Body Acupuncture Research Articles

Clinical observation of body acupuncture combined with FANG’s scalp acupuncture for limb dysfunction in the remission stage of stroke

Clinical observation of body acupuncture combined with FANG’s scalp acupuncture for limb dysfunction in the remission stage of stroke

Acupuncture and Acupoints for Managing Pediatric Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Acupuncture is frequently used to manage pediatric cerebral palsy (CP), yet updated evidence is needed to guide future research and clinical practice. Seven databases were searched from 1994 to 26 June 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving body, scalp, or ear acupuncture for managing CP, excluding acupoint injection, catgut embedding, electro-acupuncture, or laser acupuncture, were included. Twenty RCTs with 1797 participants were analyzed. Acupuncture groups had better improvements in gross motor function measure (GMFM) scores by 5% (mean difference: 5.93, 95% CI: 3.67-8.19, p < 0.001, I2 = 57%); a 16% higher probability to yield prominent improvement in effectiveness rate (ER) (risk ratio: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.08-1.25, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%); and better outcomes in the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) (standardized mean difference [SMD]: 0.3, 95%, CI: 0.11-0.49, p < 0.001, I2 = 0%), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) (SMD: 2.48; 95% CI: 2.00-2.97, p < 0.001, I2 = 72%) and ADL (SMD: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.23-2.08, p < 0.001, I2 = 91%). Studies with eight core acupoints identified from all ninety-five acupoints had better ER. Acupuncture, especially using core acupoints, may be effective for managing symptoms in children with CP.

Segmental Acupuncture for Prevention of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections. A Randomised Clinical Trial

Introduction and HypothesisUrinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common medical problem and prophylaxis of recurrent UTIs is an ongoing clinical challenge. In the present study we examined whether acupuncture is able to prevent recurrent UTIs in women.MethodsThis multicentre randomised controlled trial, based at a University clinic and private acupuncture clinics, recruited women suffering from recurrent uncomplicated UTIs. Participants were randomised to the acupuncture group or control group. Acupuncture therapy consisted of 12 treatments over a period of 18 weeks, using a set of predefined body and ear acupuncture points. Cranberry products were recommended to all participants as standard of care.ResultsA total of 137 women were randomised (68 acupuncture, 69 control group) and occurrence of UTIs at 6 and 12 months could be assessed in 123 and 120 women respectively. Acupuncture combined with cranberry slightly increased the proportion of UTI-free women compared with cranberry alone at 6 months (59% vs 46%, p = 0.2). Between 6 and 12 months the proportion of UTI-free women was significantly higher in the acupuncture group (66 vs 45%, p = 0.03). The number of UTIs decreased from baseline to 12 months in both study groups. The number of UTIs at 12 months was significantly lower in the acupuncture group (median difference 1, p = 0.01).ConclusionsSegmental acupuncture may be an effective treatment option for women with recurrent UTIs over a longer follow-up period and may limit antibiotics use. Further studies are needed.

Optimal acupuncture methods for lower limb motor dysfunction after stroke: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

The lower limb motor dysfunction caused by stroke is one of the main sequelae affecting patients' ability to live normally in the later period. Acupuncture treatment of limb movement dysfunction after stroke has been recommended by authoritative guidelines for reducing limb spasticity, enhancing limb strength and so on. However, the efficacy of different acupuncture methods in treating lower limb motor dysfunction after stroke remains controversial. In this paper, network meta-analysis (NMA) was used to prioritize various acupuncture intervention combinations commonly used in clinical practice, try to screen the acupuncture intervention scheme with the highest clinical efficacy and safety, and explore its rationality in guiding clinical practice. We searched a total of 4,312 studies from 8 databases and 2 clinical trial registries, and selected 43 articles for systematic review. We used pairwise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and ranking of various acupuncture interventions. At the same time, the risk of bias, publication bias, and sensitivity of included randomized controlled trials were analyzed. The main outcome indicator was Fugl-Meyer assessment of lower extremity (FMA-LE), and the secondary outcome indicators were Modified Barthel Index (MBI), Berg balance scale (BBS) and Modified Ashworth scale (MAS). A total of 4,134 patients in 43 studies were included. The intervention included 9 acupuncture-related treatments, of which 20.9% were classified as high-risk. Among the four outcome indicators in pairwise meta-analysis, the effect of body acupuncture combined with conventional rehabilitation has the highest comprehensive credibility in terms of efficacy and safety comparing with conventional rehabilitation [SMD = 1.14, 95%CI (0.81, 1.46)], [SMD = 1.35, 95%CI (0.97, 1.72)], [SMD = 1.22, 95%CI (0.39, 2.05)], [SMD = 1.21, 95%CI (0.74, 1.44)]. In addition, multiple intervention methods, for example, warm acupuncture plus rehabilitation treatment for MBI and electroacupuncture plus body acupuncture plus rehabilitation treatment for BBS, may increase certain additional effects on different outcome indicators. This study proves that body acupuncture combined with rehabilitation treatment is the most widely used intervention method with the highest evidence quality in the treatment of lower limb motor dysfunction after stroke. However, for some other acupuncture methods, large samples and high-quality clinical randomized controlled trials are still needed to be fully verified.

