Month: February 2008

Acupuncture and Athletic Performance

Acupuncture in Exeter: acupuncture and athletic performance. In a prospective study of acupuncture and athletic performance, twenty male cyclists aged 18 to 30, rode a stationary bike three times a week for 20 km as fast as possible. Before each ride, they were given either acupuncture, sham acupuncture as a control, or no intervention, once each and in a random order.

Cyclists receiving acupuncture before their ride, achieved greater levels of exertion and faster cycling times, and experienced less pain.

(The Acute Effect of Acupuncture on 20km Cycling Performance. Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, January 2008.)

Acupuncture for Heartburn

Heartburn, caused by reflux of stomach acid, is a common symptom, and may be due to simple indigestion or due to a condition such as hiatus hernia. Proton pump inhibitor drugs, such as omeprazole, are often prescribed to control it, and if they are not working, standard practice is to double the dose.

An American clinical trial looked at acupuncture for heartburn and enrolled thirty patients who did not respond to the standard drug dose. They were randomly assigned to receive either double the dose, or standard dose plus two acupuncture sessions per week. After four weeks, the acupuncture group demonstrated a significant decrease in heartburn day and night, and in acid regurgitation. The double drug dose group did not demonstrate a significant change.

The authors noted that acupuncture was found to enhance gastric peristalsis, as observed by ultrasonography, and to accelerate gastric emptying in dyspeptic patients with documented delayed gastric emptying.

(Clinical trial: acupuncture vs. doubling the proton pump inhibitor dose in refractory heartburn. Alimentary Pharmacology Therapeutics, September 2007.)

Acupuncture for Allergic Rhinitis

An Australian study looking at acupuncture for allergic rhinitis has found that it significantly reduces the symptoms of persistent disease. Eighty patients aged 16 to 70 years, were randomly assigned to receive either real acupuncture, or a sham procedure which they were lead to believe was acupuncture. They were treated twice weekly for eight weeks, and then followed up for a further twelve weeks. Measuring factors such as sneezing, nasal itch, nasal obstruction and use of medication, the patients receiving real acupuncture, were significantly better after eight weeks. These benefits persisted at the end of the three month follow-up period.

(Acupuncture for Persistent Allergic Rhinitis: a randomised sham-controlled trial. Medical Journal of Australia, 17 September 2007.)