A combination of acupuncture and massage may help ease pain and depression symptoms after cancer surgery, a new study suggests.Acupuncture has been shown in many studies to ease pain, and there’s growing evidence that it helps quell post-surgery nausea.
For couples having trouble conceiving, infertility treatments get a boost from acupuncture and other Chinese medicine techniques.
A lot of women dream of the day that they’ll become a mom, only to discover after months or even years of trying to become pregnant that there’s a problem. Facing the prospect of infertility can be stressful, frustrating, and worrisome–and that kind of anxiety can make conception even more difficult. Two local organizations have teamed up in a unique partnership that combines the best of eastern and western medicine to help couples boost their chances of baby-making.
Africa, like Asia, has a long and rich tradition of alternative approaches to health and healing:
“”Zimbabwe is very keen to advance its traditional medicine agenda. We are very keen to partner with China in thatrespect.”
The World Health Organisation says a global health crisis of new and re-emerging diseases spiralling out of control with the added burden of poverty and armed conflicts threatens to cripple entire communities and countries.
Health experts say to tackle the projected crisis, it is important that the biomedical community work to access and harness as many resources and partners as possible.
And they say traditional medicine and healers and the potential contributions they can make at many levels of health delivery still remains a critical resource in addressing some of the global health challenges facing most African countries.
It is pleasing that despite numerous problems, Zimbabwe and most African countries are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of traditional medicine — the practice and body of medicinal knowledge that existed before the arrival of modern conventional medicine which were used to promote, maintain and restore health and well-being.
Just like people in China and most other parts of the world, Africans developed unique indigenous healing traditions adapted and defined by their culture, beliefs and environment, which satisfied the health needs of communities over centuries.
Despite the overriding influence of Western conventional medicines and approaches, African health experts say conventional biomedically-oriented practitioners deliver only 10 to 30 percent of worldwide health care.
They say in poor, rural and marginalised populations, the number of traditional practitioners often exceeds Western-trained doctors.
In Africa south of the Sahara, the ratio of traditional healers to the population is about 1:500 in contrast to the doctor-patient ratio of 1:40 000 on average.
The Traditional Health Practitioners’ Association of Zambia has a membership of 40 000 made up of herbalists, spiritualists, diviners and traditional birth attendants.
The Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association has a membership of about 55 000 healers who have access to more than 500 different types of medicinal plants.
In South Africa, it is estimated that there are 300 000 traditional practitioners in the sector which has an annual turnover of more than R250 million.
Traditional African medicine has more followers than Western medicine in Africa and increasingly in North America and Europe there is a booming market for indigenous African medicines with Western pharmaceutical giants tapping into the continent’s vast traditional medicine body.
And with proper planning, training, research and collaboration with countries such as China, Zimbabwe’s traditional medical systems can be developed to boost the economy as well as tap into the booming herbal industry worldwide.
“A significant proportion of people depend on traditional medicine,” said Mr Andrew Mushita, director of Community Technology Development Trust.
“The challenge is: how do we systematically integrate traditional medicine with the formal health care system? The challenge is how to repackage this and promote it for easy accessibility by the majority of the people,” said Mr Mushita, whose organisation has documented indigenous foods, medicines and knowledge systems in Zimbabwe.
In Africa, for years, herbs from trees and shrubs, roots, leaves, flowers and bark have been used to cure a range of ailments through the linkage of spirituality and other traditional African religion practices.”
Many people are using alternative treaments in addition to Western-style medicine. This approach can produce better results than an either/or approach:
“Naturopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage—we often use the word “alternative” to describe these therapies.
But alternative is perhaps not the right word. As Geary points out, the word implies there is a choice—a rejection of conventional medicine. “They don’t have to choose one or the other, they can have both,” she says.
When the National Institute of Health established a center for alterative medicine in 1998, they called it The National Center of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), and defined complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as being outside the typical realm of conventional medicine.
The many and diverse therapies that are encompassed by that definition NCCAM divides into five categories, although they recognize some practices overlap the categories: biologically based practices (use of herbs, special diets, and vitamins), energy medicine (use of energy fields as in Reiki, Qigong, or healing touch), manipulative and body-based (such as Bowen technique, chiropractic, craniosacral, and massage), mind-body medicine (for example, hypnosis, meditation, and yoga), and whole medical systems (complete medical systems, such as traditional Chinese medicine or naturopathy, that have evolved separate from or parallel with conventional medicine).
