Evid Based Compl Alt
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Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2013
Botulinum toxin for the treatment of myofascial pain syndromes involving the neck and back: a review from a clinical perspective.
Introduction. Botulinum toxin inhibits acetylcholine (ACh) release and probably blocks some nociceptive neurotransmitters. It has been suggested that the development of myofascial trigger points (MTrP) is related to an excess release of ACh to increase the number of sensitized nociceptors. ⋯ The contradictory results regarding the efficacy of botulinum toxin A in MPS associated with neck and back pain do not allow this treatment to be recommended or rejected. There is evidence that botulinum toxin could be useful in specific myofascial regions such as piriformis syndrome. It could also be useful in patients with refractory MPS that has not responded to other myofascial injection therapies.
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Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2013
Peripheral and spinal mechanisms of acupoint sensitization phenomenon.
This study was carried out on adult female Sprague-Dawley rats to observe the position, size, and sensitivity change of inflammatory reactions on body surfaces induced by colorectal import of inflammatory irritant mustard oil. Colorectal distension (CRD) was adopted as a visceral noxious stimulus to record the activities of spinal dorsal horn wide-dynamic range (WDR) neurons activities at spinal segments L1-L3. The study also observed the activations of WDR neurons by electro-acupuncture (EA) on acupoints of Zusanli-Shangjuxu before and after different intensities of CRD stimulation and the dose-response relationship between stimulus and response. ⋯ The activation effect of EA on WDR neurons was positively correlated with the severity of visceral inflammation. Therefore, we concluded that the function of acupoints can be sensitized by visceral noxious stimuli. When the function of internal organs was damaged, the number of reaction points on body surfaces, the size of acupoints' receptive fields, and the sensitivity of acupoints changed accordingly.
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Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2013
Comparing Once- versus Twice-Weekly Yoga Classes for Chronic Low Back Pain in Predominantly Low Income Minorities: A Randomized Dosing Trial.
Background. Previous studies have demonstrated that once-weekly yoga classes are effective for chronic low back pain (cLBP) in white adults with high socioeconomic status. The comparative effectiveness of twice-weekly classes and generalizability to racially diverse low income populations are unknown. ⋯ Conclusions. Twelve weeks of once-weekly or twice-weekly yoga classes were similarly effective for predominantly low income minority adults with moderate to severe chronic low back pain. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01761617.
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Acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping, important in traditional Eastern medicine, are increasingly used in the West. Their widening acceptance demands continual safety assessment. This review, a sequel to one our team published 10 years ago, is an evaluation of the frequency and severity of adverse events (AEs) reported for acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping between 2000 and 2011. ⋯ In this review, we found the majority of infections to be bacterial, caused by skin contact at acupoint sites; we found no cases of hepatitis. Although the route of infection had changed, infections were still the major complication of acupuncture. Clearly, guidelines such as Clean Needle Technique must be followed in order to minimize acupuncture AEs.
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Evid Based Compl Alt · Jan 2013
Acupuncture or Acupressure at the Sanyinjiao (SP6) Acupoint for the Treatment of Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Meta-Analysis.
This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture or acupressure at the Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoint in relieving pain associated with primary dysmenorrhea. We searched the scientific literature databases to identify randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome was visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score. ⋯ These findings suggest that acupuncture at SP6 is not more effective than acupuncture at an unrelated acupoint in the relief from primary dysmenorrhea. Acupressure at SP6 may be effective in the relief from primary dysmenorrhea. High-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.