‘Does acupuncture help with COPD?’ was the question asked by authors of a collaborative systematic review by universities in Barcelona and Beijing. Their analysis of data from 28 randomised trials showed that acupuncture added into patients’ usual treatment, improved difficulty breathing, quality of life, lung function and capacity for exercise, all when compared to sham treatment. The authors conclude that acupuncture might be beneficial for COPD, although the quality of trials was low and they would like to see further, well-designed studies undertaken.
(Filiform needle acupuncture for copd: A systematic review & meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, December 2019.)
Author: Robin Costello
I offer traditional Chinese acupuncture in Exeter, from a tranquil clinic a mile from the city centre, and next to the University of Exeter. I graduated originally from the London School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine’s 3 year full time Acupuncture Diploma (DipAc) course. I am on the practitioners register of the British Acupuncture Council (MBAcC), a regulatory and professional body with an entry standard of a full three year undergraduate degree level training.
I have worked in a hospital in south west China, deepening my knowledge and using acupuncture and Chinese massage (tuina) as the treatment of choice in its country of origin. I have taught Chinese medicine in colleges, the NHS and at university level. I also practise Qi Gong, and Chinese dietary therapy, that is the medicinal use of ordinary foods, chosen to help achieve particular therapeutic effects in different individuals.
View all posts by Robin Costello
