Effects Of Auricular Acupuncture Research Articles

Immediate effect of Auricular Acupuncture on Electromyographic Activity and Muscle Strength of the Upper Trapezius Descending Fibers

Introduction: Acupuncture is an ancient technique that, when applied to specific points on the body, triggers physiological responses in the muscle. Studies with surface electromyography began to correlate the electrical activity of skeletal striated muscles with acupuncture points, but there are still few studies with evidence. Objective: to analyze the immediate effect of auricular acupuncture on the electromyographic activity and muscle strength of trapezium descending fibers. Method: Clinical and prospective study, composed of a sample of 15 individuals, in which they participated in three stages: stage 1 corresponding to control, stage 2 - corresponding intervention and stage 3 corresponding to placebo. The instruments used for evaluation were surface electromyography and dynamometry of the trapezius muscle descending bilaterally during maximal voluntary isometric contraction. For the intervention, semipermanent needles were inserted into the auricular acupoints: Shemmen, Kidney, Sympathetic, shoulder and shoulder joint and to the placebo - the needle was inserted at the point of the trachea. The experiment was performed with a fixed interval of seven days between steps. The t-test and the Wilcoxon test were used for intragroup comparisons and the two-way ANOVA test for intergroup comparison. Results: there were significant intragroup reductions in trapezius muscle strength for downward intervention, however, for electromyographic activity there was no statistical difference. Conclusion: It is concluded that auricular acuponts decreased the force of the trapezius muscle downward fibers.

The effects of auricular acupuncture at lung, shenmen, endocrine, adrenal points on adult eczema: a randomized trial

Adult eczema (AE) has been reported to have a poor quality of life (qoL). Auricular acupuncture (AA) is a method that has been studied a lot recently. Our study is to determine the effects of combining AA and modern medication in the relief of symptoms and the improvement in qoL in AE. A single-blind randomized study on 65 AE at the University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City Branch 3; was randomized into an auricular acupuncture (AA) group and a Sham acupuncture (SA) group. All AA group patients will receive AA at Lung, Shenmen, Endocrine, and Adrenal points. The score of scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) and the score of dermatology life quality index (DLQI) were compared in two groups before and after treatments. There were 33 patients in the AA group and 32 patients in the SA group. After 2 weeks, in the SA group, the SCORAD score of 46.4 ± 1.3 decreased to 28.2 ± 1.2, compared with the AA group’s SCORAD score of 47.5 ± 1.5 decreased to 24 ± 1.3; the DLQI score of 14.7 decreased to 7.6, compared with the intervention group DLQI score of 15, reduced to 5.7. The difference in improving the SCORAD score and the DLQI score between the two groups was statistically significant. No patient had any adverse events during the study. Combining auricular acupuncture Lung, Shenmen, Endocrine, Adrenal points, and modern medication treatment may relieve effectively symptoms and improve the QoL in AE.

Effect of auricular acupuncture on cancer pain: a systematic review

Aims: To analyze the scientific evidence available in the literature about the effect of auricular acupuncture on cancer pain. Method: Systematic review of the literature guided by the criteria of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA Statement); whose research question was “What are the effects of auriculotherapy/auricular acupuncture on cancer pain in adults?”. EndNote and Rayyan platforms were used to manage references and manage the stages of article selection, respectively. The Jadad scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. The data collected from the articles were grouped into tables and analyzed descriptively. Results: A total of 3484 articles were found, of which 11 made up the sample of this study, in which the majority showed excellent methodological quality (54.54%). 533 adults complaining of cancer pain were treated, using auricular acupuncture as the only intervention or as a complement to another treatment and, in all studies, it proved to be effective both for painful symptoms and for relieving other secondary signs, such as anxiety and insomnia. Conclusions: Auricular acupuncture is effective in relieving cancer pain when administered either through needles or seeds and at specific pain points (aché point), in addition to the shemman, sympathetic, subcortex, and kidney points.

