News & information about acupuncture, TCM, Oriental medicine

AOM Education, AOM in the Military

Combining acupuncture and pharmacotherapy may be an effective option for relieving spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced neuropathic pain.

Oriental Medicine and Emperor’s College- Serving Los Angeles Homeless Vets

Emperor's College provides acupuncture services at The 2015 Los Angeles Veteran and Families Stand Down, the largest event of its kind in the United States. The three-day event brought together under one roof myriad Veterans Affairs, legal, medical/dental, housing and...

More Americans Without Insurance Are Turning to Alternative Medicine

In Practice

There is also an increasing number of Americans without health insurance who are choosing to use these alternative health approaches, according to a report released by the CDC. Read the article on Inverse...

Acupuncture Can Be a Valuable Healing Tool for Cats

Animal Acupuncture, Featured Story

Catupuncture: cats can not only tolerate being poked with needles, they can achieve remarkable health benefits from it, according to veteran veterinarian acupuncturist, Dr. Rachel Barrack.

Read the whole article over on Catster.com

Nurses: Clinical Uses of Acupuncture

A review of an alternative medical treatment

Advance Healthcare for Nurses: Complementary alternative medicine (CAM) and treatments have received much attention and acclaim in the past years. Many patients and practitioners turn to CAM as alternatives to avoid side effects of drug therapies, as well as enhance personal beliefs about Eastern medical options. Of particular interest is the use of acupuncture as an alternative to conventional medical treatment.

American Society of Acupuncturists to Hold First Annual Meeting

Acupuncture Everywhere

The Board of the American Society of Acupuncturists, ASA, will hold its first annual meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico March 4-5. For more information: http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=33169

Acupuncture: Ethics and the placebo effect

“In the ethical sense, medical professionals are caught between prescribing a treatment that they know is ineffective beyond a placebo effect, and helping their patients find relief from chronic pain. Although this is a contentious issue, it is clear that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic pain, but only if patients believe that it will work.”

It is not even remotely as simple as the article portrays, but gives insight into thinking by western medicine.

Barcelona to become home of largest TCM hospital in Europe

AOM Education

The hospital will be a joint venture between the Beijing municipal government and Spanish authorities. In addition to the clinical component that will enable the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine to send doctors to the University Hospital Clinic in Barcelona

Acupuncture May Help Ease Fibromyalgia Pain

Study shows individualized acupuncture treatment in primary care in patients with fibromyalgia proved efficacious in terms of pain relief, compared with placebo treatment.

Can Acupuncture Curb Killer Immune Reactions?

What's the Point?

Researchers at Rutgers University New Jersey Medical School reported that stimulating ST36 Zusanli with an electric current passed through an acupuncture needle activated two nerve tracts in mice that led to the production of a biochemical that quieted a sepsislike inflammatory reaction induced in mice.

Acupuncture Suggested For Menopause-Related Sleep Problems

Acupuncture to Reduce Sleep Disturbances in Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

New research published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology suggests that for women with menopause-related sleep problems, acupuncture, particularly on Spleen 6, is associated with a significant reduction in sleep disturbances in women experiencing menopause-related sleep disturbances.

New non-invasive form of vagus nerve stimulation works to treat depression

If by “new” you mean not yet 60 years old, then yeah. Auricular acupuncture!

Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Professions or Modalities?

This report examines a problem that confronts the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions whereby a profession is defined politically not by its full professional scope but by its treatment modalities.

Acupuncture may improve visual function in retinitis pigmentosa patients

Patients with retinitis pigmentosa are motivated to try complementary or integrative therapies to slow disease progression. Basic science, clinical research and retinitis pigmentosa patients’ self-reports support the hypothesis that acupuncture may improve visual function.

Acupuncture Improves Pain in Pediatric Patients

Past studies have found acupuncture therapy, a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine, to be beneficial for patients suffering from chronic pain. New research suggests this could be just as true for younger patients.

Acupuncture for neurogenesis in experimental ischemic stroke

Nature.com: A systematic review published in Scientific Reports found that acupuncture improved neurological deficits and reduced brain edema in experimental ischemia, and that the mechanisms mostly involved with enhancing endogenous neurogenesis including proliferation, migration and differentiation of NSCs.

Electroacupuncture to treat knee osteoarthritis

International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine: Electroacupuncture with different current intensities to treat knee osteoarthritis: a single-blinded controlled study.

