Acupuncture for Pain

[Guest guest]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-12/07/019l-120799-idx.html

THE CUTTING EDGE

Tuesday, December 7, 1999; Page Z05

ACUPUNCTURE FOR PAIN CHANGES BRAIN ACTIVITY

Patients have long reported that acupuncture helps relieve their pain, but

scientists don't know why. Could it be an illusion? Now brain imaging

technology has indicated that the perception of pain relief is accurate.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers at the

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) in Newark found

markedly decreased brain activity in nine of 12 volunteers who were exposed

to pain and also given acupuncture. The decreased brain activity, the

researchers said, indicated that the people were feeling less pain.

" This is scientific evidence of a response people have been getting for

2,500 years, " said Huey-Jen Lee, chief of neuro-radiology at UMDNJ. " Western

doctors have been reluctant to use acupuncture for pain relief because they

did not know why it was effective. Now we are learning more about the

physical response created by acupuncture. "

In the Eastern tradition of acupuncture, there are 401 identified

" acupoints, " where the insertion of a hair-thin acupuncture needle or

electric needle stimulation can create sensations elsewhere in the body. In

this study, researchers used only the " Hegu " acupoint, between the thumb and

forefinger.

In the study, presented at a meeting of the Radiological Society of North

America last week, the baseline pain threshold of 12 subjects was measured

by inducing light pain to the inside or outside of the upper lip. In all

study participants, the pain resulted in a significant increase in brain

activity as measured by the fMRI. But that brain activity--an increased flow

of blood and use of oxygen--sharply decreased for most of the people in the

study after acupuncture was applied.

Lee said that while there was a consistent decrease in brain activity after

acupuncture, the decrease did not always show up in the same parts of the

brain. This finding was in line with previous work showing that individuals

experience pain quite differently, and that emotions play a role in

determining how an individual will respond and what areas of the brain will

be involved. The relationship between which parts of the brain are activated

and how pain is perceived is not yet well understood.

Lee, who studied acupuncture in his native Taiwan, said he hoped the

procedure could gradually become a mainstream complement to pain medication

and perhaps ultimately a substitute. Lee said acupuncture offers some

advantages over aspirin, morphine and other Western pain medications because

it has no side effects, is not addictive and can last for weeks.

--Marc Kaufman

WOMEN'S WEIGHT GAIN TIED TO ADULT-ONSET ASTHMA

Women who gain weight after their 18th birthday are more likely to develop

asthma as adults than those who do not, according to a study of more than

85,000 registered nurses conducted by researchers at the Harvard School of

Public Health.

The finding, published in the Nov. 22 issue of the Archives of Internal

Medicine, suggests that the twin epidemics of adult asthma and obesity may

be related. The prevalence of asthma, which affects about 7 percent of the

population, has risen steadily in the past 20 years in developed countries

for unexplained reasons. Rates of obesity also have skyrocketed during the

same period: 55 percent of Americans are currently considered to be

overweight, about one-third of them obese.

As part of their ongoing study, which examines the relationship of diet and

lifestyle to the development of breast cancer and other diseases, Harvard

researchers surveyed nearly 117,000 female nurses in 14 states who were

between the ages of 24 and 44 when the project was launched in 1989.

Women who gained about 50 pounds were five times as likely to develop asthma

compared with those with stable weight.

The mechanism by which obesity might trigger adult-onset asthma is unclear,

researchers reported, but the condition may arise from reductions in airflow

or from gastroesophageal reflux disease. Reflux, the regurgitation of acid

into the esophagus from the stomach, is a risk factor for adult-onset

asthma.

" The results are consistent with . . . reports that individuals with asthma

tend to weigh more than those without asthma and that obesity may have an

adverse effect on pulmonary function, " the authors noted.

But in a companion editorial, pulmonologists Mark M. and S.

Irwin of the University of Massachusetts Medical School expressed skepticism

about a link between adult asthma and obesity. The lung specialists

suggested that the two conditions may simply reflect an increase in two

common conditions.

-- G. Boodman

NO CANCER LINK FOUND TO ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

Children exposed to moderately high levels of electromagnetic

radiation--from such sources as household wiring, high-voltage power lines

and home appliances--did not show increased rates of cancer compared with

children who had less exposure, according to a large British study.

The new findings echo the generally reassuring results of several other

recent studies that have also failed to confirm a link between childhood

exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and cancer. Such a link,

particularly between EMF exposure and leukemia, had been suggested by some

earlier research.