Effect of Auricular Acupuncture with Semi-Permanent Ear Needles on Controlling Migraine Symptoms: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

Migraine is a very common neurobiological headache disorder caused by an increased irritability of the central nervous system. Acupuncture as a complementary medicine has been suggested as one of the treatments for migraine headaches; however, the findings are conflicting. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupuncture with auricular semi-permanent (ASP) needles on migraine headaches. In this single-blind randomized controlled trial, 80 patients with migraine were selected and divided into two groups. The intervention group was treated with auricular ASP needles in the active points of the ear, and the control group only received routine treatments. Pain score, frequency of migraine headaches, duration of headaches, severity of nausea and vomiting, and patient satisfaction were compared between the two groups for four weeks after the intervention. Our results showed that the level of pain (4.72 ± 2.53, 2.13 ± 1.76 times) and the frequency of migraine headaches (8.98 ± 8.58 hours) from the second week after the intervention in the ASP group were much lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). However, pain incidence and ear inflammation in the ASP group were negligible and did not differ significantly from those in the control group (p > 0.05). Auricular acupuncture could be considered as a promising complementary therapy along with other standard migraine therapies for the prevention and treatment of migraine headaches.

Patient Feedback on the Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture on Pain in Routine Clinical Care: The Experience of 11,406 Veterans.

Objectives:Veterans Health Administration (VHA) launched a national initiative to train providers in a specific, protocolized auricular acupuncture treatment (also called Battlefield Acupuncture or BFA) as a nonpharmacological approach to pain management. This evaluation assessed the real-world effectiveness of BFA on immediate pain relief and identified subgroups of patients for whom BFA is most effective.Research Design:In a cross-sectional cohort study, electronic medical record data for 11,406 Veterans treated with BFA at 57 VHA medical centers between October 2016 and September 2018 was analyzed. The multivariate analysis incorporated data on pain history, change in pain level on an 11-point scale, complications, and demographic information.Methods:A total of 11,406 Veterans were treated with BFA at 57 VHA medical centers between October 2016 and September 2018 and had effectiveness data recorded in their electronic medical record.Results:More than 3 quarters experienced immediate decreases in pain following administration of BFA, with nearly 60% reported experiencing a minimal clinically important difference in pain intensity. The average decrease in pain intensity was −2.5 points (SD=2.2) at the initial BFA treatment, and −2.2 points (SD=2.0) at subsequent treatments. BFA was effective across a wide range of Veterans with many having preexisting chronic pain, or physical, or psychological comorbid conditions. Veterans with opioid use in the year before BFA experienced less improvement, with pain intensity scores improving more among Veterans who had not recently used opioids.Conclusion:VHA’s rapid expansion of training providers to offer BFA as a nonpharmacological approach to pain management has benefited many Veterans.

Effects of auricular acupuncture on appetite in patients with advanced cancer: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Background:Over half of patients with advanced cancer report appetite loss or anorexia. Previous studies have shown the benefit of acupuncture for cancer-related nausea and vomiting, but limited evidence exists for its role in appetite improvement. Our study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of auricular acupuncture to improve appetite for cancer patients with advanced disease.Methods:We performed a two-arm parallel, pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of auricular acupuncture versus usual care control in patients with stage III or IV cancer who experienced appetite loss. The primary outcome was changed in the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ; score range, 4–20) between two groups from baseline to weeks 2 and 4, with secondary outcomes including change in weight, as well as an additional evaluation at week 8 for durability of treatment effects. We used independent two-sample t-test for the change in mean score for each outcome during or after treatment. We assessed the interaction between time and treatment from baseline to weeks 2, 4, and 8 using mixed-effects models by ANOVA test.Results:We randomized 55 patients to auricular acupuncture (N=27) or control group (N=28). By week 4, the auricular acupuncture group had a significantly higher escalation in the SNAQ score than the control group compared with baseline [mean difference 3.69; 95% confidential interval (95% CI): 2.5, 4.8; P<0.001] and experienced a 51.4% improvement in appetite. From baseline to weeks 2 and 4, patients lost a little weight in the control group but gained weight in the auricular acupuncture group. Between baseline and week 4, change in the SNAQ score was significantly associated with change in weight (P=0.001). No adverse events (AEs) were reported during the study.Conclusions:Compared to usual care, auricular acupuncture is feasible and safe to improve appetite and help patients with advanced cancer gain weight.

The Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture on the Levels of Cortisol in a Depressed Patient

The article's abstract is no available.

Auricular acupuncture for migraine: A systematic review protocol.

