Tag Archive for: insomnia

Acupuncture for Dementia

Acupuncture and Dementia: How this treatment reduces the risk

New studies shed light on acupuncture’s potential to protect against dementia, particularly among those battling insomnia as well as those affected by migraines.

Acupuncture for patients with insomnia and dementia risk

Chronic sleep problems can muddy the waters of cognitive health, increasing the risk of dementia over time. But acupuncture might just be the lighthouse for patients with insomnia, offering them protection. A very large new study, conducted by a team from China Medical University Hospital in Taiwan and published in the Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, sheds light on acupuncture’s potential to protect against dementia, particularly among those battling insomnia.

The study aimed to investigate whether this TCM treatment is associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia in patients who suffer from insomnia.

The researchers collected real-world data from over 30,000 patients diagnosed with insomnia to conduct a propensity-score-matched cohort study. This approach carefully aligned two groups—one receiving acupuncture and the other not—ensuring that both were balanced in demographic and health characteristics, isolating the effects of this natural therapy on dementia risk. The meticulous work uncovered a striking 46% decrease in dementia risk for the acupuncture group. This means that the relative risk in those who did not receive acupuncture is 85% higher compared to the patients who received this treatment.

Acupuncture has long been recognised for its ability to promote relaxation and improve sleep, both crucial for cognitive health. The study suggests that regular sessions could help individuals with insomnia establish healthier sleep patterns, potentially fortifying their cognitive function and reducing risk of dementia.

 

The risk of dementia is approximately 85% higher when no acupuncture is received

 

Acupuncture has long been recognised for its ability to promote relaxation and improve sleep, both crucial for cognitive health. The studies suggest that regular sessions could help individuals with insomnia establish healthier sleep patterns, potentially fortifying their cognitive function and reducing dementia risk. The study was published in Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in May 2023.

Acupuncture for patients with migraines and dementia risk

Another significant study by the same author Cheng-Hao Huang and colleagues from Taiwan, used a similar approach to explore the effects of acupuncture in a different patient group. This study utilised Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database to investigate the incidence of dementia in patients with migraine, who either received or did not receive acupuncture treatment. The results from this large-scale study revealed that patients with migraine who received acupuncture had a substantially lower risk of developing dementia, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.51. This suggests a 49% reduction in dementia risk among the acupuncture group compared to those who did not undergo this treatment. This robust evidence underlines the potential of acupuncture as a preventive treatment against dementia in individuals with migraine, further highlighting neuroprotective role of this natural approach.

 

 

Insomnia acupuncture

Insomnia – brain imaging studies show how acupuncture helps

A few weeks ago, I shared with you how brain imaging can help us understand how acupuncture works.  And now I came across a fascinating study about using acupuncture for insomnia and sleep deprivation.

The study, conducted by JiaoTong university in China, focused on just one acupuncture point on the leg that has been shown to help alleviate insomnia. To test if it really made a difference, the researchers used another area on the same leg, only 2 centimetres away from the real acupoint. To further help to understand the effect of acupuncture they scanned people who were not sleep deprived but received the same treatment.

You can see the results on the image above for yourself. The first horizontal row shows the brain of students who received stimulation when they weren’t sleep deprived. The second row is where we can see significant changes to various areas of the brain; this is where real acupuncture was used on the same students after total sleep deprivation for one night. The third row shows sham or fake treatment, where they used exactly the same needle, but on an area away from an acupoint.

The researchers concluded that this difference in brain activation suggests the importance of this specific acupuncture point (known as SP6) in treating sleep deprivation. Thanks to the wonders of FMRI technology, we’re getting closer to unlocking the mysteries of how acupuncture can help us get a better night’s sleep.

Having difficulty sleeping? Give acupuncture for insomnia a try.

Reference: Differential activation patterns of fMRI in sleep-deprived brain: restoring effects of acupuncture

Transcranial current stimulation

Transcranial current stimulation

Transcranial direct current stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS Therapy) are a trending subject of current studies.

The newly discovered benefits of these therapies include pain relief, treatment for sleep disorders, depression, cognitive enhancement (including speeding up learning, creativity enhancement, and improving mathematical abilities, etc.).

Are these transcranial therapies really novel? These treatments are strikingly similar to a well-established treatment – scalp electroacupuncture.

Scalp electroacupuncture has been used safely and effectively for decades, with numerous studies supporting its benefits for conditions such as

But here’s the best part: scalp acupuncture is much more cost-effective than transcranial therapies.

Brain mapping techniques are becoming cheaper and more accessible. This leads to more studies and a better understanding of the human brain. This will open up opportunities for new treatments using transcranial current stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and even electro-acupuncture. So if you’re looking for an effective and affordable alternative treatment, give electroacupuncture a try!

The image: fibers of the White Matter