Name: Dr Vitalis Acupuncture Auckland
Price range: $$

Chinese medicine eases dementia

Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It is a debilitating disease that affects millions of people worldwide, and there is currently no cure. Traditional Chinese medicine has been used for centuries to treat various ailments, and ba wei di huang wan (BDW) is a Chinese herbal medicine which may offer hope.

In this study, published in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, Japanese researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of BDW in the treatment of dementia.

The results were nothing short of amazing! The patients who received BDW showed significant improvements in cognitive function and activities of daily living. On the other hand, the placebo group showed no significant change.

But that’s not all! The study also showed a significant decrease in the pulsatility index in the internal carotid artery in the BDW group, indicating an improvement in cerebral blood flow. However, the improvement was only observed during the treatment period, and the scores declined to the baseline level eight weeks after they stopped the treatment.

In conclusion, this study provides evidence of the benefits of BDW in the treatment of dementia. However, the study has some limitations, including a small sample size, short treatment period, and lack of long-term follow-up. Further studies with larger sample sizes, longer treatment periods, and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm the effectiveness of BDW in the treatment of dementia. Nonetheless, this study provides valuable information on the potential benefits of traditional Chinese medicine in the treatment of dementia.

BaWeiDiHuangWan is available through our clinic.

The abstract of the study can be found here.

Acupuncture improves chances of successful fertility treatment

IVF acupuncture is a complementary therapy that involves the use of acupuncture to support in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. It typically involves stimulation of specific acupuncture points on the body, as well as the use of electrical stimulation (e-Stim) to enhance the effects of the treatment.

The aim of IVF acupuncture is to improve the chances of to improve blood flow to the uterus, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve hormone levels. This, in turn, can improve the chances of successful embryo implantation, pregnancy and a birth of a baby.

Researchers from USA presented a study on IVF and Acupuncture that has important message for IVF acupuncture practice and to those trying to make a baby.

As a result of acupuncture not only more women getting pregnant, but also more women are having babies. “It’s so neat,” Dr Magarelli study author says, “to tie acupuncture and IVF together that are really helping women. In this study, we’ve changed the focus to the baby, not just getting pregnant. We want babies, not just pregnancies.”

The research highlighted and reconfirmed the benefits and the value of acupuncture to the success of ART (assisted reproductive technologies). The study was presented at the meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (October 2004) by Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Centre (Colorado Springs, USA).

But here’s the catch: the study also found that the number of acupuncture treatments mattered. Patients who received more than eight electrical stimulation (e-Stim) treatments appeared to have the maximum benefit for IVF outcomes: pregnancy (p < 0.05). In fact, Kaplan Meier’s survival analyses showed that the average accumulated effect in the non-pregnant acupuncture group was 5.1 e-Stim treatments, while the pregnant acupuncture group had an average of 8.4 e-Stim treatments. That’s a significant difference, and it suggests that the more acupuncture treatments you receive, the better your chances of success.

So, what’s the takeaway? If you’re struggling with infertility and considering IVF, it may be worth exploring acupuncture as a complementary treatment. Not only is it a safe and natural option, but it may improve your chances of getting pregnant. And remember, the more acupuncture treatments you receive, the better your odds of success.

Acupuncture highly effective against allergic rhinitis hay fever

A new research published in the journal ‘Allergy’ (September 2004, vol. 59, no. 9, pp. 953-960(8)) has confirmed the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating people who suffer from hay fever.

It was an ordinary day in Berlin, but for 52 seasonal allergic rhinitis (AR) sufferers, their lives were about to change. The group, aged between 20 and 58, was about to participate in a study that could bring new hope to millions suffering from hay fever. The traditional Chinese therapies of acupuncture and herbal medicine were about to be put to the test. Would they be the answer to the seasonal sneezes?

At the Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics at the Charité University Medical Center, Dr Benno Brinkhaus and his team divided the participants into two groups. The first group received a semi-standardized treatment involving acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. The second group, the control, was given acupuncture at non-acupuncture points and a non-specific Chinese herbal formula. Each participant received acupuncture once a week and the respective herbal formula three times daily for six weeks. The severity of their hay fever symptoms was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS) before, during, and one week after treatment.

Now, you might be thinking, “Chinese medicine? Acupuncture? Surely, that’s just a placebo!” But as the results came in, a different story began to emerge. The group that received active treatment showed a significant improvement in their VAS scores (P = 0.006) and Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (P = 0.015) compared to the control group. An impressive 85% of participants in the active treatment group reported improvement on the Global Assessment of Change Scale, while only 40% in the control group noted such an improvement (P = 0.048). Both treatments were well-tolerated.

The study’s conclusion was clear: traditional Chinese therapy, involving acupuncture and herbal medicine, may indeed be an effective and safe treatment option for those suffering from seasonal AR. In an age where many of us are quick to dismiss alternative therapies, this research offers a valuable lesson: there is wisdom to be found in the practices of the past, and we should never close ourselves off to new possibilities in the pursuit of health and happiness.

So, the next time you find yourself reaching for antihistamines, remember the tale of these 52 individuals in Berlin who dared to explore the ancient wisdom of acupuncture and herbal medicine. Perhaps the needle and the herb hold the key to your seasonal sniffles after all.