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Acupuncture’s Effectiveness in Relieving Pain

 

Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice dating back over 2,000 years. I first heard about acupuncture while driving with two nuns deep into the New Mexico desert. I was a bit taken back by these two religious women who discussed their struggles with pain and their deep belief in this medical practice. I listened intently to their stories of relief each experienced and how they never missed an opportunity to go while in town. Now many years later, I decided to learn about this medical practice as a viable option for pain relief and other medicinal possibilities. The following is a brief overview and examination of acupuncture’s effectiveness in relieving pain.    

Overview

First, let’s take a look at acupuncture belief, tradition, and method. Traditional Chinese medicine holds the belief that individuals have a life force/energy labeled Qi (enunciated chee), which runs through 12 meridians connected to major organ functioning. When the strength and quality of Qi energy is disrupted, acupuncture is administered to restore the flow of energy through the meridian channels and organs returning one’s health, balance, and wellbeing. To restore Qi energy flow, an acupuncture practitioner stimulates various points along the meridian channels by inserting slender needles. Western/conventional acupuncture professionals utilizing this treatment method moved away from traditional concepts and terminology shifting focus to physiology and human anatomy while still continuing the ancient practice of stimulating various trigger points on the body.

Source: Vickers, Andrew; Zollman, Catherine ABC of complementary medicine, British Medical Journal, 1999; 319:973-976.

Intraoperative (during surgery) Analgesic

                Researchers enlisted sixty-four patients undergoing total hip replacement surgery to participate in a double blind study to find if auricular acupuncture reduced analgesic necessity. Participants received general anesthesia with “volatile anesthetic isofiurane and opioid analgesic

fentanyl, whereby isofiurane concentration was kept constant”. The study found acupuncture group participants requested 21% less fentanyl (a heavy duty opioid agonist) during surgery than the group not receiving acupuncture. These findings suggest auricular acupuncture holds potential use during major surgery as a complementary intraoperative analgesia.

Source:

Usichenko, Taras I.; Dinse, Michaela; Lysenyuk, Victor P.; Wendt, Michael; Pavlovic, Dragan; Lehmann, Christian. Auricular Acupuncture Reduces Intraoperative Fentanyl Requirement During Hip Arthroplasty -- A Randomized Double-Blinded Study. Acupuncture & Electro-Therapeutics Research; 2006, Vol. 31 Issue 3/4.

Cancer Pain Relief

Researchers in the Pain Management Unit at the Institut Gustave Roussy, a comprehensive cancer center in France, studied the effectiveness of auricular acupuncture for neuropathic chronic pain emerging after cancer treatment, which is known for being resistant to pain analgesic drugs. Over the course of two months, researchers followed ninety patients broken into three groups including one placebo grouping. The study’s results show a 36% pain decline from baseline in patients receiving auricular acupuncture whereas the placebo group only reported a 2% decline, which is statistically significant. The researchers assert, “Acupuncture activates central brain pathways, thus inhibiting the maladaptive reflex that contributes to neuropathic pain”.

Source: David Alimi; Carole Rubino; Evelyne Pichard-Léandri; Sabine Fermand-Brulé, Marie-Laure Dubreuil-Lemaire; & Catherine Hill, Analgesic Effect of Auricular Acupuncture for Cancer Pain: A Randomized, Blinded, Controlled Trial, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 21, Issue 22 (November), 2003: 4120-4126

These few articles on acupuncture’s pain reliving effectiveness and possibilities are just the tip of the iceberg. Additionally, the World Health Organization developed a comprehensive report examining acupuncture research on a wide range of health concerns. To check out this report click here. We will take a look at other health concerns benefited by acupuncture in future blog entries.

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Soft Drinks ‘N Health

Can popping open a can of soda have long-tem effects on your health? The answer depends on who you ask, beverage producers or medical researchers, however I believe the answer rests somewhere in the middle. As with everything in life, balance is central in making those daily decision affecting immediate, short, and long term matters. Anything in excess can be problematic. That being said, let’s take a look at the beverage industry and health related concerns associated with overindulging in soft drinks.

         The Beverage Marketing Corporation (BMC) reports Americans consume approximately 50 gallons of soft drinks each year translating to thousands of calories depending on the type of regular soda you drink. Drinking diet soda, of course, reduces calories to almost nothing, however like regular soda it also contains harmful chemical like aspartame. Another popular beverage is the relatively new energy drinks, which contain caffeine, sugar, vitamins, and minerals providing a temporary boost in energy. The BMC reports energy drink consumption is on the rise with a staggering 49% growth in 2006 alone.

What health related concerns are associated with drinking too many soft drinks? I’ll take a look at four studies to answer that question. First, a team of researches completed a meta-analysis of 88 studies examining scientific research on soft drink consumption and links to energy (food/drink) intake, body weight, milk/calcium intake, nutrition, and overall health. Not surprising, researchers found a distinct difference in food industry funded and non-food industry funded studies. The findings of their meta-analysis concluded several statistically significant concerns to be aware of the next time you reach for a soft drink.

The chief find is a link between soft drink intake and increased energy consumption whereby individuals take in more energy as they take in more soft drinks, which suggest a possible increase in “hunger, decrease satiety, or simply calibrate people to a high level of sweetness that generalizes to preferences in other foods.”