Clinical research progress on acupuncture for the treatment of otogenic vertigo.

Otogenic vertigo is a common disorder that affects the vestibular system, which often results in considerable discomfort and impaired daily functioning. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), including acupuncture and moxibustion, has been historically utilized to manage the symptoms of vertigo. However, the effectiveness and methodology of these treatments have rarely been investigated in the medical literature. This study reviews the existing literature on the point selection, method, and therapeutic effect of acupuncture and moxibustion to provide a reference for the TCM treatment of otogenic vertigo. A literature search was performed using the PubMed search engine. The terms used included otogenic vertigo, acupuncture treatment, and acupuncture point selection. A total of 34 relevant articles were retrieved from PubMed. These suggest that the clinical treatment of otogenic vertigo should consider the functions of zang-fu organs and meridians and select different acupuncture treatment methods according to syndrome differentiation based on the difference between deficiency and excess. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy should be based on acupoint selection, considering the syndrome differentiation, supplemented with experience. The treatment of otogenic vertigo with acupuncture and moxibustion refers to the selection of appropriate acupuncture methods under the guidance of TCM theory and following the principles of syndrome, disease, and meridian differentiation. Common acupuncture methods include body acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, acupoint injection, electroacupuncture, and moxibustion. There are many acupuncture and moxibustion acupoints selected for the treatment of otogenic vertigo. Individualized treatment according to the patient's specific condition is effective and safe, which can help to improve the patient's vertigo symptoms and cerebral blood perfusion.

One Case of Solar Dermatitis Treated with Umbilical Needle "Four Positions" Combined with Body Acupuncture

Solar dermatitis is a kind of hypersensitive skin disease, the main clinical manifestations are redness, swelling, itching and burning. A case of solar dermatitis treated with umbilical acupuncture "four positive positions" combined with body acupuncture by Professor Chen Chaoming is introduced, which provides a new way of thinking for the treatment of solar dermatitis by clinical Chinese medicine external therapy.

Reduction of phantom pain after switching therapy from body acupuncture to auricular acupuncture—a case report

Reduction of phantom pain after switching therapy from body acupuncture to auricular acupuncture—a case report

Combining Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) with Conventional Treatments for Major Depressive Disorder.

For many of the complementary and alternative (CAM) medicine methods, it is biologically plausible to expect that they could provide additional benefits in the treatment of major depressive disorder (e.g., enhanced initial response, augmentation, and tolerability) when combined with conventional treatments. Although most likely not comprehensively, herein we critically review current explicit clinical data pertaining to the most extensively evaluated CAMs in this setting: physical activity/exercise, mind and body methods, acupuncture, light therapy, diet, probiotics, various nutrients, and herbal preparations. While the absolute amount of data is enormous, the number of reliable primary studies (randomized controlled trials) and, particularly, meaningful meta-analyses of such studies are very limited. Consequently, the certainty of evidence about benefit or no benefit is very low for each of the addressed CAMs.

Method and Indication of Tongue Acupuncture Treatment: A Narrative Review

Tongue acupuncture is not only a body acupuncture treatment for the tongue but also a new microacupuncture treatment. Tongue acupuncture is a very promising treatment from a diagnostic and therapeutic point of view. According to several studies, Guan’s tongue acupuncture and tri-tongue acupuncture are frequently used. Tongue acupuncture can be used for dysphagia, dysarthria, aphasia, insomnia, autism spectrum disorder, burning mouth syndrome, and cerebral palsy.

Current situation and trend of translational research of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment of aphasia based on knowledge graph analysis.

