Chinese medicine could double the chances of childless couples conceiving

Posted on November 26, 2011 by bilrob

Chinese medicine could double the chances of childless couples conceiving

By
Jenny Hope

Last updated at 4:21 PM on 25th November 2011

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.

Couples with fertility problems are twice as likely to get pregnant using traditional Chinese medicine as western drugs scientists have discovered

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.

TCM is far less expensive than IVF treatment and less stressful

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 (correct) 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.

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@toolate – what does this have to do with Chinese medicine? Are you insinuating that all Chinese individuals are cruel to animals or do not believe in the humane treatment of them? And do you believe that Chinese medicine is the mainstream form of medical treatment there or something? Because you might be pleased to know that qualified doctors within China use big pharma just as any other MEDC does … ‘Chinese medicine’ is just as much a herbal alternative there as it is here. I’m a vegetarian myself and love animals to death, but this seems like a very irrelevant contribution to an article that has nothing to do with your topic. Do you come out with facts about how many slaves are still owned in London TODAY or some other negative statistic whenever you read something where our country is mentioned?

- princesscookie, UK, 26/11/2011 02:26

Many of Big Pharma’s “wonder drugs” are synthesised copies of naturally occurring substances. The only differences are: BP slap a patent on them, charge the maximum price they can get and pull the strings of their puppets in the WHO to ban the natural products.

- John S, Bromley, 26/11/2011 01:46

Isn’t the planet over populated with humans already? If not, it soon will be at the exponential reproduction rate we have!

- Richard, Reading, 26/11/2011 01:44

I wonder what other animals will suffer in the progression of chinese medicine!!!

- Rio, Middlesbrough, 25/11/2011 23:02

There have been studies also showing that chinese medicine can cause kidney failure and cancer. DM even ran an article in May 2010. Would be very cautious about advising women who are desperate to conceive, without no detailed research.The side effects could be teratogenic on or for the future of the baby. Please think about the evidence before thinking about going ahead taking any kind of medicine without a qualified person prescribing it.

- Raindrops, Wales, 25/11/2011 22:41

- toolate, london, 25/11/2011 22:05

Before accusing the Chinese for animal extinctions, we should perhaps look for wild animals on our island? There’s really not many wild animals left here! Make sure you know our history before accusing others to avoid appearing ignorant.
- Spencer, London, 25/11/201
Fur farms in China…..the animals are skinned alive then thrown on a heap, hearts still beating five to ten minutes after skinning!
Dozens of bears, kept alive only for their bile, trapped in cages so small they couldn’t move, their bellies spiked with crude, dirty, often- infected devices to allow the farmers to “milk” their bile twice a day and sell the fluid secreted by the liver as medicine. In circuses lions jump through hoops of fire, because they know that if they don’t, they’ll be subjected to even more pain and fear
Elephants are prodded with electric shocks to train them to contort themselves in bizarre ways that some humans seem to find amusing……………on and on it goes…..horrific cruelty,

- toolate, london, 25/11/2011 22:03

At the end of the day, the result speaks for itself. May I ask which country has the highest population? LOL

- Independent, Boston, MA, 25/11/2011 21:01

The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine welcomes this research as it backs up widespread clinical experience showing that Chinese medicine is very effective at treating infertility in women. Members of the public who are interested in Chinese medicine fertility treatment are urged to only seek treatment from a practitioner who is registered with a reputable professional organisation, such as the RCHM, as there is currently no statutory regulation of herbal practitioners.

- Emma Farrant, Norwich, Norfolk, 25/11/2011 20:53

- Spencer, London, 25/11/2011 20:18

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Chinese Medicine Driving Rhinos to Extinction

Posted on November 21, 2011 by bilrob

Chinese Medicine Driving Rhinos to Extinction

Biologists and game park officials in South Africa say that rhinos are being slaughtered at the rate of one each day, and that most of these animals are killed to feed a demand for traditional Chinese medicine and cures.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, more than 340 rhinos have been killed so far this year in South Africa, and the problem is getting worse. Last week, the International Union for Conservation of Nature issued a report on endangered species, concluding that the western black rhino is now officially extinct. Two other species, the black and white rhinos, are also seriously endangered and could be gone from the wild within a few years.

