Acupuncture

This recent NICE guidance reported in the news today that the overuse of analgesics can cause rebound headaches. Using analgesics for more than 10 to 15 days per month. The same guidance also recommends the use of acupuncture in the treatment of Tension headaches. Suggesting that a course of ten sessions of acupuncture over a 5-8 week period can reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches.

Chronic low back pain. (NICE draft guidelines for chronic low back pain recommend 12 treatments over 3 months)Further information can be gained by visiting NICE website.

There is strong evidence for treating: PONV stronger evidence for vomiting than nausea (Chemotherapy and post-op) http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band71/b71-9.html

A condition that causes damage to muscle producing local and referred pain. Symptoms are tenderness and referred pain. It can be acute or chronic, local or generalised. Associated with trauma, poor posture or excessive strain of muscles.

“The evidence suggesting that acupuncture has beneficial effects for patients with Myofascial pain is convincing.

Complementary Therapies for Pain Management. An Evidence-Based Approach. 2007. Editors: Edzard Ernst, Max Pittler and Barbara Wider.

“Reasonable choices for prevention of migraine are acupuncture, biofeedback(either alone or with relaxation) or exclusion diets(in suitable patients).”

The Desktop Guide to Complementary and Alternative Medicine. An evidence-based approach.

Editors: Edzard Ernst, Max H Pittler, Barbara Wider. (2006) Mosby

This trial shows that a short course of acupuncture can continue to relieve back pain at 12 months after treatment, but even stronger evidence after 24 months.

To find out more here is the reference:
BMJ, doi:10: 1136/bmj.38878.907361.7c

The conclusion of this randomised control trial involving 570 patients, was that:

Acupuncture seems to provide improvement in the function and pain relief as an adjuctive therapy for Osteoarthritis of the knee when compared to a credible sham acupuncture and education control groups.

The full report can be found as: Berman B. Ann Internal Medicine.2004;141 1901-910

Regular acupuncture could prevent you from picking up infections – so long as the needle is in exactly the right spot.

The findings, published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine, add to the evidence that shows acupuncture, a traditional Chinese treatment, really works.

In a study led by a pain specialist Dr Matthias Karst, of the Hanover Medical School, Germany, volunteers received 30-minute sessions twice a week for a month, stimulating a point known as Large intestine 11 on the elbow. This produced a significant burst of immune system cells called neutrophils. “It is not just about enhancing the immune system, but regulating and normalising it”, says Karst, who believes acupuncture could help chronic conditions. “In this sense, acupuncture looks similar to other attempts to strengthen the immune system, such as taking echinacea or vitamins.”

Current evidence indicates that acupuncture combined with exercise is an effective treatment for chronic low back pain.

The advantage of coming to the D’Souza Clinic is that our therapists are both Chartered Physiotherapists and Acupuncturists.

Therefore, following a thorough examination we can offer the best combination of therapies for your particular problem.