To investigate the hot topics in acupuncture-moxibustion research for treatment of aphasia and explore the current situation and trend of technology transformation in this field through analyzing the relevant Chinese literatures in recent 30 years by means of knowledge graph technology. CiteSpace 6.1.R 2 and VOSviewer V1.6.16 software were used to collate the data, draw knowledge graphs and conduct visual analysis of the literatures related to acupuncture-moxibustion treatment of aphasia, searched from CNKI, WanFang and VIP databases.The time line view and strongest bursts of keywords were formed in the field of acupuncture-moxibustion treatment for aphasia. The treatment-based keyword networks were visualized. A total of 773 Chinese articles were included. Through visual analysis of the co-occurrence networks, the top 10 high-frequency overall keywords and the top 10 clusters of overall keywords were listed. The top 5 high-frequency aphasia categories were Broca aphasia, hysterical aphasia, transcortical motor aphasia, nominal aphasia and sensory aphasia. Regarding the keywords of the techniques of acupuncture-moxibustion, the occurrence frequencies of scalp acupuncture, tongue acupuncture, body acupuncture and electroacupuncture were ≥ 10 times.The occurrence frequencies of 16 acupoints were ≥25 times. After collation and cluster analysis of acupoints and techniques of acupuncture-moxibustion, 7 keyword clusters of "acupuncture techniques-acupoints" were obtained. The time line view showed that the strongest burst of keywords were transcranial magnatic stimulation, language rehabilitation training, acupuncture-medicine therapy and stroke, etc. in the recent 5 years. Acupuncture-moxibustion displays its unique advantage in treatment of aphasia. With the deepening of modern research, the hot topics for aphasia treated with acupuncture-moxibustion are present and the achievements enriched. In future, these therapeutic methods should be further investigated to explore a model of translational medicine for aphasia in line with the characteristics of acupuncture-moxibustion.

Does acupuncture improve the metabolic outcomes of obese/overweight children and adolescents?: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Although increasing evidence has revealed the efficacy of acupuncture in obesity/overweight, actual improvement in metabolism in children and adolescents is unclear. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate this correlation. A comprehensive search was conducted using multiple databases, including Medline, Cochrane, Embase, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Scientific Journal Database, and Wan-fang Data, to identify relevant randomized controlled trials published before February 1, 2023. General information and data for the descriptive and quantitative analyses were extracted. Fifteen randomized controlled trials of 1288 obese/overweight children and teenagers were included. All the trials were conducted in China and South Korea. Regarding quality assessment, no other significant risk of bias was found. The acupuncture groups were more likely to have improved metabolic indicators of obesity/overweight than the control groups, in terms of body mass index (standardized mean difference [SMD] = -0.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.69 to -0.21, I2 = 71.4%), body weight (SMD = -0.48, 95% CI: -0.92 to -0.05, I2 = 84.9%), and serum leptin (SMD = -0.34, 95% CI: -0.58 to -0.10, I2 = 91.8%). The subgroup analysis showed that for body mass index, the results were consistent regardless of the intervention duration, body acupuncture or auricular acupuncture combined with other interventions. Our results suggest that acupuncture is effective in improving metabolic outcomes of obese/overweight children and adolescents. Owing to the limited number of trials included in this study, the results should be interpreted with caution.

Efficacy of nonpharmacological interventions targeting social function in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This paper aimed to evaluate the use of nonpharmacological interventions for the management of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The effects of acupuncture and behavioural therapy, two nonpharmalogical interventions, on social function in ASD patients are still controversial. This meta-analysis investigated the impact of these two treatments and compared their effects. Seven electronic databases were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the use of acupuncture or behavioural therapy for ASD. A meta-analysis was carried out using Review Manager 5.4 software. Continuous data are reported as mean differences (MDs) or standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). An assessment of methodological quality using the Cochrane risk-of-bias (ROB) tool for trials was carried out. The Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was applied to evaluate the quality (certainty) of evidence for results regarding social function indicators. Thirty RCTs on acupuncture and 36 on behavioural therapy were included. Compared with the control condition, body acupuncture (SMD: 0.76, 95% CI: [0.52, 1.01]; low certainty), modern acupuncture technology (SMD: 0.84, 95% CI: [0.32, 1.35]; low certainty), cognitive behavioural therapy (SMD: 0.42, 95% CI: [0.26, 0.58]; high certainty), the Denver model (SMD: 0.61, 95% CI: [0.23, 0.99]; moderate certainty) and social skills training (SMD: 0.56, 95% CI: [0.41, 0.71]; moderate certainty) improved social functioning. Behavioural therapies (such as CBT, the Denver model, social skills training), improved the social functioning of patients with ASD in the short and long term, as supported by high- and moderate-quality evidence. Acupuncture (including scalp acupuncture, body acupuncture and use of modern acupuncture technology) also improved social functioning, as supported by low- and very low-quality evidence. More high-quality evidence is needed to confirm the effect of acupoint catgut embedding and Early Intensive Behavioural Intervention (EIBI).