The rhinos are being poached to extinction largely for their horns, which are sometimes sold as trophies or decorations, but more often are ground up and used in traditional Chinese medicine. Sometimes the powder is added to food, or brewed in a tea, as some people believe that African rhino horns are a powerful aphrodisiac and panacea. These animals are not being killed for meat or to control their population, but because of misinformation and superstition.

It’s not just rhinos that face this threat. Throughout Asia, the penises, claws and bones of various animals — including tigers, rhinos, and bears — are sold in folk medicine shops to cure everything from arthritis to asthma, impotence to cancer. Some people believe that tiger bones and claws can cure a variety of maladies, including back pain, arthritis and fatigue.

In July, officials along the border between Russia and China intercepted a truck carrying more than 1,000 bear claws and 26 elk lips — weighing 143 pounds in total — that were destined for medicine shops across Asia. The bears and elk were most likely left to bleed to death after their paws and lips were sliced off by the poachers.

Shark populations have also declined dramatically in recent years, due in part to the demand for shark fins, eaten as a delicacy and used in Chinese medicine. The live, but finless, sharks are often thrown back into the ocean to die.

There is no scientific evidence that any of these animal body parts treat or cure any disease or medical problem, but old beliefs die hard. The threat to Earth’s biodiversity doesn’t just come from pollution and human demand for food, and the extinction of the rhino reveals a dark side to belief in alternative medicines.

This story was provided by Life’s Little Mysteries, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow Life’s Little Mysteries on Twitter @llmysteries, then join us on Facebook.

Benjamin Radford is deputy editor of Skeptical Inquirer science magazine and author of Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries. His website is www.BenjaminRadford.com.

Up and Away! Photos of Endangered Rhinos in Flight
10 Species Humans Will Soon Kill Off
Why Do We Have Sex?

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Acupuncture - Professional Development Resources Announces New Continuing Education Course o

Posted on November 20, 2011 by bilrob

Acupuncture – Professional Development Resources Announces New Continuing Education Course

Professional Development Resources, a nationally accredited provider of continuing education (CE) to psychologists, social workers, counselors, speech-language pathologists, registered dietitians and occupational therapists, has announced the expansion of its complementary and alternative medicine curriculum with the addition of a new course on acupuncture.

Jacksonville, Florida (PRWEB) November 16, 2011

Professional Development Resources has just released a new online CE course called “Acupuncture – an Introduction.” The course represents the latest addition to the company’s complementary and alternative medicine curriculum, which currently features topics such as mindfulness meditation, yoga as medicine, self-healing through breathing exercises, and the use of herbal medicines. These courses are intended to introduce health professionals to the healing power of traditional approaches to health and wellness.

Acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world. As part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture aims to restore and maintain health through the stimulation of specific points on the body. In the United States, where practitioners incorporate healing traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries, acupuncture is considered part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The new course provides an overview of acupuncture as presented by two fact sheets from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) and includes a number of video clips illustrating its use.

“An important part of the service we offer health professionals is expanding their awareness of the types of treatments that are offered by practitioners who represent traditional approaches to healing,” says Leo Christie, PhD, CEO of Professional Development Resources. “Why do we need to be aware of such practices? According to the 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which included a comprehensive survey of CAM use by Americans, an estimated 3.1 million U.S. adults and 150,000 children had used acupuncture in the previous year. Between the 2002 and 2007 NHIS, acupuncture use among adults increased by approximately 1 million people. This means that many of the patients we see are using alternative remedies, and we need to be conversant in such practices.”

Is it safe? Relatively few complications from the use of acupuncture have been reported to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which has responsibility for regulating acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners. Still, complications have resulted from inadequate sterilization of needles and from improper delivery of treatments. Individuals should be careful to select a qualified practitioner and carefully check credentials before engaging acupuncture services.

