Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis causes physical dysfunction, and its prevalence increases with age. Although clinical studies examined acupoint catgut embedding in patients with knee osteoarthritis, no systematic reviews or meta-analyses have been conducted to date. We aim to comprehensively review the effects of acupoint catgut embedding on knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: Eleven databases will be searched from inception to August 1, 2023, without language limitations...

BACKGROUND: Olfactory dysfunction is a common COVID-19 symptom, posing treatment challenges. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of frequency-controlled ear acupuncture in treating COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction. METHODS: A randomized, participant-blind clinical trial occurred at the Rasoul Akram Hospital (IRCT20210311050671N1). Forty patients were recruited, and 20 patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group...

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) lacks disease-modifying drugs or sustainable interventions, creating an unmet treatment need. Investigating complementary and alternative medicines aims to improve PD patients' quality of life by alleviating symptoms and delaying the course of the disease. OBJECTIVES: In this single-center, prospective, observational, single-arm study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture combined with exercise therapy and the Meridian Activation Remedy System (MARS)...

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic kidney disease, as a common disorder, usually necessitate the implementation of hemodialysis. Muscle cramps are one of the most disabling complications affecting their quality of life. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the efficacy of acupuncture as a safe alternative to the management of pain severity and frequency of calf cramps in dialysis patients compared to a control group. METHODS: Fifty dialysis patients experiencing calf cramps who met the eligibility criteria were randomly allocated to two groups...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: : Osteoarthritis of the knee (OAK) is a chronic degenerative musculoskeletal disorder that strongly affects the elderly population and decreases their quality of life. Pain, stiffness, and restricted knee movements are the major characteristic features of OAK. There are no studies available on the effect of the liver 7 (LR 7) acupuncture point on pain and range of motion. OBJECTIVES: : To study the effectiveness of the LR 7 acupuncture point on pain and range of motion in chronic OAK patients...

BACKGROUND: : Warm acupuncture (WA) has analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the underlying mechanism of these effects remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: : To explore the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of WA and the potential underlying mechanism in male Sprague-Dawley rats with non-compressive lumbar disk herniation (LDH) caused by autologous nucleus pulposus (NP) transplantation. METHODS: : We used low-frequency (2 Hz) electrical stimulation and WA (40℃) to treat GB30 and BL54 acupoints in rats for 30 mins per day...

BACKGROUND: : Tumor survival, promotion, and metastatic functions are regulated by the tumor microenvironment (TME). The primo vascular system (PVS), the third circulatory system in animals, is currently thought to be a highly effective pathway for the spread of cancer cells. OBJECTIVES: : In the present study, we intend to determine the TME effects on the PVS pattern in breast cancer for the first time. METHODS: : Heterotopic and orthotopic metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) mice models were created...

BACKGROUND: : Acupuncture, practiced for millennia, lacks a clear anatomical definition for acupoints. A prevailing theory suggests that acupoints overlap with skin areas with higher mast cell density. Skin spots stained with intravenously infused Evans blue (EB), indicative of neurogenic inflammation, have recently been posited as acupoints in rats. OBJECTIVES: : To demonstrate the concordance between EB-reactive skin spots and mast cell-enriched acupoints. METHODS: : We employed staining and RNA-seq analysis to delineate the morphological characteristics and gene expression profiles of EB-reactive skin spots in rats...

BACKGROUND: : Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a unique thermogenic tissue in mammals mediated by uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). The energy generated by glucose and triglyceride metabolism is released and transmitted throughout the body as heat. Understanding the factors influencing BAT function is crucial to determine its metabolic significance and effects on overall health. Although studies have shown that electroacupuncture (EA) at specific acupoints (e.g., ST36) can stimulate BAT, its effects at other acupoints are not well understood...

BACKGROUND: : Pharmacopuncture therapy and acupotomy are commonly used in combination for Conventional Korean Medicine Treatments (CKMT) for the treatment of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect and safety of combining pharmacopuncture therapy and acupotomy in the treatment of LSS. METHODS: : This study is designed as a pragmatic, assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms in a 1:1 ratio...

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is an important public health issue in India. This study was performed to determine the impact of acupuncture at the GB39, BL17, and LR13 points on hemoglobin levels, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), and red cell distribution width (RDW) in people with IDA. One hundred women with IDA were randomly allocated to the acupuncture group (AG) or placebo control group (PCG). For 30 minutes per day, daily for 2 weeks, the AG received acupuncture at GB39, BL17, and LR13, while the PCG received needling at non-acupuncture points...

BACKGROUND: : Obesity is a global health challenge. Traditional approaches, including increased physical activity, dietary interventions, and medical therapy, often yield limited success, propelling some patients toward costly and invasive procedures like bariatric surgery. Laser acupuncture has been suggested as a complementary therapeutic approach to overcome this challenge. The present study investigated the effectiveness of laser acupuncture treatment in weight loss and abdominal subcutaneous fat reduction...

BACKGROUND: : Post-stroke upper limb spasticity (PS-ULS) causes a decline in the quality of life of patients by reducing their ability to perform normal daily activities. OBJECTIVES: : We performed pre- and post-treatment analyses of the changes in stroke patients with ULS following constant electroacupuncture therapy (EAT). METHODS: : Thirty patients with PS-ULS underwent 12 sessions of EAT over 4 weeks. After performing acupuncture therapy at four acupoints on the affected arm (LI11, LI10, LI4, and TE5), electrostimulation (60 Hz) was performed for 20 min...

Acupuncture is gaining popularity and wider acceptance as a treatment modality within the field of sports medicine. Our objective was to provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature pertaining to acupuncture in sports medicine to shed light on approaches utilized in acupuncture while revealing its personalized nature and its impact on athletes' preparation, performance, and recovery. We evaluated acupuncture research in the context of medicine and sports-related injury treatment, assessing its impact on athletic performance across demographics of athletes...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND: : Dry needling (DN) is recommended as a therapeutic modality for various neuromusculoskeletal disorders. No study has been performed on the impact of DN on arthrogenic muscle inhibition (AMI) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). This study protocol is aimed to investigate the impacts of DN on AMI of quadriceps femoris, corticomotor, and spinal reflex excitability in patients with ACLR. METHODS: : A double-blind, between-subject, randomized, controlled trial will be conducted to measure changes in AMI after DN...

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the main causes of lifelong motor impairment and is associated with important secondary complications. Thus, multifaceted treatments are needed for early functional recovery. Currently, in cases of SCI, surgery, stem cell treatment, medication, and physical therapy are used to repair and restore neuronal activity. Additionally, encouraging results have been reported on the use of acupuncture to modulate neuronal plasticity. Here, we present an SCI case involving a burst fracture at the L3 level, which was treated for 21 days using scalp acupuncture with residential physical therapy...

Opioid-induced hyperalgesia (OIH) is characterized by a paradoxical increase in pain sensitivity following opioid exposure. Although animal models indicate that electroacupuncture (EA) is effective against pain sensitization, there are no reports of its clinical application in OIH treatment. This case report involves an adult patient with osteomalacia complicated by multiple vertebral fragility fractures. The patient developed OIH following the use of oxycodone to treat severe disabling lower back pain that was refractory to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs...

BACKGROUND: : Wet cupping (Hijama), a form of alternative medicine, is widely practiced in Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia. Although considerable effort has been put into increasing public awareness about the safe and proper practice of wet cupping, studies on the attitudes, knowledge, and awareness levels of the Saudi Arabian public are lacking. OBJECTIVES: : This study evaluated public attitudes toward the effectiveness, safety, and expected standards of practicing wet cupping...