A growing number of Americans are turning to CAM therapies: According to a report from the Center for Disease Control from a survey done in 2002, 36 percent of adults used some type of CAM therapy over a 12-month period. If prayer was included as a therapy that number jumped to 62 percent. Natural products, deep breathing, meditation, chiropractic care, yoga, massage, and diet were the other most often used therapies. Pain of all kinds (back, neck, joint), colds, anxiety, and depression are some of the more common reasons that people sought out CAM therapies.
Although 28 percent of the people in the study who used CAM therapy felt that conventional medicine could not help them, 54.9 percent believed that a combination of conventional and CAM therapy would help.
HOLISM: SEARCHING FOR THE SOURCE OF DISEASE
Holistic and natural characterize the approach that many practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine take. Whereas conventional medicine often focuses on the treatment of symptoms with medicine or surgery, a holistic approach attempts to find and treat the source of a symptom with natural methods, and has a strong belief in the body’s ability to heal itself given the right conditions.”
Couples having difficulty conceiving are using acupuncture and Chinese medicine in addition to or to complement western fertility treatments:
“Infertility affects more than 6 million women and their partners in the United States, or about 10 percent of the reproductive-age population, according to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
While most infertility cases, 85 percent to 90 percent, are treated with conventional therapies like medicine or surgery, some women are also starting to turn to acupuncture either alone or in conjunction with Western therapies.
Smith’s acupuncturist, Nicole Jurkovic, said in the three years since she opened her practice in Asheville, about 30 percent to 40 percent of her clients have been women with infertility problems.
“People are wanting answers and a different way of looking at infertility that hasn’t been explored enough,” Jurkovic said.
A holistic approach
Both Jurkovic and Whittle subscribe to the practices of Chinese medicine, which takes a holistic approach to diagnosing and treating patients.
Traditional Chinese medicine sees the body as a balance of two opposing forces: yin, or cold, and yang, or hot. Health is achieved through the maintenance of a balance of yin and yang, which practitioners balance through a patient’s diet, lifestyle, nutritional and herbal supplements, and acupuncture treatments.
During treatments, an acupuncturist uses a small, metallic needle on a series of acupuncture points that connect channels of energy in the body. The needles are used to regulate the flow of qi, or vital energy, through the body. A blockage of qi leads to an imbalance of yin and yang.
For women dealing with infertility, the process helps to balance their hormones, increase blood flow to the uterus, boost the immune system and relieve stress, all helping their body to conceive, Jurkovic said.
“I was a little bit skeptical at first because we’ve been through so many treatments before,” Smith said. “After seeing the results, I feel like we’re on the right track.”
Smith said while she isn’t pregnant yet, the acupuncture treatments and herbal supplements have given her more energy, helped to regulate her menstrual cycles, alleviated pain in her neck and helped her to feel more relaxed.
Rebecca Piersma had been trying to have a baby for nine months when she started acupuncture treatments with Jurkovic last fall. She is now three months pregnant.
“I feel like it is a really positive thing because it takes into account everything going on in your life,” said the 25-year-old Fairview woman. “I realized I had to give my body time.””
Qigong (”breath work”, or the discipline of developing one’s breathing to enhance your health and energy) is becoming a more and more popular activity. Outwardly similar to Tai Chi, it’s more of an internal style:
“Practitioners say that qigong helps alleviate joint and muscle aches, increases energy and deepens their breathing. “It’s taken my body, mind and spirit to a completely new level,” said Shelley Marks, 46, a talent manager living in Los Angeles who started qigong after showing early signs of rheumatoid arthritis. “It’s created a very peaceful feeling,” she said, and her inflammation and pain have diminished.
…
Qigong devotees report better sleep, less anxiety and increased energy. But the proof has lagged behind.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, is financing more studies on medical qigong, which involves therapists working individually with clients to correct energy imbalances that have led to pain or disease. But it’s harder to get funding for studies about self-practice, said Kevin Chen, an associate professor at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. “There are not many qigong masters who can produce measurable results repeatedly,” Dr. Chen explained.