Does it work? Acupuncture has been studied for a wide range of pain conditions, such as postoperative dental pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, headache, low-back pain, menstrual cramps, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, and tennis elbow. According to NCCAM, it can be very difficult to compare acupuncture research results from study to study and to draw conclusions from the cumulative body of evidence. This is because studies may use different acupuncture techniques (e.g., electrical vs. manual), controls (comparison groups), and outcome measures. Nevertheless, more and more studies are being published, and the results are summarized in this new CE course.

Among the CAM courses offered by Professional Development Resources are these:

Acupuncture – An Introduction (1 hours CE),
Yoga as Medicine: the Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing (8 hours CE),
Alternative Therapies: Herbs I (What Every Clinician Should Know) (1 hour CE), and
Breathing: The Master Key to Self-Healing (2 hours CE).

About Professional Development Resources, Inc.

Professional Development Resources is a Florida nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1992 by licensed marriage and family therapist Leo Christie, PhD. The company, which is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) – as well as many other national and state boards – has focused its efforts on making continuing education courses more cost-effective and widely accessible to health professionals by offering online home study coursework. Its current expanded curriculum includes a wide variety of clinical topics intended to equip health professionals to offer state-of-the art services to their clients.

Contact:

Leo Christie, PhD, CEO

Professional Development Resources, Inc.

904-645-3456

http://www.pdresources.org/

###

Leo Christie, PhD
Professional Development Resources
(904) 645-3456
Email Information

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Hospitals Offer Alternative Treatments: Acupuncture, Yes; Ginkgo, No

Posted on November 19, 2011 by bilrob

Quite a few hospitals are getting in on the acupuncture act.

Hospitals Offer Alternative Treatments: Acupuncture, Yes; Ginkgo, No

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Quite a few hospitals are getting in on the acupuncture act.

Hospitals are going alternative. Forty-two percent now offer at least one type of complementary or alternative medicine treatment, according to a recent survey by the American Hospital Association and the Samueli Institute, a nonprofit research organization that focuses on these treatments.

What hospitals choose to offer runs the gamut, from well-known therapies such as acupuncture to less familiar treatments like reiki, in which practitioners channel a patient’s energy by placing their hands on or just above specific locations on the body.

Patient demand is the top reason hospitals offer complementary and alternative therapies, cited by 85 percent. Clinical effectiveness? That comes in second, at 70 percent.

Though eager to please, hospitals are generally only willing to go so far. They typically draw the line at herbal or nutritional supplements. Eighty-two percent of hospitals said they don’t sell herbs in their hospital pharmacies, and 55 percent don’t sell nutritional supplements. Two-thirds said they have policies regarding using such products during a hospital stay.

There’s a big difference between guided imagery and ginkgo supplements, say experts. While patients are unlikely to be harmed by the mostly noninvasive therapies hospitals have adopted so far, herbs and supplements may pose a greater threat.

An extract made from the seeds and leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree, for example, is taken by some people to improve memory and fight dementia, despite mostly inconclusive study results.

The herb does, however, increase the risk of bleeding, and patients should discontinue its use 36 hours prior to surgery. “Many herbal remedies create herb/drug interactions,” says Barrie Cassileth, chief of the integrative medicine service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, which maintains a website with information on 250 herbs and supplements. “Many of them are not standardized, and frequently they are dirty, contaminated and unproven,” she says.

That hasn’t seemed to bother Americans, who spent $14.8 billion on such products in 2007, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That’s an amount equal to one-third of their total out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs. All too often, however, patients don’t offer up details to their doctors about what natural remedies they’re taking on their own.

These days, hospitals generally ask about such use, but if they don’t: Tell them. You could save yourself and the hospital a lot of trouble.

