Acupuncture as an Essential Health Benefit - Public Input!

Essential Health Benefits: In 2010, President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, a health insurance reform law intended to ensure access to quality and affordable health insurance for all Americans. Starting in 2014, most health plans will be required to offer a comprehensive package of items and services to patients, known as "essential health benefits” (EHB). Under the new law, EHB must cover certain specific services including emergency services, maternity and newborn care, prescription drugs as well as preventive and wellness services, among others.

The AAAOM strongly supports designating acupuncture as an EHB. Our full position statement is available in the Governance section of our website at aaaomonline.org. If you are able to contribute financial support to this effort, which will be solely used to further publicize and generate action on this issue, please click here or contact us. To participate in committee work or related research projects, please contact us at info@aaaomonline.org.

Public Input is Needed: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is currently accepting input regarding their approach to establishing EHBs. A strong public show of support for acupuncture as an essential health benefit will be noticed by policymakers and will lay a solid foundation for future federal acupuncture initiatives.

Take action now: Ask your patients to send an email to the address below to show their support for EHB. Also, send your own email as a patient showing your support. Emails should request that acupuncture be designated as an essential benefit service and should share the benefits of acupuncture and its cost effectiveness. 

To send a message to HHS, visit aaaomonline.org/ehb or send an email directly to: EssentialHealthBenefits@cms.hhs.gov and carbon copy EHB@aaaomonline.org so that we can track the letters sent. The deadline for comments is January 31, 2012.

Thank you for your support of our efforts to serve our profession. If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact AAAOM at 1-866-455-7999, extension 3, or info@aaaomonline.org.

To sign this petition please click here

"Traditional Chinese medicine makes fertility treatments effective"

Traditional Chinese medicine has long been used to ease pain and treat disease.
Now researchers have found it can also boost fertility if used in combination with fertility treatments.
A team led by Dr Shahar Levi-Ari from Tel Aviv University compared the success rates of couples using intrauterine insemination (IUI) both with and without Chinese herbal and acupuncture therapies.
IUI involves a laboratory procedure to separate fast moving sperm from more sluggish sperm.
The fast moving sperm are then placed into the woman’s womb close to the time of ovulation when the egg is released from the ovary in the middle of the monthly cycle. 
The results, which have been published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine, show a significant increase in fertility when the therapies are administered side-by-side.

To read the full article please click here


posted by Sharon Wyse L.Ac.

Chinese Herbal Medicine can improve pregnancy rates 2-fold within a 4 month period compared with Western Medical fertility drug therapy or IVF

Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine in the management of female infertility: a systematic review.

Ried K, Stuart K.

Source

Discipline of General Practice, School of Population Health & Clinical Practice, The University of Adelaide, South Australia. Karin.ried@adelaide.edu.au

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

To assess the effect of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM) in the management of female infertility and on pregnancy rates compared with Western Medical (WM) treatment.

METHODS:

We searched the Medline and Cochrane databases and Google Scholar until February 2010 for abstracts in English of studies investigating infertility, menstrual health and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). We undertook meta-analyses of (non-)randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or cohort studies, and compared clinical pregnancy rates achieved with CHM versus WM drug treatment or in vitro fertilisation (IVF). In addition, we collated common TCM pattern diagnosis in infertility in relation to the quality of the menstrual cycle and associated symptoms.

RESULTS:

Eight RCTs, 13 cohort studies, 3 case series and 6 case studies involving 1851 women with infertility were included in the systematic review. Meta-analysis of RCTs suggested a 3.5 greater likelihood of achieving a pregnancy with CHM therapy over a 4-month period compared with WM drug therapy alone (odds ratio=3.5, 95% CI: 2.3, 5.2, p<0.0001, n=1005). Mean (SD) pregnancy rates were 60±12.5% for CHM compared with 32±10% using WM drug therapy. Meta-analysis of selected cohort studies (n=616 women) suggested a mean clinical pregnancy rate of 50% using CHM compared with IVF (30%) (p<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our review suggests that management of female infertility with Chinese Herbal Medicine can improve pregnancy rates 2-fold within a 4 month period compared with Western Medical fertility drug therapy or IVF. Assessment of the quality of the menstrual cycle, integral to TCM diagnosis, appears to be fundamental to successful treatment of female infertility.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
To read the full study please click here
Posted by Sharon Wyse L.Ac

"Chinese medicine double chances childless couples conceiving"

"Couples with fertility problems are twice as likely to get pregnant using traditional Chinese medicine as western drugs, say researchers."

"They found a two-fold improvement in pregnancy rates over just four months of treatment from practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine.
At least six million Britons have consulted a Western or traditional Chinese herbal practitioner in the last two years, according to Ipsos Mori research.
Previous research suggests acupuncture may help some childless couples to conceive.
The latest study from researchers at Adelaide University, Australia, reviewed eight clinical trials, 13 other studies and case reports comparing the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with western drugs or IVF treatment."

"The review funded by the Australian government included 1,851 women with infertility problems, says a report in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
Review of the clinical trials alone found a 3.5 rise in pregnancies over a four-month period among women using TCM compared with western medicine. 
Other data covering 616 women within the review showed 50 per cent of women having TCM got pregnant compared with 30 per cent of those receiving IVF treatment.

The overall analysis concluded there was a two-fold increase in the likelihood of getting pregnant in a four-month period for women using TCM compared with orthodox approaches.
The study’s authors said ‘Our meta-analysis suggests traditional Chinese herbal medicine to be more effective in the treatment of female infertility - achieving on average a 60 per cent pregnancy rate over four months compared with 30 per cent achieved with standard western drug treatment.’
The study said the difference appeared to be due to the careful analysis of the menstrual cycle – the period when it is possible for a woman to conceive – by TCM practitioners.
It said ‘Assessment of the quality of the menstrual cycle integral to TCM diagnosis appears to be fundamental to the successful treatment of female infertility.’

