Single-point Acupuncture Research Articles

Hypothyroidism and the efficacy of selected acupuncture points LIV 1 and GB 21 – A comparative study

Background: Acupuncture is a time-tested treatment modality from traditional Chinese medicine having strong basic philosophical principles. Under this ideology, health develops from the free flow of qi or vital energy which connects the theory of yin and yang. Hypothyroidism arising from hormone deficiency is a most common disorder affecting women more than men. Applying acupuncture simultaneously at several well-known acupoints was known to be effective in thyroid disorders but scanty studies exist on single-point acupuncture needling for hypothyroidism. Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of acupuncture needling at acupoints Liver 1 (LIV-1) and Gall Bladder-21 (GB-21) on thyroid function test in hypothyroidism patients and compare the efficacy of LIV-1 and GB-21. Materials and Methods: A comparative study was performed among 80 patients with hypothyroidism in the age group of 18–35 years. Patients satisfying the inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly assigned to the LIV-1 group and GB-21 group. The acupuncture needling was given to both groups for duration of 20 min on alternate days for 15 days a month for 3 months, that is, 45 days of needling in 90 days. Thyroid function test was assessed pre- and post-intervention for both the groups and the results were compared. Results: The results showed a significant reduction in triiodothyronine and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and a significant increase in tetraiodothyronine levels in both LIV-1 group and GB-21 group. However, no significant variation was noted between the groups. Conclusion: Single-point acupuncture needling at LIV-1 and GB-21 points significantly improved the thyroid function tests. Both these acupoints were equally effective in treating hypothyroidism.

Effects of single-point acupuncture (HT7) in the prevention of test anxiety: Results of a RCT.

BackgroundThe number of students using neuro enhancement to improve their performance and to prevent test anxiety is increasing. The acupuncture point Heart 7 (HT7) has been described as being prominent in reducing states of anxiety.MethodsWe conducted a randomized placebo-controlled, two-armed pilot trial to investigate the efficacy of a single-point acupuncture treatment at bilateral HT7 compared to sham laser acupuncture on test anxiety. Test anxiety was induced applying the standardised protocol of the Trier Social Stress Test. Outcome measures included saliva samples analysed for cortisol and amylase, anxiety questionnaires and heart rate variability.ResultsTwenty-five male subjects (age 28 ± 5 years) were allocated to either verum acupuncture (n = 12) or sham laser acupuncture (n = 13). Cortisol peaked 20 min after the stress test (2-fold, 18.11 ± 2 nmol/l) and amylase 10 min after (2-fold, 259 ± 49 U/ml) with no difference between groups. There were no differences between groups regarding either anxiety questionnaires or physiological parameters. Compared to reference data (3-fold increase in cortisol), increase in stress hormones and heart rate seemed somewhat reduced.ConclusionsAcupuncture may be a possible approach for the treatment of anxiety. Due to the lack of a no control treatment group, we cannot determine the magnitude of possible specific needle effects at HT7 to promote specific effects in the neuroendocrine system. Finally this study only examines the efficacy of a single time treatment.

Single-Point Acupuncture for Treatment of Urge Incontinence in Women: A Pilot Nonrandomized Trial.

Objectives: Urinary incontinence (UI) is common in middle- and old-age. Previous studies have shown that multiple-point and multiple-frequency acupuncture are efficacious treatment modalities for UI. This study investigated the efficacy of single-point acupuncture for the treatment of UI in women. Materials and Methods: Twelve female subjects, ages 40-75, participated in the trial. Acupuncture at CV 2 was performed. Before needle insertion, each subject completed the Revised Urinary Incontinence Scale (RUIS). After treatment, subjects were contacted at 2 and 8 weeks to assess treatment effects using the RUIS questionnaire again. Results: Statistically significant improvements were seen with respect to symptoms of urgency, stress incontinence, impact of urine leakage, quantity of urine leakage, and the total score at 2 weeks postintervention. A statistically significant increase in impact of urine leakage was found at the 8-week follow-up, compared to the 2-week results. Conclusions: In this pilot trial, single-point acupuncture was associated with significant but short-term improvements in UI symptoms. Future trials should include a control group and an increased sample size for a more-rigorous examination of this potential adjunctive treatment for UI.

Acupuncture onYintangPoint Decreases Preoperative Anxiety

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ear-press needle acupuncture on Yintang point for preoperative anxiety. This was a prospective, randomized, single-blind, controlled study. The study setting was the Department of Anesthesiology in Ankara Training and Research Hospital of Ministry of Health, Ankara, Turkey. The study comprised 52 adult surgical patients. A single, 20-minute session of single-point acupuncture was applied on Yintang (acupuncture group) or sham point (sham acupuncture group). The efficacy of acupuncture was evaluated by means of the changes in bispectral index (BIS) and STAI (State-Trait Anxiety Index). BIS values in the acupuncture group were significantly lower than in the sham group in all time intervals (p<0.0042). BIS values were lower than baseline in the study group during the entire study period (p<0.0004) while no such effect has been observed in the sham group (p>0.0004). Mean values of state anxiety (STAI-S) decreased after acupuncture in the study group (p=0,018), while no change was observed in trait anxiety (STAI-T) (p=0.156). Patients of the sham group showed no change in both parameters (p=0.387 and p=0,116). Ear-press needle acupuncture on Yintang point reduces preoperative anxiety in adult surgical patients.

