Acupuncture Matrix

Is there any evidence for use of acupuncture and electroacupuncture in spinal cord injuries? Read more…

Review Article Electroacupuncture, Spinal Cord Injury

A placebo is a sham medical intervention.

Placebo-control of acupuncture is used to evaluate and distinguish between the specific effects and the non-specific ones. During ‘true’ acupuncture treatment in general, the needles are inserted into acupoints and stimulated until deqi is evoked. In contrast, during placebo acupuncture, the needles are inserted into non-acupoints and/or superficially (so-called minimal acupuncture). Read more…

Research Article Deqi, Minimal acupuncture, Placebo, Sham Acupuncture

Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemical substances which relay, amplify, and modulate signals between a neuron and another cell. What brain neurotransmitters are involved in the treatment of acupuncture for drug addiction? Read more…

Review Article Drug Addiction, Neurotransmitter

Do complementary medicine physicians spend more time with patients compared to mainstream general practitioners?

Background
The demand for complementary medicine (CM) is growing worldwide and so is the supply. So far, there is not much insight in the activities in Dutch CM practices nor in how these activities differ from mainstream general practice. Comparisons on diagnoses and visit length can offer an impression of how Dutch CM practices operate. Read more…

Research Article Visit length

What do rheumatologists in the United States think of complementary and alternative medicine which includes acupuncture?

Background
We aimed to describe prevailing attitudes and practices of rheumatologists in the United States toward complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments. We wanted to determine whether rheumatologists’ perceptions of the efficacy of CAM therapies and their willingness to recommend them relate to their demographic characteristics, geographic location, or clinical practices. Read more…

Research Article Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Rheumatology

Is acupuncture effective if the needle is inserted anywhere along the involved segment or motor points for specific disorders?

Background
The results of many clinical trials and experimental studies regarding acupoint specificity are contradictory. This review aims to investigate whether a difference in efficacy exists between ordinary acupuncture on specific acupoints and sham acupuncture controls on non-acupoints or on irrelevant acupoints. Read more…

Review Article Acupoints, Sham Acupuncture

Is acupuncture an effective treatment in myofascial pain syndrome?

Background
Myofascial pain is a common dysfunction with a lifetime prevalence affecting up to 85% of the general population. Current guidelines for the management of myofascial pain are not available. In this study we investigated how physicians on the basis of prescription behaviour evaluate the effectiveness of treatment options in their management of myofascial pain. Read more…

Research Article Acupuncture, Myofascial Pain Syndrome, TENS, Trigger Points

Auricular acupuncture has been shown to be effective in cocaine dependence treatment, is it effective for “addictive” behaviors such as repetitive self-injury in depressed adolescents? Read more…

Research Article Auricular acupuncture, Depression, Self-injury

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common entrapment neuropathy. Can functional MRI be used to evaluate the effect of acupuncture stimulation on a specific acupoint such as LI-4 ? Read more…

Research Article Acupoints, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, fMRI, LI-4

A review of the current literature on pediatric acupuncture including conditions of Chronic Pain, Migraine, Procedural Stress, Enuresis, Constipation, Epilepsy, Allergies, Neurologic Disability, Laryngospasm, Post-operative Vomiting and Cancer-related Conditions. Read more…

Review Article Allergies, Chronic Pain, Constipation, Enuresis, Epilepsy, Laryngospasm, Migraine, Pediatric, Post-operative Vomiting

What is the anti-nociception effect is obtained by stimulation of acupoint St36? What is the best frequency for Electroacupuncture? Read more…

Research Article Electroacupuncture, Naloxone, St36

Does electroacupuncture improve sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia? Read more…

Research Article Electroacupuncture, Insomnia, REM sleep, Sleep

Does acupuncture treatment have immediate effects on gait patterns of patients with knee osteoarthritis?

This study on twenty patients with knee osteoarthritis showed reduced pain as measured by visual analog scales and improved gait performance after acupuncture treatment. Read more…

Research Article Gait, Knee, Osteoarthritis

Placebo administration has been shown to cause the release of dopamine in the brain of patients with Parkinson’s disease. Is the placebo effect disease specific? What is the best way to perform sham acupuncture in research studies? Read more…

Research Article Parkinson's disease, Placebo, Sham Acupuncture

Ménière’s syndrome is a chronic, progressive disorder of the inner ear that can affect hearing and balance. Read more…

Review Article Balance, Hearing, Meniere's Syndrome, Scalp acupunture