Arthritis and Acupuncture

Acupuncture is effective at treating all kinds of pain. Joint pain that is worse in cold, damp weather can be reduced with acupuncture. Discomfort from degenerative joints can also be treated effectively. Those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) often find relief in swollen, stiff joints with Chinese medicine.

Is Acupuncture Safe for Children?

Recent study from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago offers solid proof that acupuncture is safe and effective for kids.

Yogis–Alternative Medicine Guide: Find the Right Treatment for You

Yoga Journal: From acupuncture and aromatherapy to reiki and reflexology, yoga practitioners have plenty of options when it comes to integrative therapies. Yet choosing  the modalities that will offer the  most healing benefits for you  can be tricky. Follow this guide to  13 popular treatments to find your  alternative medicine match.

Chinese medicinal herbs provide niche market for US farmers

Know Your Herbs

Growing interest in traditional Chinese medicine in the US is fostering a potentially lucrative new niche market for US farmers!

Animal Acupuncture at the San Diego Zoo

A variety of animals at the San Diego Zoo benefit from regular acupuncture treatments. With animals living longer in zoos, this non-invasive technique can block chronic pain signals and help them live comfortably.

Dementia study to trial Chinese medicine

A herbal medicine that appears to have shown promise in treating one type of dementia in China is entering its largest clinical trial in Australia. Read the whole story here: http://bit.ly/1Yx9LkC

A Close-up Look at Acupuncture for Pain

Acupuncture 101

From ABC News: A growing number of Americans would prefer to stop popping pills and avoid going under the knife to treat a bum knee, achy lower back or sore hip. Instead, they’re turning to the ancient Chinese practice of acupuncture to help ease chronic joint pain.

Randomised controlled trial on the use of acupuncture in adults with chronic, non-responding anxiety symptoms

Research in the peer-reviewed journal Acupuncture in Medicine suggest that acupuncture is a very promising intervention for patients with chronic anxiety symptoms that have proven resistant to other forms of treatment.

Acupuncture Improves Walking in Parkinson’s Patients

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: A study published in the October issue suggests that acupuncture can help improve gait function in people with Parkinson’s Disease.

Battlefield acupuncture allows quicker recovery time

AOM in the Military

Via Air Force Space Command: The Air Force has always been innovative when creating new and better ways to accomplish the mission, and another new way they are paving the way is with an increasingly popular medical treatment known as “battlefield acupuncture.”

How Acupuncture Can Be a Valuable Addition to Your Medical Care

From the Cleveland Clinic: Clinical studies have shown that acupuncture bolsters the body’s nervous and endocrine systems, and has an anti-inflammatory effect, which can reverse disease. Acupuncture decreases the inflammation associated with different diseases and relieves muscle spasms and strain.

How Blending Eastern and Western Medicine Helps You Manage Chronic Pain

Via the Cleveland Clinic: Blending Eastern and Western approaches to medicine can help people with chronic pain find relief.

Acupuncture to be made available to over 2,500 homeless vets in L.A.

AOM in the Military

The alumni, students, and faculty of Emperor’s College will be the sole providers of AOM services at the 2015 Los Angeles Veteran and Families Stand Down and expect to treat at least 1,000 homeless veterans.

Why Are Holistic Veterinarians so Scarce?

The most popular type of CAVM training for veterinarians is acupuncture. Over 4,000 veterinarians have become certified in the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society (IVAS), Chi Institute, or the Colorado Medical Acupuncture for Veterinarians course. Why is acupuncture the only holistic method that is regularly used at veterinary schools? One word: research.

Altitude Sickness and Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture Everywhere

Has altitude sickness been keeping you or your loved ones off the mountains?

If you suffer from altitude sickness you know that it can be physically debilitating. The fact of the matter is, there is less oxygen at higher elevations and for those of us living at the beach traveling to higher elevations can be a jolt to the system resulting in headaches, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and fainting.

Cosmetic Acupuncture Among Big Hollywood Stars

Pictures don't lie. Miss Piggy's secret to maintaining her extraordinary good looks and youthful appearance: cosmetic acupuncture!

This May Be How Acupuncture Tamps Down Stress

Time Magazine: Acupuncture may work by targeting the same pathways that stress travels along, according to a new study in rats from Georgetown University Medical Center and published in the journal Endocrinology.

Hannah the Komodo Dragon gets acupuncture for back and neck pain

Hannah the Komodo Dragon's neck pain can be such a problem that it can hamper her ability to feed herself...enter acupuncture treatments. Watch the video over on the Sun Sentinel here: http://bit.ly/1Msl3TD

LSU School of Veterinary Medicine treats with acupuncture

AOM in Sports, Featured Story

LSU School of Veterinary Medicine builds up integrative medicine program with acupuncture treatment. The Integrative Medicine Service program at the school began just over two years ago and is going strong. Read the whole article in the Louisiana State University...

