7 cases was improved and 2 cases had no effectiveness.

Really really major duh.

I can’t wait to see how the skeptics and drug company gomers will try to suppress this.  Important to any industry is repeat business.  Hence, drug companies don’t want to cure you, they want to keep you on drugs for life.  Imagine using breathing exercises, or Qi Gong, to control diabetes!  No repeat business there, eh?

A Bastyr University study (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00885846?term=NCT00885846&rank=1 and reported on http://www.wtvq.com/health/1698-qigong-for-diabetes-) has shown that Qigong use in diabetics not only lowers blood sugar, it also decreases insulin resistance and even allows them to lose weight!  (I have GOT to do this.)  Here are excerpts:

Qigong for Diabetes
Written by Kristi Runyon
Wednesday, 06 January 2010 11:45

Millions of Americans have type 2 diabetes and fluctuating sugar levels can cause major health problems. New research shows there could be a more natural way to combat the disease with ancient Chinese medicine.

Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition which affects the body’s ability to use glucose for energy. When we eat, the body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, a form of sugar. Normally, specialized cells in the pancreas release insulin, a hormone needed to unlock cell walls and enable the glucose to be used as fuel. In people with type 2 diabetes, the body is unable to effectively use insulin. Eventually, insulin production declines. Symptoms include: weight loss, fatigue, increased hunger and thirst, frequent urination, weight loss, vision problems and slow wound healing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 24 million Americans have diabetes. Type 2 is the most common form, accounting for 90 to 95 percent of all cases. Most people with type 2 diabetes are overweight, sedentary and have a family history of the condition.

Qigong
Qigong is a traditional Chinese practice that emphasizes posture (positions), movement, breathing techniques and mental focus. It comes from two words: Qi (meaning life force) and Gong (accomplishment or skill gained through steady practice). The theory behind Qigong is that the body can be trained to move Qi, restoring harmony and health. The techniques can be adapted for people of different abilities and health conditions.

Researchers estimate about a half-million Americans use Qigong. The techniques reportedly relax the body and improve respiration, blood flow, heart rate and digestion.

Qigong for Diabetes
Investigators at Bastyr University in Seattle recently performed a pilot study to compare the effects of Qigong against progressive resistance therapy or placebo on 32 people with type 2 diabetes. Participants assigned to the Qigong group practiced the therapy for 30 minutes at a time, two times a week for 12 weeks. In addition, once each week, they met with a certified instructor for one hour to ensure the Qigong was being done correctly. Those in the progressive resistance training group used resistance exercises for the same amount of time as those in the Qigong group. A third group (placebo) received no intervention. The researchers measured levels of blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, insulin, fasting C-peptide, cortisol and psychological stress before, during and at the end of the study.

Here’s a significant anectode: the Qigong was quality controlled.  I remember a study at our university (before I was brought on) where ear acupuncture for weight loss was studied.  It was epic fail.  I asked later on, “did we just stick the seeds on the points or did we teach them how to use them properly?   Did we make sure someone ensured compliance?”

And not just one, not two, but several blood exams!

Researcher, Amy Putiri, M.S., says the investigators found participants in the Qigong group had significantly lower levels of fasting blood glucose, improved ability to use insulin (less insulin resistance) and reduced stress. They also lost weight. Participants in progressive resistance training had some decreases in blood glucose, but the results were inconsistent and not significant. Those in this exercise group were also more likely to gain weight.

They gained weight because they gained muscle mass.

Researchers don’t know exactly how Qigong may help lower some of the markers associated with type 2 diabetes. Putiri believes meditation, slowed movement and breathing exercises promote relaxation and reduce stress, which may improve how the body functions. In addition, she says Qigong restores the mind-body connection and the harmony between the pancreas, kidneys and liver. The findings from the Bastyr study are expected to be published in the January 2010 issue of Diabetes Care. Other small studies suggest that Qigong may also be beneficial as a complimetary therapy for patients with metabolic syndrome and elevated glucose levels.

Qigong works not by suppressing the markers, but by promoting proper body function by ensuring smooth flow of Qi.  In Chinese medicine, diabetes may result from problems with the Lungs, Kidneys, Spleen or a combination thereof.  Diabetes in TCM is seen as a problem with Body Fluids.  The Lungs and Kidneys also have an intimate relationship with Qi, the Lungs receiving Qi and the Kidneys holding Qi.  Can we presume that by ensuring proper Qi flow the Lungs and Kidneys then are freer to control Fluids, and thus, Diabetes?