The British study's authors caution that it didn't contain enough children

at high levels of EMF exposure--above 2 milligauss--to conclude that such

levels don't affect cancer risk. (A milligauss is a unit used to measure

magnetic field strength.) However, high levels of EMF exposure are uncommon

in the general population, said Sir Doll, an emeritus professor of

medicine at the University of Oxford, who helped direct the British study.

Researchers from the UK Childhood Cancer Study enrolled 2,226 children with

cancer in England, Wales and Scotland and matched them with a control group

of healthy children. They asked parents of participants about possible EMF

exposure from power lines, heating systems, electric blankets and other

sources. They also measured EMFs in the children's homes, schools and even

on their beds and pillows. They then estimated each cancer patient's total

EMF exposure in the year preceding diagnosis and compared it with the

estimated EMF exposure of the matched control.

The levels of past EMF exposure in the children with cancer were not

significantly different from those in the healthy children. There was no

evidence that EMF exposure increased the risk of leukemia, brain tumors or

cancer in general.

The study was published last week in The Lancet. An accompanying commentary,

by H. Repacholi and Anders Ahlbom of the World Health Organization,

notes that a forthcoming Japanese study may provide more information on

children with high levels of EMF exposure.

-- Okie

© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company

[Guest guest]

<<2. Also, has anyone had any experience with acupuncture for pain?>>

Hi Lorraine,

I see an acupuncturist for joint pain. I think the best thing about acupuncture

is that I went for pain relief, but got so much more. Because acupuncture

treats the whole body, not just the pain, I've gotten relief from my panic

attacks, stress, sinus congestion, stomach upset, and my memory has improved.

When I lost several close family members in a short time span, she treated me

for grief - after treatment, I felt grounded and able. She practically cured a

sprained ankle I had last January - most bizarre thing I've ever experienced! I

came to her on crutches, and walked out of her office. She also advises me on

herbs and supplements, is a great listener, and bless her heart, she's the one

who told me about Dr. Brown and AP!

I highly recommend acupunture (gee, could you tell?). The bottom line is that I

get better and longer lasting pain relief from acupuncture than I do from

conventional drugs. Thats the good news. The bad, of course, is that at least

for me, its not covered by insurance. Quite costly.

Best of luck to you!

Paige

[Guest guest]

Yes, i have tried acupuncture, i had 'electro-acupuncture' too, where they

connect the needles to a TENS machine, it was quite effective in bringing

down swelling, sometimes!

Kate

>

> Has anyone used acupuncture for pain?

>

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>

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>

[Guest guest]

Yes, i have tried acupuncture, i had 'electro-acupuncture' too, where they

connect the needles to a TENS machine, it was quite effective in bringing

down swelling, sometimes!

Kate

>

> Has anyone used acupuncture for pain?

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi

I have had acupuncture for pain and initially the relief was almost instant

but unfortunately because my muscles tend to go into spasm very easily the

relief didn't last but I would definitely think it would be worth a try if

you do not have any other problems with muscles other than pain.

Hope it works for you.

Best wishes

Joan U.K.

_____

From: Stillsdisease [mailto:Stillsdisease ]

On Behalf Of green_home_oreo

Sent: 06 July 2007 15:05

To: Stillsdisease

Subject: Acupuncture for pain

Has anyone used acupuncture for pain?

[Guest guest]

Hi

I have had acupuncture for pain and initially the relief was almost instant

but unfortunately because my muscles tend to go into spasm very easily the

relief didn't last but I would definitely think it would be worth a try if

you do not have any other problems with muscles other than pain.

Hope it works for you.

Best wishes

Joan U.K.

_____

From: Stillsdisease [mailto:Stillsdisease ]

On Behalf Of green_home_oreo

Sent: 06 July 2007 15:05

To: Stillsdisease

Subject: Acupuncture for pain

Has anyone used acupuncture for pain?

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Acupuncture isn't for everyone. I've tried it a few times but it

didn't seem to work for me. I have, however, heard of people with

good results so give it a try. If you have insurance it may also be

covered. Call you insurance company to find out.

Take care and be well.

Ellen

[Guest guest]

Hi :

Acupuncture isn't for everyone. I've tried it a few times but it

didn't seem to work for me. I have, however, heard of people with

good results so give it a try. If you have insurance it may also be

covered. Call you insurance company to find out.

Take care and be well.

Ellen