Acupuncture and in particular Chinese Medicine is a proven technique for increasing conception rates.   Massachusetts is one of 16 states that require insurance companies to cover ART (Assisted Reproductive Technologies) which is a cost we all incur.  The cost for a single IVF cycle is at minimum $10,000.  The goal of ARTs is to have a baby, but ignores the health of the mother and father.     Read the rest of this entry

Acupuncture is a great adjunct therapy for cancer treatments to heal ameliorate the side effects.  Here is an article on its effectiveness for dry mouth caused by radiation.

HOUSTON – When given alongside radiation therapy for head and neck cancer, acupuncture has shown for the first time to reduce the debilitating side effect of xerostomia, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center.

The study, published in the journal Cancer, reported findings from the first randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for the prevention of xerostomia.

Xerostomia, or severe dry mouth, is characterized by reduced salivary flow, which commonly affects patients receiving radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Most current treatments are palliative and offer limited benefit, according to Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., professor in MD Anderson’s Departments of General Oncology and Behavioral Science and director of the Integrative Medicine Program.

The condition impairs quality of life for patients, as it creates difficulties eating, speaking and sleeping, while also increasing the risk for oral infections.

“There have been a number of small studies examining the benefits of acupuncture after xerostomia develops, but no one previously examined if it could prevent xerostomia,” said Cohen, who is also the study’s principal investigator. “We found incorporating acupuncture alongside radiotherapy diminished the incidence and severity of this side effect.”

Cohen and his colleagues examined 86 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, treated at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Forty patients were randomized to acupuncture and 46 to the standard of care. Those in the treatment arm received acupuncture therapy three times per week during the seven-week course of radiotherapy. Patients were evaluated before radiotherapy, weekly during radiotherapy, and then again one and six months later.

The results were based on data derived from two self-report questionnaires and measuring actual saliva flow. Patients completed the Xerostomia Questionnaire (XQ), an eight-item survey which assessed symptoms consistent with the condition. XQ scores under 30 corresponded to mild or no symptoms of xerostomia.

The second measure, MD Anderson Symptom Inventory Head and Neck (MDASI-HN), ranked the severity of cancer-related symptoms, other than xerostomia, and their interference with quality of life. The team also measured saliva flow rates using standardized sialometry collection techniques.

Benefits Noticed Quickly

“What was quite remarkable was that we started to see group differences as early as three weeks into radiotherapy for the development of xerostomia, cancer-related symptoms that interfere with quality of life, and saliva flow rates – an important objective measure,” said Zhiqiang Meng, M.D., Ph.D., co-principle investigator of the study and deputy chair of the Department of Integrative Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center.

The largest group differences in XQ scores were seen by the end of radiotherapy, but the differences persisted over time. By one month after the end of radiotherapy, 54.3 percent of the acupuncture group reported XQ scores greater than 30, compared to the control group at 86.1 percent. By six months after radiotherapy, the numbers dropped to 24.1 percent in the acupuncture group and 63.6 percent of the control group still reporting symptoms of xerostomia. Saliva flow rates were also greater in the acupuncture group, starting at three weeks into radiotherapy and persisting through the one and six month follow-up.

Acupuncture also helped cancer-related symptoms, other than xerostomia, as measured by the MDASI-HN questionnaire, with differences that emerged in week three and continued through six months.

“The medical implications are quite profound in terms of quality of life, because while chronic dry mouth may sound benign, it has a significant impact on sleeping, eating and speaking,” Cohen said. “Without saliva, there can be an increase in microbial growth, possible bone infection and irreversible nutritional deficits.”

Additional studies are needed to determine the mechanisms for the benefits of acupuncture, and while the study didn’t examine this issue, Cohen said it may have an impact on local blood flux, specifically at the parotid gland.

Further research is planned, including a large trial conducted at MD Anderson in collaboration with Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Both centers will enroll 150 patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer: 50 will receive acupuncture, 50 sham acupuncture and 50 will be enrolled in a control group. Researchers will also examine saliva constituents and a number of other measures to better determine the mechanisms of acupuncture.

In addition to Cohen, other authors on the study include, from MD Anderson: M. Kay Garcia, Dr. P.H., Integrative Medicine Program; Joseph Chiang, M.D., Department of Anesthesiology; Mark Chambers, D.M.D, Department of Dental Oncology; David Rosenthal, M.D., Department of Radiation Oncology; J. Lynn Palmer, Ph.D., Department of Biostatistics; Amy Spelman, Ph.D., and Qi Wei, M.S., both in the Integrative Medicine Program. From Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Hospital: Huiting Peng, M.D., Ying Zhang, Luming Liu, M.D., Ph.D., all in Department of Integrative Oncology, Chaosu Hu, M.D., Ph.D., Department of Radiation Oncology. From Fudan University College of Public Health: Qi Zhao, Ph.D. and Genming Zhao, Ph.D., both in Department of Statistics.

Support for the study was provided, in part, through grants from the National Cancer Institute and the Chinese Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality.

About MD Anderson
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world’s most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. MD Anderson is one of only 40 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute. For eight of the past 10 years, including 2011, MD Anderson has ranked No. 1 in cancer care in “America’s Best Hospitals,” a survey published annually in U.S. News & World Report.

PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) is a female endocrine disorder where too much androgen hormone (testosterone) is being made in relations to estrogen. It affects up to 10% of all women. It is thought that improper insulin regulation is a common cause and shows up in girls as young as 9 years old through post menopausal women. PCOS is one of the main causes of infertility, but PCOS is a symptom of an underlying endocrine imbalance not the reason for the infertility.