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A Brief Guide on Selecting the Best Homeopathic Treatment

Posted on November 16, 2011 by bilrob

A Brief Guide on Selecting the Best Homeopathic Treatment

Homeopathy is the second most popular treatment system in the world and is widely accepted as an alternative to traditional medicine. And like its conventional counterpart, homeopathic medicine is used to treat a wide array of medical conditions, from acute conditions such as headaches, colds, and flu to chronic ones such as asthma, cancer, and diabetes. It works on the principle of like cures like, meaning the substances that cause symptoms that are similar to those of healthy people. The second homeopathic principle is using the lowest dosage possible for every treatment.

On the market these days, various types of homeopathic products are available in the form of pills, liquid dilutions, tinctures, and ointments. There are medications that are manufactured for particular age groups such as babies and children, while others can be taken by everyone regardless of age.

Looking for the right homeopathic product to cure your condition? Doing so involves something more than just scanning through the labelling of the products. The following are several pointers to keep in mind before you choose a homeopathic remedy.

1. Familiarize yourself with the basic principles of homeopathic medicine. That way, you are better armed with the knowledge you will need when looking for the right homeopathic treatment for your condition. Read online articles and research that are relevant to the field.

2. List all the symptoms that you are going to cure, taking into consideration everything from head to toe. Factor in other problems such as emotional and mental conditions. Highlight the severe symptoms. Doing an inventory of all your symptoms makes it easier for you to trim down the possible homeopathic remedies for your condition.

3. If you are not sure with a certain homeopathic product, then do not try it. Homeopathic remedies work only when the right ones are taken at the right dosage and potency.

4. Do you have any kind of allergy? Yes, homeopathic medicine is a safe and natural method of treatment, but it may cause an adverse reaction if a homeopathic product contains substances that your body cannot tolerate. It is important that you read carefully the list of ingredients of a certain product to see if one or two of them might cause an allergic reaction. If this is so, look for other remedies.

5. Consider the possible interactions with other medications. While homeopathic remedies are known to work well with other medications, it is best to be on the safe side.

6. To eliminate the guesswork from choosing the correct homeopathic product, you may opt to get those with multiple ingredients or those that are created to treat different conditions. For example, a remedy for flu may contain ingredients that can relieve headache or body pains.

7. Start with a lower potency first and then take remedies with higher potencies gradually.

Resorting to homeopathy can be a wise decision especially if you have chosen the correct remedy that can provide you relief from your condition. It is recommended that you consult your doctor to make informed choices.

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Alternative medicine remains an ethics-free zone | Edzard Ernst

Posted on November 16, 2011 by bilrob

Alternative medicine remains an ethics-free zone | Edzard Ernst

Many people think medical ethics is a dry and boring subject mainly for the ivory towers of academia. Nothing could be further from the truth. One of the foremost aims of medical ethics is to make sure that people receive treatments that demonstrably do more good than harm, so it directly relates to the health and wellbeing of all of us.

In conventional medicine, numerous safeguards are in place to make sure doctors adhere to generally accepted ethical standards. In alternative medicine, however, medical ethics has largely remained a blind spot.

Therapeutic decisions of any kind should normally be taken after a healthcare professional has provided evidence-based advice to a patient. In alternative medicine, by contrast, consumers often make up their own minds whether to try this or that treatment; advice is not mandatory but information is abundantly available.

In order to ensure the consumers’ choice generates more good than harm, the publicly available information on alternative medicine would need to be reliable. We all know that this is not the case and that insisting on 100% reliability in a free market would be Utopian. Who, for instance, could even begin to vet the 50m or so websites that supply consumers with information on alternative treatments? But at the very least, information provided by healthcare professionals should not endanger the consumer.

The undeniable fact, however, is that the information supplied by practitioners of alternative medicine is often incomplete, wrong or dangerously misleading to the point of seriously endangering public health and thus violating medical ethics.

Here are two examples to back up this bold statement. The first relates to UK chiropractors who frequently fail to obtain informed consent before treating their patients. Yet, without it, informed decisions are impossible. Crucially, the lack of informed consent is a clear violation of every ethical code ever written.

My second example relates to those UK homeopaths (and chiropractors) who advise a mother not to vaccinate her child. This not only endangers the health of that particular child, but could bring back infectious diseases on a large scale.