A Review on Acupuncture Treatment for Post-Stroke Aphasia

Post stroke aphasia is a communication disorder that occurs after stroke which affects their daily life. With the aging of the population, an increasing number of stroke sequelae patients have brought a heavy burden to their families and society. For the treatment of post stroke aphasia, western medicine mostly uses a combination of western medicine treatment with speech rehabilitation training which are not particularly satisfying. Meanwhile acupuncture plays an important role in treating this disease due to its own unique effectiveness. The objective of this study is to review the effectiveness of the different types of acupuncture methods on treating post stroke aphasia. All the data are collected from online databases based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data collection is tabulated using the Microsoft Excel and results are discussed. There are 40 selected journals that are eligible for inclusion criteria. Based on the results, the highest clinical efficacy in tongue acupuncture is needling the tongue tip without retending the needle method whereas in scalp acupuncture, the highest clinical efficacy is language I, II, III area method, while in body acupuncture, the highest clinical efficacy is Bai Hui, Feng Chi, Jin Jin, Yu Ye, Lian Quan, He Gu, Ren Zhong, Nei Guan, Ji Quan and San Yin Jiao method. Overall, the combined acupuncture method has the highest frequency and effectiveness rate among the four different types of acupuncture methods in treating post stroke aphasia. In conclusion by reviewing all the recent experimental articles, acupuncture showed higher effectiveness in treating post stroke aphasia compared to conventional therapy.

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture-point stimulation combined with opioids for the treatment of moderate to severe cancer pain: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Pain is one of the most common and troublesome symptoms of cancer. Although potential positive effects of acupuncture-point stimulation (APS) on cancer pain have been observed, knowledge regarding the selection of the optimal APS remains unclear because of a lack of evidence from head-to-head randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This study aimed to carry out a network meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of different APS combined with opioids in treating moderate to severe cancer pain and rank these methods for practical consideration. A comprehensive search of eight electronic databases was conducted to obtain RCTs involving different APS combined with opioids for moderate to severe cancer pain. Data were screened and extracted independently using predesigned forms. The quality of RCTs was appraised with the Cochrane Collaboration risk-of-bias tool. The primary outcome was the total pain relief rate. Secondary outcomes were the total incidence of adverse reactions, the incidence of nausea and vomiting, and the incidence of constipation. We applied a frequentist, fixed-effect network meta-analysis model to pool effect sizes across trials using rate ratios (RR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Network meta-analysis was performed using Stata/SE 16.0. We included 48 RCTs, which consisted of 4,026 patients, and investigated nine interventions. A network meta-analysis showed that a combination of APS and opioids was superior in relieving moderate to severe cancer pain and reducing the incidence of adverse reactions such as nausea, vomiting, and constipation compared to opioids alone. The ranking of total pain relief rates was as follows: fire needle (surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) = 91.1%), body acupuncture (SUCRA = 85.0%), point embedding (SUCRA = 67.7%), auricular acupuncture (SUCRA = 53.8%), moxibustion (SUCRA = 41.9%), transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) (SUCRA = 39.0%), electroacupuncture (SUCRA = 37.4%), and wrist-ankle acupuncture (SUCRA = 34.1%). The ranking of total incidence of adverse reactions was as follows: auricular acupuncture (SUCRA = 23.3%), electroacupuncture (SUCRA = 25.1%), fire needle (SUCRA = 27.2%), point embedding (SUCRA = 42.6%), moxibustion (SUCRA = 48.2%), body acupuncture (SUCRA = 49.8%), wrist-ankle acupuncture (SUCRA = 57.8%), TEAS (SUCRA = 76.3%), and opioids alone (SUCRA = 99.7%). APS seemed to be effective in relieving cancer pain and reducing opioid-related adverse reactions. Fire needle combined with opioids may be a promising intervention to reduce moderate to severe cancer pain as well as reduce opioid-related adverse reactions. However, the evidence was not conclusive. More high-quality trials investigating the stability of evidence levels of different interventions on cancer pain must be conducted. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#searchadvanced, identifier CRD42022362054.