Common symptoms of PCOS include:

• Irregular or no menstrual periods (for women of reproductive age)
• Irregular ovulation, with or without monthly bleeding
• Acne
• Excess hair growth on the face and body
• Thinning scalp hair
• Accumulation of un-ruptured follicles on the periphery of the ovaries (mislabeled as “cysts”, often called polycystic ovaries)

It is not necessary to have all of these symptoms to have PCOS. In fact it is not necessary to have “polycystic ovaries” to have PCOS. PCOS manifests itself differently in each woman.

I believe that Chinese Medicine is the best medicine on the planet to deal with PCOS and any hormonal imbalances. Using acupuncture, herbs and nutrition we can regulate the hormonal levels sometimes within a few cycles.

There have been a couple of recent studies which show what has been known clinically for 2000 years. Below are some of the articles written about the studies:

• Acupuncture and Exercise Relieve PCOS In this 16 week study from 2009 the once a week acupuncture group had fewer menstrual irregularities and a significant drop in testosterone. Here is another article regarding this study.
• Acupuncture relieves PCOS better than exercise alone - In this similar study to the one above the acupuncture group had more menstrual regulation and a higher drop in testosterone than the exercise group.

In addition these studies only used acupuncture and exercise. There was no dietary intervention or herbal medicine used as treatment. Once we add in these modalities the success rate increases dramatically!

So if you have been diagnosed with PCOS absolutely consider using Chinese Medicine as a treatment modality.

Yours In Health,

George Mandler CNS LDN LicAc

A review study was recently published that evaluated 13 trials which included 1,986 women and found that acupuncture during labor was associated with:

1. Less intense pain reported
2. More satisfaction with pain relief compared to no treatment
3. A reduced use of pharmacological analgesia
4. Fewer instrumental deliveries

Number 3 above directly leads to number 4 as it has been shown the epidurals can lengthen the duration of labor thereby increasing the likelihood that other interventions such forceps as C-section are needed. Also once the epidural is given often then Pitocin is given to speed up contractions.   Therefore if acupuncture can reduce the amount of pain during labor then fewer interventions would be required.    Not to mention the other health implication with the often unnecessary medical procedures used in birthing. Read the rest of this entry

The definition of Recurrent Pregnancy Loss is three or more miscarriages prior to 20 weeks gestation. However even one miscarriage takes it emotional toll. Even though the statistical chances of carrying a baby to term are much more favorable than having another miscarriage it is probably better to take the necessary preventative health steps before trying to conceive again. In Chinese Medicine and Functional Medicine recurrent miscarriage shows that there is an underlying imbalance, either with the mother or father. This imbalance is a reason the pregnancy is not taking hold and should be corrected. Yes if your only goal is to have a baby then you can use IVF. But for the sake of the baby’s health and your health during pregnancy and postpartum it is wise to correct the underlying imbalance before getting pregnant.
Read the rest of this entry

Acupuncture studies using the standard “Evidence Based Medicine” are difficult to conduct as there are limitation to how an effective placebo can be carried out. Even studies that use so called “sham” acupuncture may not necessary be a placebo as the sham can have physiological effects beyond just the mind. I know from a clinical perspective that acupuncture works, but showing it within the confines of the current research model is difficult. Anyone that says acupuncture is only a placebo effect I suggest they talk to someone that brought their animal (dog, cat, horse) to someone that does animal acupuncture. The results are often outstanding so if it is a placebo effect these creatures are experiencing then they are a lot smarter than we think.

An interesting study was just released that looked at acupuncture’s efficacy for preventing migraines. Read the rest of this entry

A recent research article came out that used electro-acupuncture for 16 weeks and found a significant improvement in PCOS outcome.
I cut and pasted the article I wrote for my clinic’s website below:

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a metabolic imbalance of a woman’s hormones. This imbalance can cause changes in the menstrual cycle (amenorrhea, irregular periods, dysmenorrhea), skin changes, small cysts in the ovaries, infertility, hair growth and other problems. In a woman’s normal menstrual cycle one (or more) eggs are released from the follicles in the ovaries. In PCOS the eggs do not mature and instead form small cysts in the ovaries. This can lead to infertility. Read the rest of this entry

Institute: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, San Gerardo Hospital , Monza, Italy .

Author: Marra C, Pozzi I, Ceppi L, Sicuri M, Veneziano F, Regalia AL.

Journal: J Altern Complement Med.

Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture in relieving perineal pain after mediolateral episiotomy during childbirth.

Design and subjects: Women with mediolateral episiotomy during delivery were enrolled in this study and were assigned to be treated or not with acupuncture. Outcomes measures: Perineal pain relieving effect of acupuncture was evaluated considering oral analgesics request during post-partum period and was the main outcome of this trial.

Results: A total of 42 women were enrolled in this trial. Twenty-one (21) women were treated with “wrist-ankle” acupuncture, inserting one needle in their right ankle. A second group of 21 women was not treated with acupuncture. Women in the acupuncture group were significantly less likely to experience pain; only 8 of them (38.1%) asked for analgesics. All women in the second group assumed oral analgesics because of perineal pain (p?<?0.01).

Conclusions: Wrist-ankle acupuncture during the postpartum period is effective for perineal pain relief after mediolateral episiotomy.