Predictably, the increased consumption of soft drinks also reduced the consumption of milk and calcium, fruit, dietary fiber, and various nutrients and conversely elevated carbohydrate intake. Secondly, the review suggests a link between soft drink intake and medical issues most notable rises in blood pressure and diabetes. “The most striking finding, in a study of 91 249 women followed for 8 years, was that those who consumed 1 or more servings of soft drinks per day (less than the US national average) were at twice the risk of developing diabetes as those who consumed less than 1 serving per month.”

The overriding theme indicates soft drinks displace other nutrient rich foods and drinks often resulting in medical problems. [Effects of Soft Drink Consumption on Nutrition and Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. By: Vartanian, Lenny R., Schwartz, Marlene B., Brownell, Kelly D., American Journal of Public Health, 00900036, Apr2007, Vol. 97, Issue 4]

Another researcher, Katherine Tucker, PhD, director of the center's Dietary Assessment and Epidemiology Research Program at Tufts' Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging examined 2,500 questioners of people with an average age of 60 investigating diet and bone-mineral density in the spine and hip region. The study’s results link cola consumption with lower bone density in three areas of the hip for women, but not for men. The more cola drinks consumed, including diet, the lower their bone density was. Interestingly, the study found no link between drinking non-cola carbonated soft drinks and bone density. Phosphoric acid is one ingredient found in cola drinks and not often found in non-cola drinks, which maybe an ingredient for further research in this area.

A third study in Norway examined approximately 5,500 tenth grade boys and girls looking at sugar-contained soft drink consumption and mental health problems, hyperactivity, and conduct issues. Researchers also calculated in eating habits, social, and behavioral variables in their results. Findings indicate adolescents consuming high amounts (4 or more) of sugar-containing soft drinks each day show higher rates of mental health issues. [Consumption of Soft Drinks and Hyperactivity, Mental Distress, and Conduct Problems Among Adolescents in Oslo, Norway. By: Lien, Lars, Lien, Nanna, Heyerdahl, Sonja, Thoresen, Magne, Bjertness, Espen, American Journal of Public Health, 00900036, Oct2006, Vol. 96, Issue 10]

Lastly, Healthy Day conducted a four year study of individuals consuming more than one soft drink a day finding them 44 percent more likely to develop metabolic syndrome than those who drank one or less a day. Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors connected to cardiovascular disease and the development of diabetes.

As stated at the beginning of this blog entry, we all need to be conscientious of the food and drinks we consume everyday and balance in this quest is key. While the information about soft drink consumption is striking, having an occasional drink seems acceptable as consumption rates in low quantities have not indicated any harm. So, drink your water, milk, 100% fruit juice, and have an occasional soft drink with your cheesy pizza.

To find out how much caffeine is in your favorite beverage click here.

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Polypharmacy

Chronic, concurrent, and progressive diseases are anticipated as we age. As illnesses emerge, people often visit a specialist resulting in a prescription to treat what ails them. All too often though, patients are taking over the counter medications, vitamins, and various prescriptions for other health and mental health concerns. When full disclosure of all forms of medications are not disclosed to each healthcare professional visited multiple adverse reactions can result. The dangerous interaction, duplication, and dosage of multiple medications are known as polypharmacy, which can result in additional medical complications, disability, and premature death.

Polypharmacy is on the rise in the United States and a fairly new discussion in the medical community. The 2006 Slone Survey out of Boston University reports the following statistics about medication* use in the United States:

·                  82% of adults take 1 medication

·                  29% of adults take 5 or more medications

·                  17-19% of adults 65 and older (largest medication consumer age group) take at least 10 medications

·                  Since 2000, polypharmacy increased from 23% to 29% for those using 5 or more medications and from 6.3% to 12% for use of at least five prescription medications.

·                  56% of children take at least one medication, 27% take two or more, and 21% take at least one prescribed medication.

*Medications include: prescribed drugs, over the counter medications, herbal/natural medications, vitamins

Elderly adults are the highest risk group for polypharmacy, however a 2005 Psychiatry journal article reports pediatric polypharmacy is also on the rise in the United States. Children are being prescribed more medications especially for psychiatric disorders like ADHD. The article further asserts there is no research on drug interaction for children taking multiple prescriptions. This is a concern for parents to be aware of as children are often not able to comprehend the serious health risks associated with taking medications. Please talk with your doctor about all the medications, vitamins, herbs, and so forth your children are taking before adding on additional medications.

The following are signs and symptoms of polypharmacy:

·                  Confusion

·                  Memory loss

·                  Cognitive Impairment

·                  Decreased ability to completed Activity of Daily Living (e.g. taking a shower, getting dressed)

·                  Incontinence

·                  Vision problems

·                  Dry Mouth

·                  Dizziness

·                  Drowsiness

·                  Malnutrition

·                  Repeated falls

·                  Sleeping problems

·                  Decreased quality of life

     One step that can be taken to reduce complications resulting from polypharmacy is to have regular medication reviews. Reviewing medications with your doctor can allow for an open discussion about medication effectiveness, side effects, and duration. Sometimes we don’t need as much or we might need more of a medication to have the same effect overtime. For any and all questions on this topic please consult with your doctor.

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