Dr Karin Ried of the university’s school of population health and clinical practice, who led the study, said infertility affects one in six couples and even after investigations 20 per cent of infertility remains ‘unexplained’.
She said TCM recognises many more ‘menstrual disturbances’ than conventional medicine, is far less expensive than IVF treatment and less stressful.
She said ‘Infertility issues can be treated with the integration of TCM and contemporary medicine to minimise the financial and emotional strain on people.’
Geeta Nargund, medical director of Create fertility clinic in London’s Harley Street, who uses a kinder form of IVF called in-vitro maturation or IVM which spares the woman exposure to drug hormones, said the study findings should be treated with caution.

She said ‘We should be doing everything we can to use the least invasive methods to help patients get pregnant, if they don’t work then we can move on to drugs and more invasive approaches.
‘What we desperately need is detailed research into these alternative approaches that monitors what is happening to the body’s hormone systems and ovaries so we can see what difference they are making.
‘But we should not lose sight of the fact that Chinese herbs are potent medicines. They are regarded as natural but they have powerful effects on the body which can include a syndrome that mimics the over-stimulation we sometimes see from western IVF drugs.

‘There are potential risks from using herbs and people should be aware of that’ she added.

To read this full article please click here

Reposted by Sharon Wyse L.Ac.

Why Does Acupuncture Help Depression? - Researchers Find It Regulates Zinc and Copper Levels

Acupuncture has been found helpful for a variety of psychiatric issues including depression and anxiety.  Depression is a common reason for working with an acupuncturist, particularly for those where western medicines either have too many side effects, were not effective or were not desirable for any number of reasons.  While we see benefit both in clinical studies and in practical day to day observation, the underlying mechanisms for how acupuncture helps with depression are not well understood.  Researchers from the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine within Xiamen University in China recently conducted an animal study to evaluate biochemical changes from electro-acupuncture to better understand how acupuncture helps.
Serum levels of copper, zinc, calcium and magnesium have relationships to psychiatric imbalances.  In this study electro acupuncture was used to see how these levels changes from treatment to help evaluate why it is helpful in a human patient.  Researchers used 40 male rats with depression and were divided into a control group, an electro-acupuncture group and a maprotiline group (a western tricyclic antidepressant medication).  Acupuncture points used were GV 20, Yintang, ST 40 and LV 3 for 15 minutes each session every other day for 3 weeks.  Then serum levels were checked.
Researchers found that electroacupuncture led to decreases in serum copper levels (associated with better psychiatric states) and increases in serum zinc levels (the copper/zinc ratio being related to mental health) with no significant changes in calcium or magnesium levels.  Researchers conclude that by regulate zinc and copper levels electroacupuncture may be helpful for depression.
Reposted from yinyanghouse.com

Get rid of stuffed or running nose without drugs...

Nasal congestion, stuffy nose, runny nose – these are common problems experienced by everyone, usually many times a year. We generally disregard it, if it’s on moderate levels but can get very annoyed when they are strong and require our attentions.

Yes, you could use a nasal spray to depress it for a while. But there are some problems with the sprays:

•First, they are drugs (chemicals), might have side effects and are somewhat addictive.
•Second, they cost money.
•Third, once you start taking the medications you may need to continue with them (which usually then results in dry mucus membranes)

  This technique is based on Traditional Chinese Acupressure points.There are only 4 easy points to massage, so it’s very easy to remember and can be done at anytime (I suggest doing it in the mornings while showering, as the steam will also help open up your sinus cavities)

Here how it goes:

1.Perform the below routine 3 times:
1.Perform 10 pressures on a cavity at the corner of the nostrils (point 1). You should almost close and open the nostrils when you do the round movement.
2.Perform 10 pressures on a cavity just below the corner of the eyes near the nose (point 2)
3.Perform 10 pressures on a cavity just below the ear, behind the earlobe (point 3)
4.Massage the earlobe 10 times (point 4)
2.After performing the above 3 times, you should feel immediate relief of your nasal congestion. It is advised to return on the above procedure again in about 10 minutes to make it more permanent or the congestion could return.
Additional instructions: The pressures are actually round movement. Look at the pictures for exact motion.

To read the full article please click here

 

Re-posted by Sharon Wyse L.Ac.

Acupuncture for induction of labour (Review)

 Here is an interesting study on how acupuncture can help induce labor in women that have gone over their due date. I usually educate women on how acupuncture 6-8 weeks before their due date is optimal, as it has also been researched that acupuncture a few weeks before labor helps to shorten the duration of a vaginal labor. Many women in the study also reported that labor pains were diminished with the administration of certain acupuncture points.

"In a study acupuncture with and without electrical stimulation
was used to induce labor in 12 pregnant women with
a gestational age from 19 to 43 weeks (Tsuei 1974). The success
rate was 83% and average induction to delivery time was 13.1
hours. In the third study, 34 termand post termwomen and seven
women with an intrauterine fetal death were induced using electro-
acupuncture. Labor was successfully induced in 32 (78%)
women (Tsuei 1977). The limited observational studies to date
suggest acupuncture for induction of labour appears safe, has no
known teratogenic effects, and may be effective. The evidence regarding
the clinical effectiveness of this technique is limited."

To read more about this study, please click here 

If you have any questions related to this blog, please feel free to contact me at SharonWyse.L.Ac@gmail.com or via phone at 917.603.8081