Thirty outpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder were recruited and received 8 weeks of standardised 30-minute open acupuncture treatment using 5 specific body points on the arms and legs bilaterally, with manual stimulation every 10min, and concurrent electroacupuncture at two points along the midline of the head. Subjects were assigned to once-weekly, or twice-weekly treatment, depending on preference. Change in Hamilton-D-17 score was the primary outcome measure, and positive response to treatment (defined as ≥50% improvement in HAM-D-17 scores compared to baseline) was the secondary outcome measure.

HAM-D-17 scores decreased in both groups but improvement did not differ significantly between treatment arms. Response rates were 62% for the once-weekly acupuncture group and 22% for the twice-weekly acupuncture group (NS)

The researchers concluded that standardised acupuncture treatment was safe, well-tolerated and effective, suggesting good feasibility in outpatient settings, and that replication in controlled trials is warranted.

Full details of the study here:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22521855

Full story in the New Scientist here:

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2012/04/where-acupuncture-pricks-the-b.html

The researchers go on to say that these interventions relieved pain and improved satisfaction with pain relief (immersion, relaxation, acupuncture, local anaesthetic nerve blocks, non-opioids) and childbirth experience (immersion, relaxation, non-opioids) when compared with placebo or standard care. Relaxation was associated with fewer assisted vaginal births and acupuncture was associated with fewer assisted vaginal births and caesarean sections.

Full details of the study can be found here:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22419342

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) can produce severe neurological deficits and neuropathic pain and is a potential reason for terminating or suspending chemotherapy treatments. Suitable ways of managing this problem at the current time are limited. This study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture on CIPN as measured by changes in nerve conduction studies (NCS) in six patients treated with acupuncture for 10 weeks in addition to best medical care. Five control patients were compared who received the best medical care but no specific treatment for CIPN.

In five of the six patients treated with acupuncture, NCS improved after treatment. In the control group, three of five patients did not show any difference in NCS, one patient improved and one showed impaired NCS.

The conclusion of the researchers was that the data suggested acupuncture has a positive effect on CIPN that justify a randomised controlled trial in the future.

Full details here:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22146780

Allergen-induced itch was evaluated in 20 patients with atopic dermatitis after several interventions in separate sessions: preventive (preceding) and abortive (concurrent) verum acupuncture, cetirizine, corresponding placebo interventions, and a no-intervention control. Itch was induced on the forearm and temperature modulated over 20 min. Outcome parameters included itch intensity, wheal and flare size and the D2 attention test.

Mean itch intensity was significantly lower following verum acupuncture compared with all other groups. There was no significant difference between acupuncture and cetirizine although both therapies were significantly superior to their respective placebo interventions.

The researchers concluded that both verum (real) acupuncture and cetirizine significantly reduced type I hypersensitivity itch in patients with atopic dermatitis, compared with both placebo and the no intervention control group. Timing of acupuncture application was important, as verum acupuncture had the most significant effect on itch, potentially because of counter-irritation and/or distraction.

Full details of the trial:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1398-9995.2012.02789.x/abstract

Speaking here both as a GP and evidently as an acupuncture patient herself, Dr Jarvis is one of many who can talk about acupuncture from experiencing the benefits directly.

The British Acupuncture Council are launching Acupuncture awareness week to dispel some of the myths surrounding acupuncture, introduce acupuncture to people that may not be aware of the benefits it can offer to their health, and to offer more information on a treatment which is becoming more and more and part of health care in the UK.

Over the coming weeks I’ll be linking to snippets of patients talking about their experiences of having acupuncture in conjunction with acupuncture awareness week as this is a useful way of helping prospective patients choose whether treatment may be appropriate for them.

You can read about some of the experiences of my own patients here:

http://www.seanheneghan.com/testimonials/

Or to read about acupuncture awareness week through The British Acupuncture Council click here:

http://www.introducingacupuncture.co.uk/index.php

Perhaps more than any other kind of therapy, hypnotherapy is one in which the relationship between the client and the practitioner is of prime importance. It takes trust and a sense of comfort and confidence on the part of the client in the qualities and potentials of the hypnotherapist for the experience to be as fruitful as possible, so good therapists in this modality are like gold dust and best sought out on the back of trusted recommendation.

One such therapist is my friend and colleague Hazel Gale. Hazel’s a clinical hypnotherapist in north east London as well as the two times world kickboxing champion and the current ABA (amateur boxing association) champion. When it comes to sports hypnosis her work is second to none and built on her skills not only as a top athlete herself, but also in her capacity to develop similar skills in her clients. She also however works brilliantly with a wide range of other issues aside from sports performance, and is my recommendation for anybody looking for a clinical hypnotherapist in London.

You can read about the results Hazel achieves with her clients here, or for the main page of her website visit:

http://www.hazelgale.co.uk/

You can also reach her by telephone on 07870 180 548, or via her clinic’s facebook page here

Sean was kind, calming and very positive about the help that he could give me.  After 6 weeks I began to feel better with no symptoms to speak of, no pain, and a fabulous feeling of well being. I am certainly no longer depressed.  I am enjoying life again and have a very positive attitude.  I am now embarking on a maintenance programme with Sean along with an improved lifestyle of healthy eating and exercise so that I never drop back to rock bottom again.

I cannot thank Sean enough for his kindness, patience and the treatment he has given. I wish I had contacted him at a much earlier stage in my illness.  For anyone who is reading this testimonial with reservations about needles and the stigma of alternative therapy I can strongly recommend it.  The minor sensation of the needles is small compared to the massive benefits in well being I’ve received”.

Clair Evans, Berkhamsted

In this recent piece, Swedish researchers have been investigating the effect of acupuncture for hot flushes and postulate that the heat loss experienced by some patients may be once again mediated by release of CGRP which is also a sweat gland activator as well as a potent vasodilator. It’s also known that CGRP is influenced by the body’s opioid system which acupuncture has been shown to affect. The research could be a further useful step in piecing together the complex physiological cascade that follows acupuncture stimulation, and more evidence of the ongoing efforts to reconceptualise acupuncture’s effects in terms of modern scientific theory. More details of the study can be found here

Incidentally this week also saw further positive research looking at acupuncture for relieving the side effects of radiation induced dry mouth in patients with cancer.

The researchers note that xerostermia questionnaire scores for the acupuncture patients were statistically significantly lower than controls starting at 3 weeks through to  6 months. Regarding salivary flow, group differences emerged as early as 3 weeks and salivary flow rates were improved even at 6 months post treatment.

The researchers concluded acupuncture given concurrently with radiotherapy significantly reduced xerostomia and improved quality of life.

Full details of the research can be found here:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22072272