Study on Establishing a Standard Methodology for Determining the Clinical Effect of Single-point Acupuncture in Patients with Hypertension

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess traditional Korean medicine (TKM) doctors’ awareness and utilization of case reports based on the opinion that careful observation of cases sometimes provides important information on clinical trials, especially in the field of traditional medicine research. Methods: A questionnaire study was conducted among TKM doctors who participated in the annual continuous maintenance education (CME) held in five regions of the Republic of Korea. Results: Almost 60% of the respondents had read case reports published in medical journals, and 67% had openly shared their clinical cases with their colleagues. Of the respondents, 18.6% had been educated on reporting cases, and only 16% had the experience of reporting cases on their own. However, 32.6% of the respondents had intentions to report cases in the future. The results showed significant differences between general physicians who hold a license but have no hospital training on case reports and board-certified TKM doctors who have experienced such training. Conclusions: A majority of TKM doctors have read case reports but have little experience with proper training. This research found that awareness of case reports is rising in hospital training. Thus, the objective of case report education for TKM doctors who undergo hospital training should be to encourage them to write more whereas for doctors who do not experience hospital training, the objective should be to exposing them more to case reports to heighten their awareness.

Study of the Methodology for the Clinical Effect of Single-point Acupuncture in Patients with Hypertension

Study of the Methodology for the Clinical Effect of Single-point Acupuncture in Patients with Hypertension

Preliminary evidence that single‐point acupuncture at PC7 helps patients with plantar fasciitis DOI 10.1211/fact.15.2.0019

Focus on Alternative and Complementary TherapiesVolume 15, Issue 2 p. 129-131 Preliminary evidence that single-point acupuncture at PC7 helps patients with plantar fasciitis DOI 10.1211/fact.15.2.0019 First published: 14 June 2010 https://doi.org/10.1211/fact.15.2.0019Read the full textAbout ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume15, Issue2June 2010Pages 129-131 RelatedInformation

Adding single-point acupuncture to physiotherapy for painful shoulder improved function and reduced pain

Source Citation Vas J, Ortega C, Olmo V, et al. Single-point acupuncture and physiotherapy for the treatment of painful shoulder: a multicentre randomized controlled trial. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2...

Single-point acupuncture and physiotherapy for the treatment of painful shoulder: a multicentre randomized controlled trial

Evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture associated with physiotherapy for patients with painful shoulder. In a multicentre controlled randomized study, participants were recruited with a clinical diagnosis of unilateral subacromial syndrome from six rehabilitation medicine departments belonging to the Public Health System in two Spanish regions. All participants received 15 sessions of physiotherapy during the 3 weeks that the treatment lasted and were randomized to additionally receive, once a week, acupuncture or mock TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). The primary outcome measure was the change in the Constant-Murley Score (CMS) for functional assessment of the shoulder, at 4 weeks after randomization. This study is registered as an International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial, number ISRCTN28687220. A total of 425 patients were recruited. The mean score (s.d.) on the CMS had increased by 16.6 (15.6) points among the acupuncture group, compared with 10.6 (13.5) points in the control group, and the mean difference between the two groups was statistically significant (6.0 points; 95% CI 3.2, 8.8 points; P < 0.001). By the end of the treatment, 53% of the patients in the acupuncture group had decreased their consumption of analgesics, compared with a corresponding 30% among the control group (P < 0.001). Single-point acupuncture in association with physiotherapy improves shoulder function and alleviates pain, compared with physiotherapy as the sole treatment. This improvement is accompanied by a reduction in the consumption of analgesic medicaments.

Akupunktur bei postoperativen Schmerzen nach Implantation einer Knieendoprothese - Eine plazebokontrollierte Studie zur Sofortwirkung

The analgetic effect of acupuncture in the postoperative period after total knee replacement was studied in a randomised placebo-controlled single-blind trial with cross-over in 50 patients. The patients of the acupuncture group (true treatment group) received a single-session, single-point acupuncture with manual stimulation of the needle. We used a special distal point for knee pain located on the homolateral arm according to the rules of traditional Chinese acupuncture. Considering recent concepts and methods for the evaluation of therapeutic acupuncture, the patients of the placebo group (control group) underwent a simulated acupuncture were the needle was not inserted into the patient. Pain before and after treatment was assessed using the visual analogue scale. Following acupuncture pain reduction was found to be 22 % and 36 % after 30 minutes. At both times the difference to the placebo group was highly significant (p <0,001). Furthermore the results of pain reduction during 24 hours indicate that there might be a several hours lasting intrinsic analgetic effect of acupuncture.