Hot Flashes.  Night Sweats.  Decreased energy levels.  Discomforts felt by many but made worse in breast cancer patients.  Symptoms also recognized as both a yin (five palm heat and night sweats) and qi (decreased energy levels) deficiencies.  Both improved by acupuncture.

Yet another study (and the skeptics say there aren’t any… pshaw!), this time in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (you mean these studies are in REAL medical journals? wow!) states what TCM practitioners have known since before Moses parted the Red Sea – that acupuncture and Chinese medicine can treat hormone imbalances.  The western medicine method of treating hormone imbalances can be summarized in two statements: a) suppress what is excessive and b) replace what is missing.

The Chinese medicine way is to try to see where the system isn’t working right and correct THAT.

But on to the article, found on Webmd.  Yes, webmd (http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/news/20091231/acupuncture-may-help-ease-hot-flashes)

Acupuncture May Help Ease Hot Flashes
Study Shows Acupuncture Offers Relief to Breast Cancer Patients With Hot Flashes
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Health News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Dec. 31, 2009 — Acupuncture not only cools hot flashes that occur as a result of breast cancer treatment but may offer a host of other benefits to boost women’s well-being.

A new study shows acupuncture was as good as drug therapy with Effexor (venlafaxine) at easing hot flashes in breast cancer patients, but it also improved sex drive, energy levels, and clarity of thought.

“Acupuncture offers patients a safe, effective and durable treatment option for hot flashes, something that affects the majority of breast cancer survivors. Compared to drug therapy, acupuncture actually has benefits, as opposed to more side effects,” researcher Eleanor Walker, MD, division director of breast services in the department of radiation oncology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, says in a news release.
According to the National Cancer Institute, one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Typical treatment for breast cancer involves chemotherapy and five years of hormone therapy that often causes unpleasant side effects, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and decreased sex drive and energy levels.

Researchers say these side effects of breast cancer treatment significantly decrease a woman’s quality of life and may cause some women to discontinue treatment.

Acupuncture has already been shown to reduce hot flashes in menopausal women, but researchers say this is the first study to compare acupuncture to drug treatment in easing hot flashes in breast cancer patients. The results appear in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Fifty breast cancer patients were randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture or drug treatment for 12 weeks. The acupuncture group received acupuncture treatments twice per week for the first four weeks and then once a week for the remaining eight weeks; the drug group received 37.5 milligrams of Effexor each night for the first week and then 75 milligrams per night for the remaining 11 weeks.

I can almost hear the randomized clinical trial robots going: but it isn’t double blinded? DUH.

All participants stopped their treatment after 12 weeks and kept a diary to record the number and severity of hot flashes; they were surveyed about their overall physical and mental health for one year.

Both groups experienced a 50% decline in hot flashes and symptoms of depression, but the acupuncture treatment appeared to have more lasting effects with fewer side effects.

For example, two weeks after the treatments stopped, the drug therapy group experienced an increase in hot flashes; the acupuncture group did not experience any increase in the frequency of their hot flashes until three months after treatment.

Okay this is worth commenting on: The endocrine system is a complex system of feedback mechanisms.  Positive feedback means that more of a particular substance causes increased secretion of a hormone.  Negative feedback means that less of a particular substance causes the increase.  It’s the body’s self regulation system in a nutshell.  When using hormone replacement therapy, there is a tendency for this system to go out of whack.  It’s precisely why people on steroids should not be on them too long and have the steroids tapered off instead of stopped suddenly.  Too long and the adrenals start thinking that the high level of steroids is normal, and you can have worse endocrine disorders like Addison’s Disease.  If stopped suddenly, there might be a sudden rebound of symptoms due to the sudden change in the amount of available hormone or precursors.  That’s precisely what happened when hormone therapy was discontinued after 12 weeks – sudden rebound.  With acupuncture, though, there was no backlash, and the symptoms came back slowly but not on the same levels as before treatment.  This is typical acupuncture results by the way.

In addition, the Effexor group reported 18 instances of negative side effects, including nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, and anxiety, compared with no adverse side effects reported among the acupuncture group.

Let’s repeat that statement, boys and girls.  NO ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS.  NO ADVERSE SIDE EFFECTS.  Wait.  Didn’t the article earlier say FEWER side effects?  What’s the difference between a SIDE effect and and ADVERSE effect anyway?

Most breast cancer patients treated with acupuncture also reported an improvement in their energy, clarity of thought, and sense of well-being. About 25% of women in the acupuncture group also reported an increase in their sex drive.

Once again, if acupuncture is a placebo, I’ll take that placebo!