Background:Previous reviews indicate that the effect of auricular acupuncture on migraine. However, a systematic review is not available. Therefore, this protocol was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of auricular acupuncture on migraine, by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods:The following databases will be searched from their inception to October 2019: Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Wan Fang Database, the Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), Cochrane Library, EMBASE, EBSCO, PubMed. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in English or Chinese associated with auricular acupuncture for migraines will be included. Eligible study conference abstracts and reference lists of manuscripts will be searched. The data collection and analysis will be conducted independently by 2 reviewers. Meta-analysis will be performed using Rev Man V.5.3.5 statistical software.Results:This systematic review will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of auricular acupuncture in the treatment of migraine. Therefore, auricular acupuncture in the treatment of migraine needs to be further clarified.Conclusions:In summary, this review will determine whether the impact of auricular acupuncture for intelligence on the treatment of migraines. A better approach may be established for migraine base on this review. It provides reliable evidence for its extensive application.Ethics and dissemination:The private information from individuals will not publish. This systematic review also will not involve endangering participant rights. Ethical approval is not available. The results may be published in a peer-reviewed journal or disseminated in relevant conferences.OSF REGISTRATION NUMBER:DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/7ZR8Q

Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture for Insomnia: An Overview of Systematic Reviews.

Objectives The effectiveness of auricular acupuncture (AA) for insomnia is far from uniform. The aim of this overview was to summarize and critically evaluate the evidence from systematic reviews (SRs)/meta-analysis (MAs) and provide an overall verdict about the therapeutic value of AA for insomnia. Methods A search of relevant literature for SRs/MAs was performed on major medical databases. The methodological quality was assessed using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2) and the evidence quality was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Results Seven SRs/MAs were deemed eligible for the present overview. According to the evaluation results of AMSTAR-2, the methodological quality of all included SRs/MAs was critically low. Consistent methodological deficiencies were item 2 (the lack of a protocol), item 4 (the lack of a specific search strategy), item 7 (the lack of a list of excluded studies), and item 15 (the lack of an assessment of publication bias). For GRADE, of the 17 outcomes, only 1 (5.9%) was rated of high-quality, 4 (23.5%) were rated of moderate-quality, and the remaining 12 (70.6%) were rated of low-or critically low-quality. Descriptive analysis of the outcomes reveals a positive effect of AA for insomnia. Conclusions AA may be beneficial for insomnia, but the evidence is plagued by important limitations, e.g., the poor quality of SRs/MAs and primary studies.

Effect of auricular acupuncture on exam anxiety in first-year medical students

Exam anxiety is a commonly seen problem among medical students. Auricular acupuncture has been shown to have an anxiety-reducing effect, however, data on exam anxiety are limited. Research in dental and preoperative anxiety has indicated that anxiety level could be reduced by using ear acupoints on the non-dominant side. Therefore, this study aims to determine whether needling at acupoints on the non-dominant side can reduce exam anxiety in medical students. This is a prospective observational study on 32 first-year students at The Faculty of Traditional Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City. Eligible students received auricular acupuncture on the non-dominant side at the master cerebral, tranquilizer and relaxation points. Levels of anxiety were measured using a visual analogue scale before and after the intervention as well as before the exam. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, heart rate, exam performance and adverse events occurring during the study were also collected. Exam anxiety level and heart rate decreased 30 minutes after auricular acupuncture (p&lt;0.05). Before the exam, exam anxiety level and heart rate increased significantly compared to after the intervention but still lower than the baseline (p&lt;0.05). The exam anxiety level with heart rate at each time point did not differ significantly in gender and trait anxiety levels (p&gt;0.05). No adverse events from auricular acupuncture were observed. Auricular acupuncture at the master cerebral, tranquilizer and relaxation points on the non-dominant side is effective in reducing exam anxiety in first-year medical students.

Effect of Auricular Acupuncture on Propofol Induction Dose: Could Vagus Nerve and Parasympathetic Stimulation Replace Intravenous Co-Induction Agents?