New York Jets Workhorse, Chris Ivory, credits acupuncture for helping him get and stay healthy

ESPN: Chris Ivory is on pace to shatter his career high in carries, and the running back’s physical running style can take its toll.

That is one reason why the New York Jets’ workhorse has taken to acupuncture as part of his weekly rehab regimen. Twice a week, the bruising 6-foot 222-pound back has needles stuck into him in an effort to help him feel fresh, pain free and recover.

Tai Chi vs. Psychotherapy for Better Sleep and More

Poor sleep is associated with increased inflammation, which may contribute to heart disease and a variety of other ailments. A new study has shown that cognitive behavioral therapy and tai chi, the Chinese exercise technique, may reduce both insomnia and inflammation.

Acupuncture Needles May Help Reveal Origin of Life

What's the Point?

A grant was recently given to researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to study how a robot armed with an Acupuncture needle might probe particles on foreign objects. Identifying these particles could help scientist find details to the primordial soup that first generated life.

6 Things to Look for in a Fertility Acupuncturist

Fertility

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 10.9% of all women in their reproductive age and 6.0% of married women the same age are unable to get pregnant within a year of trying. Fertility acupuncture is a low-risk option that, when used in conjunction with IVF (in vitro fertilization) can dramatically improve your chances for success. However, not all acupuncturists are the same.

Neural Acupuncture Unit: A New Concept for Interpreting Effects and Mechanisms of Acupuncture

When an acupuncture needle is inserted into a designated point on the body and mechanical or electrical stimulation is delivered, various neural and neuroactive components are activated. The collection of the activated neural and neuroactive components

Estrogen and Hormonal Imbalances – The Quest for Balance

Today we’re seeing a tremendous amount of women and men who are struggling with hormonal imbalances. Breast cancer to prostate enlargement, PCOS, and menopause symptoms are easily recognizable hormonal symptoms but what about symptoms such as cold hands, irritability, mood swings, fibroids, irregular menstrual cycles, insomnia to name just a few?

Study Finds That Acupuncture Works for Neck Pain

From the Annals of Internal Medicine: People who practiced acupuncture had greater pain reductions than those who got standard treatment.

What genetics reveals about traditional Chinese medicine

Modern genetic techniques are showing some effects of traditional Chinese medicine on the genome. Some of the variety of individual responses to these therapies can be explained by epigenetic influences on gene expression.

Research on Acupuncture in Pregnancy and Childbirth: The U.S. Contribution

Along with an increasing use of acupuncture to treat pregnancy and childbirth concerns comes a need to assess the current state of related research, which is a critical step in defining a research agenda. The goal of this article is to analyze the U.S. contribution to obstetric acupuncture research

Is It Time to Take Chinese Medicine More Seriously?

Acupuncture Everywhere

From WNPR: This year's Nobel Prize went to three Chinese scientists. It was the first time China won a Nobel in science. Listen to the segment on WNPR.org here: http://wnpr.org/post/it-time-take-chinese-medicine-more-seriously#stream/0

If Western Dermatology Has Failed You, Try Acupuncture

Cosmetic Acupuncture

Acupuncture can become part of your regular skincare routine. Jaded and (sometimes literally) scarred by Western Medicine, I looked to my roots and…

5 Ways Acupuncture Can Boost Fertility

Fertility

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that 10.9% of women of reproductive age have trouble conceiving and carrying a baby to term. Modern medicine, most notably in vitro fertilization (IVF) can dramatically boost your chances for conception, but it is expensive and complicated, and not always a success.

Acupuncture Relieves Pain in Largest Study of Treatment

Featured Story, Know Your Herbs

Researchers: “We now know that the effect of acupuncture goes above and beyond the placebo effect. Acupuncture is a reasonable option for chronic pain.”

Artemisinin: How an Ancient Chinese Remedy Helped Win the Nobel Prize

One of the three winners of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine was recognized for discovering Artemisinin, a drug that has significantly lowered mortality rates from malaria, based on a centuries-old Chinese remedy. Artemisinin has reduced death rates from malaria by...

How a 4th Century Chinese Physician Led To A Nobel Prize

How Ge Hong, a fourth-century Chinese physician, alchemist and herbalist and mystic, provided a key insight into the anti-malaria drug that has been honored in the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine. Read the whole story over on the Guardian...