Integrative medicine, naturopathic and complementary medicine in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome : An overview against the background of clinical experiences from routine treatment

Fibromyalgia syndrome is classified as afunctional somatic syndrome. There are typical but not clearly defined symptom clusters, such as chronic widespread pain, non-restorative sleep, and atendency to physical and/or mental exhaustion. The core principle of treatment in the S3guidelines is amultimodal treatment, especially for severe forms of the disease. Complementary, naturopathic and integrative forms of treatment have an established place in the guidelines. Strong treatment recommendations with ahigh consensus exist for endurance, weight and functional training. Meditative forms of movement, such as yoga or qigong should also be used. In addition to alack of physical activity, obesity is also accepted as an associated lifestyle factor and addressed in nutritional therapy and regulation therapy. The central aim is the activation and rediscovery of self-efficacy. Heat applications, such as warm baths/showers, saunas, infrared cabins or exercise in warm thermal water are in accordance with the guidelines. Acurrent field of research is whole-body hyperthermia with water-filtered infrared A radiation. Other self-help strategies are dry brushing according to Kneipp or massaging with rosemary oil, mallow oil or the Aconite pain oil. Taking into account the patients preference, phytotherapeutic agents can also be used as herbal pain treatment (ash bark/trembling poplar bark/goldenrod herb), for sleep disorders in the form of sleep-inducing wraps (lavender heart compress) and internally (valerian, lavender oil capsules, lemon balm). Acupuncture treatment (either ear or body acupuncture) are accepted as part of amultimodal concept. The Clinic for Integrative Medicine and Naturopathy at the Hospital in Bamberg offers the three different formats of inpatient, day clinic and outpatient service covered by the health insurance.

Factors related to the Perception of Acupressure as Prevention of Anemia in the Elderly at the Nursing Home

Background: Anemia or known by the public as anemia in the elderly often occurs unknowingly. The prevalence of anemia in Indonesia in the elderly is 42.3%. Acupressure utilizes stimulation on the body's acupuncture points, ears and scalp to affect the flow of the body's bioenergy called qi as one of traditional medicine. Perceptions of the use of traditional medicine are of three types: holding belief in conventional medicine, doubting conventional medicine, and holding belief in both traditional medicine and conventional medicine. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with the perception of acupressure as a prevention of anemia in the elderly at nursing homes.Subjects dan Method: This study was a cross-sectional study in January 2023. The sample used was 110 elderly people in nursing homes in the Surakarta area, selected using a purposive random sampling technique. The dependent variable of this research is the perception of acupressure as prevention of anemia. The independent variables in this study were education of the elderly, knowledge of acupressure, history of anemia, safety of acupressure and willingness to do acupressure. Data collected by questionnaire. Data analysis used multiple logistic regression with Stata 13.Results: Factors related to positive perceptions of acupressure as prevention of anemia in the elderly were higher education in the elderly (OR= 12.77; 95% CI= 1.842 to 88.74; p=0.010), high knowledge about acupressure (OR= 13.05; 95% CI= 2.22 to 76.78; p=0.004), had a history of anemia (OR= 13.50; 95% CI= 2.15 to 84.59; p=0.005), safety of acupressure (OR= 32.85; 95% CI= 4.96 to 217.55; p&lt;0.001), and willingness performed acupressure (OR= 11.03; 95% CI= 1.97 to 61.71; p=0.006).Conclusion: Factors related to the perception of acupressure as prevention of anemia in the elderly are the elderly's higher education, high knowledge of acupressure, history of anemia, safety of acupressure, and willingness to do acupressure. Keywords: perception of acupressure, prevention of anemia, the elderly. Correspondence: Imrok Atus Sholihah. Public Health, Universitas Veteran Bangun Nusantara Sukoharjo. Jl. Letjend Sujono Humardani No. 1, Sukoharjo, Central Java, Indonesia. Email: imrokatussholihah6@gmail.com. Mobile: +6281225210252.

Effectiveness of acupuncture-related therapies on schizophrenia: a Bayesian network Meta-analysis.