Objective: Auricular acupuncture, through a combination of several points, can produce sedative and analgesic effects. The aim of this study was to compare the induction dose of propofol required to obtain a loss of response to verbal commands, with and without a preoperative combination of auricular points. Materials and Methods: This study involved American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II patients, ages 18- 65, of either sex, having elective ambulatory surgery (digestive or gynecologic) under general anesthesia. The subjects were allocated to 2 groups: (1) patients treated by auricular acupuncture (group AA), compared with (2) patients not treated by auricular acupuncture (group NA). Propofol injection was initiated in each group, 10 mg, every 5 seconds, in order for the anesthetist to determine the minimum dose until there was a loss of response to verbal commands (the clinical hypnotic endpoint). At this point, the main outcome-the dose of propofol given-was noted. Results: There were 32 patients in this study (16 in each group). Age, height, weight, and body mass index were similar in the groups (P ≥ 0.05). The required induction propofol dose was 17.7% lower in group AA than in group NA-a statistically significant difference (P ≤ 0.05). The mean induction dose indexed to weight was 2.18 mg/kg (range: 1.53-3.13 mg/kg) in group NA and 1.79 mg/kg (range: 1.12-2.11 mg/kg) in group AA. There were no complications. Conclusions: Auricular acupuncture is a method for stimulating the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system. Preoperative auricular acupuncture enabled reductions of induction doses of propofol for general anesthesia without any clinically important side-effects.

Effect of auricular acupuncture on weight reduction in a sample of obese children

Effect of auricular acupuncture on weight reduction in a sample of obese children

The effect of auricular acupuncture on pain during colonoscopy with midazolam and pethidine

Colonoscopy is the standard procedure for colorectal cancer screening. One of its common complications is abdominal pain. Analgesia has not provided favorable outcomes so various complementary practices have been developed, including auricular acupuncture. In this study, a randomized controlled trial of 56 patients who underwent colonoscopy was conducted to determine the effect of acupuncture on the pain experienced during colonoscopy. Subjects were divided into two groups: The first received acupuncture combined with midazolam and pethidine, while the second were administered placebo puncture in addition to midazolam and pethidine. The median Critical Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT) score was lower in the auricular acupuncture group than in the placebo puncture group(0.7 [0–4.83] vs. 1.9 [0–6.20]; p = 0.010), while there were no significant differences to median Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores (29 [0–100] vs. 44.5 [0–100]; p = 0.147), heart rate changes (−2.58 [14.31] vs.−2.43 [12.28]; p = 0.970), or the mean time to the cecum (16 [8–51] vs. 22 [5–63]; p = 0.206). Auricular acupuncture combined with midazolam and pethidine was found to be effective at reducing pain during colonoscopy.

Effect of auricular acupuncture on weight reduction in a sample of obese children

Effect of auricular acupuncture on weight reduction in a sample of obese children

The effects of auricular acupuncture on weight reduction and feeding-related cytokines: a pilot study

ObjectiveAuricular acupuncture is a common therapy used to control appetite; however, the underlying mechanism(s) of action is unclear. The present study examined changes in feeding behaviour and in the levels...

Evaluation of the Immediate Effect of Auricular Acupuncture on Pain and Electromyographic Activity of the Upper Trapezius Muscle in Patients with Nonspecific Neck Pain: A Randomized, Single-Blinded, Sham-Controlled, Crossover Study.

Background. The aim of the present study was to assess the immediate effects of auricular acupuncture (AA) on the electromyographic (EMG) activity of the upper trapezius muscle and pain in nonspecific neck pain (NS-NP) patients. Twelve patients with NS-NP (NS-NP group) and 12 healthy subjects (HS Group) were enrolled in a randomized, single-blinded, crossover study. Each subject received a single session of AA and sham AA (SAA). Surface EMG activity was measured in the upper trapezius muscle at different “step contractions” of isometric shoulder elevation (15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% MVC). The outcome measure in patients with NS-NP was based on the numerical pain rating scale (NRS). AA treatment led to a significant decrease in EMG activity in both groups (NS-NP group: p = 0.0001; HS group: p < 0.0001—ANOVA test). This was not the case for the SAA treatment (NS-NP group: p = 0.71; HS group: p < 0.54). Significant decreases (p < 0.001) in the NRS were found for both treatments (AA and SAA). This study demonstrated the immediate effect of auricular acupuncture on the electromyographic activity of the upper trapezius muscle but the effect of this intervention on pain symptoms in patients with nonspecific neck pain was inconclusive.

