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Acupuncture relief link identified

fred

The game is afoot
Messages
400
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100530/thl-acupuncture-relief-link-identified-d831572.html

A biological molecule that may help explain the effects of acupuncture has been identified by scientists.

The chemical, adenosine, is a natural compound known for pain-killing and anti-inflammatory properties.

It also influences the heart and plays a role in regulating sleep.

Researchers found that adenosine is very active in tissues affected by acupuncture, the ancient Chinese treatment that involves inserting needles into sensitive points of the body.

The scientists performed acupuncture on mice suffering chronic inflammatory pain in one paw. Each animal received a 30-minute treatment with fine needles inserted into a known acupuncture point near the knee.

Acupuncture reduced discomfort by two-thirds in mice with normal levels of adenosine.

However, it had no effect on "knock out" mice genetically prevented from responding to adenosine, the researchers found.

During and immediately after acupuncture treatment, adenosine levels in the tissues near the needles were boosted 24-fold.

Maiken Nedergaard, from the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York state, said: "Acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical treatment in certain parts of the world for 4,000 years, but because it has not been understood completely, many people have remained sceptical.

"In this work, we provide information about one physical mechanism through which acupuncture reduces pain in the body."
 

Otis

Señor Mumbler
Messages
1,117
Location
USA
Interesting.

I must have been genetically bred not to respond to adenosine. Acupuncture no workie for me.
 

serenity

Senior Member
Messages
571
Location
Austin
no work for me either Otis but i am thinking of giving it another try due to needling (pun intended) by a friend of mine who swears by it.
this helps, any actual science backing it up helps me - cuz i'm a pessimistic type by nature ;)
 

camas

Senior Member
Messages
702
Location
Oregon
Acupuncture worked like magic to relieve the pain of a frozen shoulder I developed last year, but after several treatments my CFS flared and has yet to calm down. It could well have been coincidental, but I doubt I'll be giving it another shot any time soon. :worried:
 

Sunday

Senior Member
Messages
733
Interesting article! There have been other discussions about acupuncture on this forum. One I read, and didn't heed at first, was about how many of us can't tolerate needles left in for a long time; we basically need very little stimulus, because too much leads to crashes.

Well, I had never been that delicate person, but I'm telling you, after a 4-day crash from an intensive hour-and-a-half session, I got it. The long session I'm sure was a gift to me on the part of the acupuncturist, but he's not familiar with CFIDS.

Now I'm going to a Five Elements acupuncturist - they leave the needles in only a little time, keep reading your pulses and moving them around accordingly. She also stopped using moxibustion on me, because she thought it was too strong. For the last two sessions, since she quit the moxibustion, my crashes have been short and mild, and my improved energy and symptoms noticeable.

It's been said many times on other threads, but I'll say it again: acupuncture is as much art as science. The individual practitioner matters. And of course the individuals we are matter, too.
 

camas

Senior Member
Messages
702
Location
Oregon
Thanks for your comment, Sunday. I think I may have run into problems when the practitioner strayed from just working on my shoulder and started adding needles to help balance my overall energy. The sessions were fairly short, but I'm highly brittle. Doesn't take much to send me over the cliff.
 

Diva55

Member
Messages
164
Location
UK
Before being ill I had acupuncture quite a few times with no problem

So I decided to have it for FM / CFS. I was extremely surprised that the needles hurt when going in as they hadn't even registered before. I told the therapist that they hurt and he said it was because I was very senstive but meant they were in the right place.

They hurt for all of the entire short session of 20 minutes. When he came to pull them out they wouldn't budge! He said he'd never seen anything like it as my skin seemed to have re-formed round the needles. Anyway it was agonising to get them out and I hurt for days later.

I did try it again thinking it was a one off but same thing happened although not as bad.

Shame as I really think it could help - So frustrating really.
 

brenda

Senior Member
Messages
2,263
Location
UK
Just got back from a acupuncture session with a medical doctor who also does Chinese medicine. I went because I am in agony with a swollen knuckle. She said it is due to Lyme and advised 2 sessions a week.I did not take the Chinese herbal remedies as I do not feel up to a hard detox yet and want to give my diet 6 months to see where I go from there. She thinks my heart is not too bad from my pulses which was a relief as I was having heart symptoms before the diet.

It was certainly very powerful, I felt that I could not move my body at the end of the session. The needles hurt a little when they hit the sensitive point but she said that was good.

No difference with the pain in the finger joint but she says it might get worse first. So I will see how it goes and whether to continue with her or go to someone else. I would go to a Chinese practitioner but there is not much chance of finding one that speaks German and English. She charged 75 euros for consult and 75 euros for treatment.
 
R

rotomassmith

Guest
Chemical, adenosine, is a natural compound known as painkillers and anti-inflammatory properties.Acupuncture was used in addition to rehabilitation experts to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although the results of this study show that electroacupuncture electroacupuncture may help to reduce symptoms of knee pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis for 24 hours and 4 months after treatment