Medical Acupuncture

This scoping review aimed to examine the existing literature on ultrasound visualization of acupuncture needles inserted into the human body, with a focus on image characteristics and methodological reproducibility.

A search of the PubMed database was conducted on September 1, 2023, using terms related to acupuncture, dry needling, and ultrasound. English-language articles containing ultrasound images of acupuncture needle insertion into human tissue were eligible for inclusion.

In the 21 studies included in this review, acupuncture needles with diameters ranging from 0.16 to 0.35 mm were visualized using ultrasound imaging. However, the reporting of imaging conditions and equipment specifications was limited, leaving concerns regarding the reproducibility of methodologies and the validity of cross-study comparisons.

Ultrasound visualization of acupuncture needles inserted into the human body has been demonstrated in several studies. To support further development in this field, future research should aim to provide standardized and detailed descriptions of imaging techniques and parameters.

To assess the effect of acupuncture as a standalone treatment on shoulder pain intensity, functional status, quality of life, and incidence of adverse events in adults.

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were pooled from a search of four English databases and a manual search for relevant RCTs from previous reviews. The inclusion of studies was based on participant demographics, interventions, controls, and follow-up periods established a priori. RCTs with active controls or post-stroke shoulder dysfunction were excluded. Follow-up periods were as per the 2024 Cochrane guidelines. The included trials’ results were tabulated and described narratively.

From the ten included studies (748 participants), three had a low risk of bias. For nonspecific general shoulder pain, one trial highlighted a reduction in short-term pain, and another trial showed improvements in both short-term pain and functional status. Two trials showed no significant improvement in pain, and another trial indicated no significant improvement in pain nor function. Two trials highlighted mixed results, with both active and control interventions improving pain and functional status. For shoulder impingement syndrome, two trials suggested no improvement in pain, function, nor quality of life. For adhesive capsulitis, although one trial indicated a significant reduction in long-term pain, another indicated no improvement. Five trials reported the incidence of adverse effects.

Limited evidence suggests acupuncture as a standalone treatment to be effective and safe for improving shoulder pain and function. Clinicians should exercise caution when interpreting the results of this review due to the limited sample sizes and low-quality evidence. Further research is warranted.

Preeclampsia is the second leading cause of maternal death in Guatemala, where the maternal mortality rate (MMR) is second highest in Central America. Lay midwives (LMs), who attend most births in their country at home, are forbidden from providing biomedicine to treat disorders, such as preeclampsia. Acupressure, which has been shown to decrease blood pressure, is a promising treatment LMs could offer while transferring hypertensive patients to hospitals, particularly in the remote Peten Department where this study took place.

Educational sessions regarding preeclampsia were held in 11 locations. A total of 179 LMs who participated in the educational sessions were taught six acupressure points to address preeclampsia and given laminated Reminder Cards with culturally appropriate drawings of the acupressure points to reinforce knowledge retention.

Participants experienced a significant increase in knowledge (possible 0–6) from pre-test (M = 0, SD = 0) to post-test (M = 4.29, SD = 1.722), paired t-test p < 0.001. No participants were aware of any acupressure sites on the pre-test (0%) compared with >71% who identified at least one site on the post-test.

Given no participants knew acupressure sites to address preeclampsia before the educational sessions, a change in knowledge is not surprising, yet significant. Providing these well-respected community leaders with tools, such as acupressure, to address preeclampsia could help reduce Guatemala’s MMR. Educating LMs about acupressure points to treat other pregnancy-related issues, such as encouraging and discouraging labor, turning breech babies, treating back and labor pain, and nausea and vomiting, would expand the care pregnant patients receive, particularly in remote areas.

Health care workers on the frontline of a pandemic may experience insomnia. Acupuncture can be a nonpharmacological therapy option in treating insomnia. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of manual acupuncture with press needle and filiform needle modalities in treating insomnia symptoms.

The study design was a single-blind randomized controlled trial. A total of 34 subjects, all health care workers and experiencing symptoms of insomnia, were randomly allocated to a press needle group (n = 17) and a filiform needle group (n = 17). Subjects in the press needle group received press needle application, followed by pressure stimulation three times a day for 2 weeks. Press needles were replaced every 5 days or as needed. The filiform needle group received treatment three times a week for 2 weeks. The same acupuncture points were used for the two groups and for each treatment. Assessments with Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores were obtained before and after intervention and at 2 and 4 weeks after therapy, and serum melatonin levels were obtained before and after therapy.

There was a decrease in PSQI scores after intervention in the press needle and filiform needle groups (p < 0.001), and the effect of acupuncture therapy in both groups persisted 4 weeks post-therapy. There was no significant difference in post-therapy melatonin in each group. An analysis of the PSQI component between the two groups showed significant differences in sleep duration and sleep efficiency. The filiform needle group experienced significantly longer sleep duration and improved efficiency.

Our study indicates that press needle may be an option in treating patients with symptoms of insomnia.

Digital eye strain (DES), or computer vision syndrome, is increasingly prevalent due to extensive use of digital devices. Its symptoms—headache, eye burning, blurred vision, and fatigue—impact well-being and productivity. Innovative nonpharmacological treatments, such as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and palming techniques, require rigorous scientific validation to determine efficacy, especially among young female adults who face unique physiological challenges.

To present the study protocol for evaluating the efficacy of TCM and palming techniques in reducing DES symptoms among young female adults.

This randomized controlled trial involves 60 female adults aged 18–28 years, diagnosed with mild-to-moderate DES. Participants were recruited from Sant Hirdaram Medical College of Naturopathy & Yogic Sciences for Women, Bhopal, and randomly allocated to three groups: TCM and palming (Group 1), palming only (Group 2), and a control group (Group 3).

Group 1 will receive TCM therapies and palming; Group 2 will receive palming alone; and Group 3 will receive no intervention.

Primary outcomes include DES severity (Digital Eye Strain Questionnaire), psychological well-being (WHO-5 Well-Being Index), and visual fatigue (Visual Fatigue Scale). Baseline assessments and follow-ups after 1 month were performed to measure changes.

Data collection and analysis are ongoing. This protocol presents the study hypotheses to be tested through empirical data collection.

This study aims to provide valuable evidence on the combined use of TCM therapies and palming techniques for DES management, enhancing nonpharmacological treatment approaches.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) poses a risk of permanent kidney damage and failure. Conventional management stresses preventing further damage, while integrative approaches also aim to enhance renal function. This case explores the use of acupuncture, ayurveda, and Chinese herbal medicine for a 71-year-old male with fatigue, diagnosed with AKI.

Following medical evaluation, the patient sought integrative care outside the nephrologist recommendation. Following 12 months of acupuncture, ayurveda and Chinese herbal renal function demonstrated sustained improvement in blood urea nitrogen (63%), estimated glomerular filtration rate (67%), and creatinine (49%), along with decreased fatigue.

An integrative approach may help enhance renal function in AKI. Interprofessional collaboration is recommended.