Effect of Auricular Acupuncture on Gastrointestinal Motility and Its Relationship with Vagal Activity

Vagus nerve stimulation is capable of regulating autonomic nerve function. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the effect of auricular acupuncture (AA) is mediated by the vagus. This study was designed to investigate the effect of AA on gastrointestinal (GI) motility and the relationship of this effect with the vagus nerve. 50 rats were divided into five groups for observation of the effects of different types of acupuncture and influencing factors: control, AA, somatic acupuncture (SA), atropine and atropine+AA. The acupuncture points used for AA were ST (Stomach) and SI (Small intestine), while the acupuncture point used for SA was ST36. Electroacupuncture was performed for 15 min. A model of reduced GI motility was established using ethanol, and GI transit rate was used to measure GI motility. Heart rate variability (HRV) and the effect of atropine administration were investigated to study the relationship between AA and vagal activity. The GI transit rate increased in both the AA and SA groups compared with control, and no significant difference was found between their effects. In addition, after atropine administration, AA was found to be ineffective in influencing the GI transit rate. In the HRV analysis, no significant differences were found in the absolute low frequency normalised units, high frequency normalised units or the low frequency/high frequency component ratio in the AA or SA groups compared with control. After administration of atropine AA still had no effect on HRV. The function of AA in improving GI motility is similar to that of SA, and this effect can be blocked by the presence of atropine, indicating that this effect is regulated by the vagus. However, HRV did not reflect the acupuncture-induced changes in vagal nerve function.

Integrating Acupuncture into Military Medicine: Strategies and Challenges

Medical AcupunctureVol. 23, No. 4 EditorialIntegrating Acupuncture into Military Medicine: Strategies and ChallengesRichard C. NiemtzowRichard C. NiemtzowSearch for more papers by this authorPublished Online:20 Dec 2011https://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2011.0863AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsPermissionsDownload CitationsTrack CitationsAdd to favorites Back To Publication ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail View article"Integrating Acupuncture into Military Medicine: Strategies and Challenges." , 23(4), pp. 203–204FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byDoes Offering Battlefield Acupuncture Lead to Subsequent Use of Traditional Acupuncture?13 August 2020 | Medical Care, Vol. 58Patient Feedback on the Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture on Pain in Routine Clinical Care13 August 2020 | Medical Care, Vol. 58 Volume 23Issue 4Dec 2011 InformationCopyright 2011, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.To cite this article:Richard C. Niemtzow.Integrating Acupuncture into Military Medicine: Strategies and Challenges.Medical Acupuncture.Dec 2011.203-204.http://doi.org/10.1089/acu.2011.0863Published in Volume: 23 Issue 4: December 20, 2011Online Ahead of Print:November 22, 2011PDF download

Effects of auricular acupuncture on anthropometric, lipid profile, inflammatory and immunologic markers: A randomized controlled trial study

Effects of auricular acupuncture on anthropometric, lipid profile, inflammatory and immunologic markers: A randomized controlled trial study

The effects of auricular acupuncture on leptin hormone in Iranian obese and overweight subjects

Acupuncture has been used to treat type 2 diabetes (T2DM) for 2000 years and there are emerging clinical evidence and animal studies for its efficacy. However, we are unable to conclude the effectiveness and safety on this issue yet.To assess the effects and safety of acupuncture for T2DM.We systematically searched 5 databases and 2 clinical registry platforms from inception to 2018-6-4. RCTs for acupuncture or its variants compared with sham acupuncture or no acupuncture controls for T2DM were included. The primary outcomes were glycemic control and adverse events.A total of 21 studies, which comprised a total of 1943 participants, were included in the final meta-analysis. Compared with sham acupuncture or no acupuncture plus baseline treatments, acupuncture plus baseline treatments yield reduction in FBG(MD 1.21 mmol/l, 95%CI 1.56 to 0.87), 2 h BG(MD 2.13 mmol/l, 95%CI 2.79 to 1.46), HA1c (MD 1.12%, 95%CI 1.62 to 0.62). Our results also show acupuncture can improve blood lipids and blood pressure control, and reduce weight.As one type of multifactorial intervention, acupuncture could be recommended as a supplementary treatment in the management of T2DM, especially in those with obesity or metabolic disorders. However, due to the small sample size, poor methodological quality of trials reviewed, the amount of evidence is not fully convincing. There is a need for well-planned, long-term studies.International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (Number CRD42018094573).