What the 2015 Nobel Prizes mean for TCM

AOM in Sports, Featured Story

Half of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Tu Yuyu, a traditional Chinese medicine researcher. Traditional medical knowledge anywhere in the world has not even been on the radar for Nobel Prize prospects…until now.

Oriental Medicine and Emperor’s College on the World Stage

Emperor’s College serves as a health and wellness provider for the Special Olympic World Games in Los Angeles and shares Oriental Medicine with some of the most extraordinary athletes in the world.

The role of healthy eating in traditional Chinese medicine

Good Food

"The five grains provide nourishment. The five vegetables provide filling. The five domestic animals provide enrichment. The five fruits provide support." It means a balanced diet, where foods are consumed in appropriate combinations according to their natures and...

Chinese Herbal Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic

18 months ago the Cleveland Clinic launched the first-ever Chinese herbal clinic at a major medical center. Daniel Neides, MD, Medical Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute, shares some insights into their use of Chinese herbal therapies.

A Review of Two Randomized Clinical Studies on the Treatment of Depression

Traditional Chinese medicine offers a long history of specialized treatment for mental-emotional disorder, including depression. Can it be found that this ancient method, with its relative simplicity, is applicable to the present model of such disorders?

Demystifying the Circular Bruises

AOM in Sports

Swimmers are turning to cupping to help recovery after especially brutal practices. Read the whole article over on Swimming World Magazine here: http://bit.ly/1NXAuEI

Oregon Health Plan Looks To Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Via NPR: starting in January 2016, Oregon will fund many complementary and alternative treatments, including acupuncture, naturopathic care, or acupuncture, and massage, for patients who get their health care via the Oregon Health Plan. Listen to the story on NPR...

7 Ways That Regular Acupuncture Will Make Your Life Better

Here are seven reasons that getting those hair-thin needles inserted into your body might be one of the best things to happen to you all week!

Acupuncture for inducing delivery

Clinical research indicates that acupuncture can relieve labor pain, promote maternal uterine contraction, shorten birth process, and treat postpartum disorders. Further clinical and preclinical studies about the use of acupuncture in delivery

Efficacy of Acupuncture versus Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill in Treatment of Moderate-to-Severe Dysmenorrhea: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Acupuncture could be considered as potential alternative option in relieving moderate-to-severe dysmenorrhea, especially when combined oral contraceptive is not a favorable choice.

What About Asian Ginseng?

The NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health brings us up to speed: http://1.usa.gov/1IYBphS

Acupuncture Helps Cancer Patients- via CNN

Acupuncture for Surfers

AOM in Sports

Surfers are susceptible to all sorts of injuries, especially overuse injuries like shoulder strain or joint issues, neck strain, lower back pain, and knee injuries. Read the whole article over on The Intertia here: http://bit.ly/1NBCbsC

Acupuncture best for treating hot flashes among breast cancer survivors

Research published in the August 24, 2015 JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ONCOLOGY shows acupuncture to be more effective than the medication gabapentin, “sham” acupuncture, and a placebo pill for treating hot flashes among breast cancer survivors.

Efficacy of Acupuncture in Children with Nocturnal Enuresis

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Clinical researches about acupuncture therapy for nocturnal enuresis are increasing, while systematic reviews assessing the efficacy of acupuncture therapy are still lacking. This study aims to...

6 Things You Need To Know About Cancer and Complementary Health Approaches

People with cancer want to do everything they can to combat the disease, manage its symptoms, and cope with the side effects of treatment. Many people turn to complementary health approaches, including mind and body practices, such as acupuncture, massage, and yoga,...

Long-Lasting Reduction of Blood Pressure by Electroacupuncture in Patients with Hypertension: Randomized Controlled Trial

AOM in Sports, Featured Story

A study by researchers at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine shows that electroacupuncture at select acupuncture points reduces blood pressure. Read the paper published in the journal Medical Acupuncture here: http://bit.ly/1PoPE4w

Reversing the Stressful Effects of Running With Acupuncture

The advantages of acupuncture compared to other forms of treatment are two-fold. "Where massage involves manipulation of surface muscle in dealing with underlying tissues, acupuncture allows treatment of deeper muscle tissue without aggravating surface muscle, making...

Mayo Clinic Radio: Integrative Medicine

Complementary and integrative medicine is now playing an increasingly important role in modern health care. On the next program, Dr. Brent Bauer, director of the Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program at Mayo Clinic, outlines the contributions integrative...

Chinese Face Map Reveals What Your Body Fights With!