To create the hierarchical model for the comparison of efficacy of different ATs for schizophrenia. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, The Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Database, and SinoMed were searched using a specified search strategy to identify relevant studies up to December 2021. The data were extracted independently by two reviewers. The quality of included trials was evaluated based on the guidelines of "Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions". Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted by statistical analysis software Addis 1.16.6 and Stata 15.1. In total, 60 randomized controlled trials covering 4810 patients were enrolled. The network meta-analysis result showed that Body Acupuncture (BA), BA + Electro-acupuncture (EA), Scalp Acupuncture (SA) + EA, Auricular Acupuncture (AA), Low-dose medication and Acupuncture (LA), Acupoint Injection (AI), and Acupoint Catgut Embedding (ACE), when combined with Western Medications (WM), demonstrated a better clinical effect at improving the symptoms of schizophrenia, compared to WM alone. Results of rank probability showed that BA, when combined with WM, was the most optimal AT for schizophrenia at decreasing three aspects of PANSS scale score. Acupuncture-related therapies help improve the symptoms of schizophrenia, and BA combined with WM may be a better therapy for schizophrenia. This study has been registered on the "PROSPERO" website, and the registration number is CRD42021227403.

Auriculopuncture as a regulating intervention of salivary flow

One of the assumptions of the application of acupuncture, when used based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, is that it favors the recovery of homeostasis of organic functions. Besides, experimental data showed that acupuncture produces opposite effects on the same variable. Furthermore, the effect of acupuncture depends on the initial physiological or pathophysiological state of the patient or experimental subject. We discuss the effect of ear acupuncture on unstimulated salivary flow and present a hypothetical model that suggests a possible bidirectional relationship between the effect of ear acupuncture on basal salivary flow. We hypothesize that the directionality of the effect of auriculopuncture on salivary flow depends on the basal state of salivation and allows reaching a state of equilibrium of this physiological function. The hypothesis predicts that ear acupuncture as a treatment that could facilitate the balance and modulation of a physiological phenomenon such as salivation in healthy subjects, and phase transitions, could play an essential role in regulating salivary flow homeostasis. Future research is needed to empirically evaluate the fullness of this bidirectional effect model of both ear acupuncture and body acupuncture. If such work demonstrates usefulness and predictive validity, this model will have significant implications for clinicians and experimental acupuncture.

The Efficacy of Body Acupuncture Combined with Ear Acupressure versus Frequent Counseling as Adjuvant Therapy for Quitting Smoking – An Intervention Pilot Study

Background and Objectives: Quitting smoking is a primary preventive measure for many chronic and fatal diseases including various types of cancers, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Unfortunately, the available pharmacological therapies may have potential side effects and may be unsuitable for all smokers. The present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of using Chinese acupuncture as a nonconventional aid for smoking cessation. Subjects and Methods: The smokers have been randomized into one of two groups, the acupuncture group (n = 20) or the interpersonal canceling group (n = 26) as control. All smokers were interviewed to fill pretested, well-structured questionnaire form to assess their smoking and nicotine-dependent status. In the acupuncture group, the body acupuncture needles were retained for 30 min and then removed while the ear press needles were inserted to be maintained in place for a few days. The treatment in the two groups continued once weekly for successive 12 weeks. Results: The smokers in the acupuncture group showed significantly higher continuous abstinence rate, incomplete abstinence rate, and lower failure rates, at 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 12 weeks (P = 0.04, 0.003, and 0.02 respectively) than the counseling group. In the 24th week, no significant differences were detected in the treatment outcome between the two treatment groups (P &gt; 0.05). In addition, fewer occurrences of nicotine withdrawal symptoms have been detected including craving for smoking. Conclusion: According to the results of this pilot study, the use of acupuncture therapy in the form of body acupuncture combined with ear acupressure was a successful aid for smoking cessation superior to counseling alone. Based on the literature review, this is the first Egyptian study addressing this research point. A large-scale multicenter study is intended to work in the future.

Quantifying Vagal Upload Time to measure recovery from COVID

At Roseville Wellness Group, a Sydney holistic health care centre, 23 post-Covid patients who presented with persistent post infective symptomatology were identified. They all received primary treatment with auricular management using an Evo Premio Laser and secondary support treatment with body acupuncture dependent on the findings at the auricle at that time point. The vascular autonomic signal which is a physiological phenomenon locating dysfunction and distress for the brain and body was used at the auricle to locate vagal dysfunction and subsequent correction. Baseline Vagal Upload Times were measured in 23 post-COVID patients to assess the functional status of their Liver, Lungs, Kidneys and Spleen. Access was via the auricular branch of the vagus located at the concha. The patients were treated weekly and their Vagal Upload Times recorded. Recovery from COVID was associated with a reduction in upload time which decreased over the occasions of measurement for all participants and significant decreases were recorded from the start of treatment to the final session. Patients described improved ability to function, clearing of their brain fog, reduction in their chronic cough and also resolution of their vertigo or balance issues when the upload time reduced to less than 20 seconds per auricular point.