Alternative clinicians are not the only ones who behave unethically. Pharmacists who sell homeopathic remedies or Bach Flower Remedies without making it clear that they contain not a single molecule of active ingredient also violate their own ethical code. In fact, all healthcare professionals who administer, prescribe or promote disproven treatments break fundamental rules of medical ethics.

What could be worse than individual healthcare professionals behaving unethically? Their professional organisations doing the same. Most chiropractic organisations worldwide make therapeutic claims that are not supported by evidence.

Similarly, the Society of Homeopaths claims on its website that, for a wide range of serious conditions, the evidence for homeopathy is convincing. One of them is a potentially serious condition that can occur after surgery, called post-operative ileus. Ironically, they base this particular claim on an article published by my team. What they fail to mention is that our article concluded that “several caveats preclude a definitive judgement”.

And what could be worse than national organisations violating medical ethics? International organisations doing the same. Some years ago, a report from the World Health Organisation claimed that acupuncture is a “proven therapy” for a range of serious and treatable conditions including, for instance, stroke. Yet the evidence shows the opposite: a Cochrane review concluded “Currently there is no clear evidence on the effects of acupuncture on subacute or chronic stroke.

A report from a well-respected organisation such as the WHO is read around the world. In my view, this is therefore unethical on a global scale.

So medical ethics is anything but boring. The level of misinformation about alternative medicine has now reached the point where it has become dangerous and unethical. So far, alternative medicine has remained an ethics-free zone. It is time to change this.

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What You Should Know Before Using Homeopathic Remedies

Posted on November 16, 2011 by bilrob

What You Should Know Before Using Homeopathic Remedies

Considering homeopathy as your treatment method? There are several things you have to keep in mind before you entrust your health to a homeopathic specialist. This is not to say that homeopathic medicine is something that might threaten the life and limb. It is a very safe way to treat certain illnesses, but to be able to get the most effective results, you have to take some precautions.

Dos and Don’ts of Using Homeopathic Remedies

• Read several published studies or researches on homeopathic treatment that matches your medical condition.

• Look for a certified homeopath with formal training on homeopathic medicine.

• Consult your current doctor or your local healthcare provider if you plan to use homeopathic remedies for your child or if you are pregnant or nursing.

• Do not stop taking your current medicines without asking your current doctor, even if the homeopath tells you so.

• Do not make homeopathic medicine a substitute for proven traditional healthcare. Also, avoid postponing your consult an MD doctor about your medical condition.

• Learn about the proper dose and potency of the homeopathic medicine you will be taking. Homeopathic doctors do not always agree on dose and potency of medicines. Also, these two factors depend on the remedy to be taken and the sensitivity of the patient toward the remedy. However, as a rule of thumb, diseases that you have been suffering for a long time must be cured with high numbers (e.g. 30C to 200C), and acute diseases or those that are quite new must be treated with low numbers such as 6C.

• Take homeopathic medicines on an empty stomach or at least 15 minutes before meals.

• When taking homeopathic remedies start off with a low potency and then gradually increase the potency once you notice some improvements on your condition. Taking high-potency homeopathic medications is not recommended, unless you are sure that it is the proper treatment for your condition.

• Most homeopathic medications come in the form of pills and are placed under the tongue. For the first six dosages, take two pills every two hours. Then take the pills four times a day for five days. Avoid touching the pills; instead, you can drop some pills on the lid of the container and put them directly to your mouth.

• Some homeopathic medicines come in ointments, and they can be applied directly on the affected area.

• Stop taking the medications once you have felt relief. However, take them again if the symptoms relapse.

• Do not take or use substances or products that may interfere with or block the effects of your homeopathic treatment. Examples are caffeinated drinks such as coffee and soda; prescription drugs such as anti-fungal medications, cortisone, and antibiotics; substances with strong flavours or aroma such as mint, camphor, menthol, and eucalyptus; recreational drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, pain medications, and barbiturates; Chinese herbs; aromatherapy products such as lavender oil, tea tree oil, and peppermint oil; and immunizations.

