Painkillers can have devastating effects on adults. These medications are addictive – they can cause debilitating side effects and, sometimes, they can even be lethal. In fact, the deadly heroin epidemic that’s laying waste to parts of the United States today was kicked off, in part, by prescription-related opioid abuse, according to many news sources. Children get hurt all the time – especially if they participate in sports or other physical activities, where they risk more than just a bump on the knee. An afternoon soccer practice or weekend gymnastics meet can easily lead to a hospital visit, where a […]

                Researchers conclude that acupuncture increases the clinical effective rate of the drug cefodizime for the treatment of acute exacerbations of chronic cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). Xining Haihu Hospital researchers combined acupuncture with standard drug therapy. Patients receiving both drug therapy and acupuncture in a combined treatment protocol had superior patient outcomes compared with patients using only drug therapy. The VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) scores in the acupuncture plus drugs group were significantly better. The addition of acupuncture to drug therapy also produced significant improvements in the value of serum bilirubin and […]

The Food and Drug Administration released proposed changes Wednesday to its blueprint on educating health care providers about treating pain. The guidelines now recommend that doctors get information about chiropractic care and acupuncture as therapies that might help patients avoid prescription opioids. As opioid crisis flares, naturopaths and chiropractors lobby for bigger roles in treating pain In Oregon, the state Medicaid program decided to cover chiropractic care for lower back pain starting in 2016. Other states are considering similar moves. And earlier this year, the chiropractic industry cheered when the American College of Physicians recommended non-surgical treatments such as acupuncture, […]

Researchers have had a sneaking suspicion that combined acupuncture can effectively treat symptoms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a precursor to dementia. In fact, acupuncture has been used to manage the disease for a while now. But the neurologists’ new study analysis is the first to offer a comprehensive look at the outcomes of both Western and Chinese studies. Some studies compared acupuncture directly to nimodipine — a calcium blocker that treats the progranulin gene mutation associated with dementia; while others measured the effect of acupuncture when combined with nimodipine. Results showed that acupuncture had a significant effect on patients’ […]

  Researchers confirm that acupuncture is more effective than two drugs (ibuprofen and diclofenac) for long-term relief of knee osteoarthritis pain, inflammation, and motor impairment. In one investigation, acupuncture plus herbal medicine outperformed acupuncture plus ibuprofen for pain relief. In another independent investigation, acupuncture outperformed diclofenac for relief of pain, inflammation, and motor impairment due to knee osteoarthritis. Let’s take a look at both investigations. Acupuncture plus herbs outperforms ibuprofen for the alleviation of knee pain, inflammation, and dysfunction. Guangxi Lingshan County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine researchers investigated the benefits of drugs, electroacupuncture, and herbal medicine for the treatment […]

  The Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center is known throughout the world for its innovative and often revolutionary cancer treatments. What may be surprising is that members of the Mass General team are supplementing their biomedical cancer treatments with a therapy so ancient that it predates recorded history. The therapy? Acupuncture. Acupuncture’s premise is that energy (chi) flows through a person’s body over 12 channels and 365 specific points. When one’s chi is disrupted or blocked, problems (such as pain) ensue. By inserting thin needles into the affected points, a trained acupuncturist can restructure and rebalance the blocked chi. This […]

  Rachel Gorman was diagnosed with idiopathic POTS, fibromyalgia, gastroparesis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and a multitude of other ‘opathies over a 4 year period from 2012 to 2016. Her onset was sudden at the age of 25 and her deterioration over those 4 years immense. She went from being an active, social 20 something holding down a senior job to needing to stop work, socialise and pretty much eat! In traditional Chinese medicine, cupping is used to treat ailments ranging from the common cold to arthritis to muscle pain; many acupuncturists offer it. Causey uses it mainly to relieve pain, she […]

Cupping looks more painful than it is, though it can be very intense. Traditional cupping therapy is used in Chinese medicine to move blood and energy flow. You can use glass cups or plastic, and with heat or a pump, suction is created in the cup and pulls at your tissue. The suction, particularly if left in one place, leaves circular, red marks on your skin. Swimmer Michael Phelps was often seen with red cupping marks during the Rio Olympics last year. In traditional Chinese medicine, cupping is used to treat ailments ranging from the common cold to arthritis to […]

Following a review of scientific evidence collected to date, researchers in Australia recently reported that acupuncture appears to be an effective treatment for some hay fever sufferers. “The success of the treatment was incredible,” hay fever sufferer Tom Laverick, who had one acupuncture treatment per week for three weeks, followed by three monthly top-up treatments, told the Yorkshire Post. “After just a couple of treatments, I was hardly suffering at all. It really did feel like the first time I’d actually been able to enjoy summer rather than dreading it and wanting to hide inside. If anyone suffers from hay […]

  All of us in AFI are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Professor George Lewith. George has died on 17 March, aged 67.  Professor Lewith was a qualified physician and general practitioner who had recently retired from clinical practice. Lewith graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in medicine and biochemistry. He then went on to Westminster Medical School to complete his clinical studies and began working clinically in 1974. Lewith’s research has ranged across several areas of complementary medicine. This has involved examining how complementary techniques might be investigated and the development of new research methodology to evaluate […]