The database of the Qigong Institute, an online clearinghouse for information on medical qigong in Menlo Park, Calif. (qigonginstitute.org), includes more than 3,500 studies, reporting qigong’s positive effects on hypertension, arthritis and longevity. But rather than randomized controlled studies, the gold standard for Western medicine, many studies are anecdotal or have small sample sizes. “
A good article explaining acupuncture basics:
“So how exactly does acupuncture work? There are two schools of thought.
Traditional acupuncture is founded on the belief that everyone has a life force, known as Qi, flowing through them on 12 special channels beneath the skin, known as meridians.
It is thought that illness may be a result of the body’s balance of Yin and Yang, the equal and opposite qualities of Qi, becoming upset and putting us ‘out of kilter’.
Through the use of needles mainly, though not exclusively, acupuncture changes the flow in these vital forces by restoring the equilibrium and stimulating the body’s own healing response. As part of this process, getting a person’s emotional and spiritual health and well being back on track is just as important as physical aspects.
Mainstream Western medicine, which is increasingly adopting acupuncture, takes a different stance. Practitioners believe the use of the needles can stimulate a nervous or endocrinal response, which can help the body heal.
Acupoints
Whichever theory you want to believe, the basic procedure is the same. During treatment the therapist inserts a fine, sterile, disposable needle a few millimetres into the patient’s skin at selected acupoints. This causes surprisingly little, if any, discomfort. The patient may notice a slight pricking sensation, tingling or buzzing as the needle is inserted or rotated.
Acupuncturists may also use finger-pressure, electrical stimulation, soft lasers and the application of heat to stimulate a patient’s Qi.
The treatment is most commonly used for pain and nausea. It might, for example, be used to help combat the side effects of chemotherapy treatment. However, it also has a wide range of other uses, such as treating asthma, bowel disease, infertility, general pain and patients with substance abuse problems.
Some maternity services are also offering prenatal acupuncture to help women whose babies are having difficulty positioning for birth. The use of acupuncture has been found to be very effective in helping the baby get into position, so the women can have natural births rather than Caesarean sections.
Acupuncture also has uses in treating emotional problems such as anxiety, and may even hold some merit in treating depression.
One of its great advantages is that although it is an invasive procedure, acupuncture has few side effects and is generally very safe.
Symptoms
Before treatment begins, therapists will ask you about your symptoms, medical history, family history, what you eat, how well you sleep and what emotional state you’re in.
Traditional therapists are also likely to feel the pulse in your wrists, as this can help them determine your energy flows and decide upon a course of treatment. Looking at your tongue may also help with this process.
As it continues to grow in popularity, more and more medical professionals are being trained in acupuncture. And it’s now easier than ever to find a reputable professional, by accessing the British Acupuncture Council’s website, at www.acupuncture.org.uk
Word of mouth is also a good way to find an acupuncturist you’re happy with and chances are you’ll know at least one person who’s tried it, or know someone who knows someone.
So if you think the treatment might help you too, maybe it’s time to give it a try. “
A combination of acupuncture and Chinese herbs can help alleviate allergies:
“How do all of these elements fit together in the treatment of seasonal allergies? Kath Bartlett, owner of the Asheville Center for Chinese Medicine in Asheville, N.C., noted that they are used in a two pronged, “root and branch” approach. Kath has an M.S. in traditional Chinese medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, San Diego campus. She is also Board Certified in Oriental Medicine by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
She explained that during allergy season, when a patient comes in with a runny nose, watery eyes, and uncontrollable sneezing, the treatment emphasis is on the symptoms, or the “branch.” In between allergy seasons, the patient would continue to receive treatments, but this time the emphasis is on strengthening the immune system, or the “root,” also refered to as “The Righteous Qi.”
Diagnosing an allergy using traditional Chinese medicine is far more individualized than it would be with Western medicine. Allergies are analyzed by the pattern of symptoms seen in the specific patient, and the treatment is designed to relieve these particular symptoms.