It is also advised that you refrain from taking other homeopathic medicines since they may cancel the effects of your remedy using homeopathy.

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What Is Homeopathy

Posted on November 15, 2011 by bilrob

What Is Homeopathy

Homeopathy is a type of alternative medicine that has a long history. It was first proposed by a German physician in 1796 named Samuel Hahnemann. Its purpose is to treat certain physical ailments with the use of heavily diluted preparations that are able to cause the same symptoms as the actual condition.

Homeopathy is an alternative form of medicine that is based from the philosophy that interprets physical ailments and diseases as caused by disturbances in the life force. These disturbances in the life force are manifested as physical symptoms. Homeopathy also believes that the life or vital force can react or adapt to the external causes of the symptoms.

Homeopathy History

Homeopathy was first introduced by Samuel Hahnemann, a German physician who first proposed its practice in 1796. He first conceived of the idea while translating the medical treatise into German by Scottish physician and chemist William Cullen. It tells of the action of cinchona in malaria. Dr. Hahnemann tried the effects of Dr. Cullen’s theory and ingested the bark to determine if it does can cure a fever through its effect of strengthening the stomach. The bark did result in Dr. Hahnemann experiencing fever, joint pain and shivering, the typical symptoms displayed by those who suffer from malaria. But he also noticed that he only experienced few stomach symptoms.

Through his own experience, Dr. Hahnemann theorized that medications used to treat certain diseases produce similar symptoms when taken by healthy individuals. This eventually became the Law of Similars that became the main basis for the practice of homeopathy. It was also Dr. Hahnemann who eventually coined the term “homeopathy” that was first used in a series of printed articles that Dr. Hahnemann wrote in 1807.

Dr. Hahnemann then went on to test out other substances and what possible symptoms they may produce in humans. This procedure eventually became known as homeopathic proving which involved testing the substances on healthy humans. It was a time consuming process that involved listing all the symptoms experienced by the test subjects and the other conditions that may appear. The exhaustive list became the basis where Dr. Hahnemann then identified substances ideal for treating particular diseases based on the symptoms that they are able to cause on the healthy subjects.

Dr. Hahnemann also believed that large doses of the substances tat would cause the same symptoms may also possibly aggravate the disease or illness. He went on to advocate diluting the substances in minute amounts. He developed a process or method in making dilutions that can still preserve the therapeutic effects of the substances. The extreme dilutions was also believed to help remove the harmful effects of the substances while yet maintaining its beneficial effects.

This in turn became the Principle of Minimum Dose, another principle widely used in the practice of homeopathy. There were other principles developed that came to be the basis for the progress of homeopathy. It eventually gained quite a following among other people looking for an alternative means to treat certain conditions.

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Acupuncture and Autism

Posted on November 3, 2011 by bilrob

Acupuncture and Autism

Studies have shown that there is an increase in the number of children that have been diagnosed with autism. Until now, doctors have not yet found a cure to this illness which is why some parents want to experiment with alternative forms of treatment and one example is acupuncture.

Acupuncture is a holistic approach in treating and preventing certain diseases. Its main tool are very thin needles that are inserted to targeted points in the body. The body has about 400 of them linked through a system known as meridians or pathways. Once these are stimulated, these are supposed to create balance in the body.

Autism on the other hand is a brain disorder that is long term. This disease is characterized by deficits in language, social communication and cognition. Children who are diagnosed with this illness may also suffer from secondary problems such as aggression, irritability, stereotypes, hyperactivity, negativism, volatile emotions, temper tantrums, short attention span and obsessive-compulsive behavior.

Preliminary studies have shown that acupuncture may provide symptomatic relief to children suffering from autism. Although difficult at first, it is believed that it is rewarding in the long run. This is because while conventional therapy and treatment requires that the child stay still, acupuncture doesn?t. Some say it?s a quick prick at the vital points in the body.