The diagnosis begins with the basic belief that all allergies contain an element of dampness, which is a pathological accumulation of water. At this point, Kath explained, the acupuncturist looks at the symptoms to differentiate the nature of the allergy by determining heat and cold conditions.
In a heat condition, the phlegm or expectorant is green; there is a redness or yellow coat on the tongue, and the patient has a rapid pulse. In a cold condition, the phlegm or expectorant is white or clear and the tongue has a white coating. Once this determination has been made, the acupuncturist can target the specific acupuncture points that will alleviate symptoms.
Another technique used in addition to needle insertion is what’s known as “cupping.” This methodology is used to help Qi circulate. “In traditional Chinese medicine, a glass glass cup is usually used. There are also bamboo and plastic ones. A flame is put in and out of the cup, which causes the air inside to evaporate. This creates a vacuum effect. I put the cup on the lungs to pull out the phlegm,” described Kath.
Some acupuncturists also have herbal training, like Kath; and they incorporate herbs into the allergy treatment. She uses raw herbs or parts of the plants that are cut and dried and can be brewed into the strong-flavored teas that most people associated with herbal remedies. For patients who are turned off by the pungent flavors, granulated herbs can be mixed with water and drunk that way.
Is Acupuncture Effective?
How effective is traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of seasonal allergies? In a study published in the September 2004 issue of Allergy magazine, the researchers concluded that a combination of Chinese herbs and weekly acupuncture sessions showed promise as a treatment for relieving the symptoms of seasonal allergies. The authors of the study recommended that future research investigate the effectiveness of an acupuncture and herb combination in the treatment of other conditions.
The study was done with 52 participants, between ages 20 and 58. The first group received a 20-minute acupuncture treatment weekly for six weeks, with points on the Large Intestine, Gallbladder, Lung and Liver meridians stimulated. Additional points were selected based on each patient’s individual symptoms. They were also given an herbal blend of schizonepeta, chrysanthemum, cassia seed, plantago seed and tribulus.
Patients in the control group were given acupuncture, but at the same non-acupuncture points, which were away from meridians. They were treated with needles smaller than those used on the traditional Chinese medicine patients. Control patients also received a non-specific herbal formula comprised of coix seed, licorice, poria, hops, oryza, barley, hawthorn fruit, and medicated leaven.
At the end of the study period, participants in both groups were rated on their level of improvement. The first group treated with traditional Chinese medicine patients demonstrated improvements in allergy symptoms in the eyes and nose, higher levels of physical activity, and an improved psychological condition compared to patients in the control group.
For seasonal allergy sufferers still suffering with traditional Western medical treatments, or weighed down by unwanted side effects like drowsiness, may find relief in acupuncture. In fact, these patients may discover what Hippocrates learned centuries ago, the body has its own incredible power to heal.”
A study indicate that Chinese herbs can help alleviate the nausea associated with chemotherapy:
“According to an article recently published in the Annals of Oncology, treatment with Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), as prescribed by a Chinese herbalist, may significantly reduce nausea associated with chemotherapy.
The use of CHM among cancer patients is quite common. Often CHM may be used to reduce side effects associated with treatment such as chemotherapy. However, there are no structured regulations on herbs, making it difficult for researchers to identify the potential benefits and risks of CHM.
Researchers from Hong Kong, China, and the University of Birmingham in England recently conducted a clinical study to evaluate the potential effects of CHM among 120 patients with early-stage breast or colon cancer who were treated with chemotherapy. Patients were assigned to one of three Chinese herbalists. After patient needs were assessed by the herbalists, one group of patients was prescribed herbs according to their individual characteristics. The other group received placebo (inactive substitute). Patient outcomes were evaluated according to the National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria Version 2.
* Side effects, including low levels of blood cells, did not differ between the two groups of patients.
* Grade 2 (mild-medium) levels of nausea occurred in only 14.6% of patients treated with CHM compared with 35.7% of patients who received placebo.
The researchers concluded that CHM may “have a significant impact on control of nausea,” particularly among those treated by Chinese herbalists. However, due to regulation discrepancies, further studies to confirm these findings will likely be required. It is recommended that individuals undergoing treatment for cancer inform their physician about all supplements or CHM they may be taking.”