A group of children in the US participated in a test to see how effective acupuncture is among children. There are 22 respondents and each of them was given the treatment once every other day for four months.

After the treatment 20 out of the 22 respondents showed remarkable improvement. In fact 2 of them has cerebral blood flow. The only thing that did not change prior to treatment and after was the blood flow between the left and right cerebrum as it showed no differences.

Aside from traditional acupuncture to help children with autism, a preliminary study in Hong Kong is trying to see if tongue acupuncture can produce better results.

Results have showed that of 30 respondents in the test, majority showed functional improvement of various degrees depending on the age and severity of their disabilities. Some improvement was noticeable within a few TAC sessions, especially for drooling, spasticity (scissoring or tiptoeing), ataxia, and poor balance in walking. Functional improvement was noted after one to two courses of TAC. Most children tolerated TAC well, with only occasional pain and minor bleeding in some patients.

The reason why tongue acupuncture is being experimented with is because there is a connection between the tongue and the heart through the meridians that spread to all the organs in the body. It is believed that the points on the tongue can influence the state of the other body organs thus giving relief to the one suffering from autism.

But many believe that acupuncture alone cannot help autism sufferers. It has to be combined with other things like maintaining a certain diet to help improve one?s mood and communication schools. Although it is only short term, it is better than nothing until a cure is found.

When will the cure be found? Only time can tell as there are many other questions that have to be answered in order for doctors to further understand neurological disabilities. Doctors who are conducting research believe that an interdisciplinary approach is needed given that acupuncture has shown positive results in helping children with autism.

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Acupuncture Can Help Treat Migraines

Posted on October 29, 2011 by bilrob

Acupuncture Can Help Treat Migraines

Acupuncture can help treat migraines. This was discovered after a comparative study was done with conventional medical care. In some cases, it even prevents it from happening which helps improve the quality of life for the patient.

To understand how acupuncture helps migraine sufferers, you have to understand that in traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that an imbalance in the flow of blood and energy causes this to happen.

In order to treat it, the specialist must relieve the tension by inserting needles into the body to improve the blood flow to the brain thus reducing the pain experienced during an attack.

The needles used helps the body balance the serotonin levels since it is a neurotransmitter that affects blood vessels and has a role to play in migraines. In fact the more frequent these sessions are the better. It may even come to a point where the specific point of contact is no longer needed but the general stimulation itself.

The end result of undergoing acupuncture is amazing. If you experience 15 to 20 days of agonizing pain, this may be count down to only 8 days. You won?t even need to use that much medication anymore as before.

For those who are working, this is good so that they are not absent from work that much and there won?t be that much deductions in their salary.

But how well acupuncture does for one patient may vary with another. This depends on the condition of the attack and the individual.

The best part about acupuncture is that there are no side effects and it is painless. Skillful professionals can do this so you don?t suffer from hematoma or pneumothorax. Another disease is potentially dangerous is HIV or hepatitis which can be prevented of course as long as the needles used are properly sterilized. It will be much better if the person uses disposable needles.

Acupuncture has been practiced in the United States for more than 2 decades. Although tests have shown how effective it can be to treat chronic conditions and certain addictions, more studies need to be done to see where else it can be useful.

Although one test has proven that acupuncture can help migraines, other tests will also have to be done to prove if this is true. Until such time that other results are published, patients will have to rely on conventional medicine that is prescribed by a doctor.

But you don?t have to wait for the results to come out. If you think it is worth a try, go for it. Just ask for a referral from your doctor as there are many practitioners who have accepted the fact that alternative forms of medicine can also help a patient.

You can also find someone online. You can be sure they are certified if they are recognized by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

Aside from that, you should also make some lifestyle changes as there are trigger factors that have been known to cause migraines. Stress is number one on the list so you get enough rest and exercise as well as a balanced diet.

Patients who are suffering from migraine should also check if acupuncture is covered by their HMO. Most insurance providers and HMO?s these days cover all or part of the cost but there are restrictions so you should check what is covered by your policy.

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