Alternative therapies in health and medicine
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Altern Ther Health Med · Jul 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialRandomized, controlled trial of qigong for treatment of prehypertension and mild essential hypertension.
Hypertension treatments include sodium restriction, pharmacological management, and lifestyle modifications. Although many cases of hypertension can be controlled by medication, individuals may experience side effects or incur out-of-pocket expenses, and some may not comply with the treatment regimen. Although some previous studies have shown a favorable effect for qigong on hypertension, well-designed, rigorous trials evaluating the effect of qigong on hypertension are scarce. ⋯ The results indicate that qigong may be an effective intervention in reducing BP in prehypertension and mild hypertension. Further studies should include an appropriate sample size and methodology to determine the mechanism of qigong on BP.
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Altern Ther Health Med · Jul 2014
Review Meta AnalysisEffects of moxibustion or acupoint therapy for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea: a meta-analysis.
CONTEX: Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) is a common gynecological syndrome that is characterized by cramping in the lower abdomen during menstruation, particularly during puberty. Treatment for PD includes a variety of pharmacological, nonpharmacological, and surgical options. Although studies supporting use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have helped in the proliferation of its comprehensive therapy, their results do not determine with certainty whether moxibustion and acupoint therapy are better for the treatment of PD than nonacupuncture-related therapy. ⋯ Moxibustion and acupoint therapy can relieve pain effectively for individuals with PD, and these treatments have advantages in overall efficiency. Because of limitations on the quantity and quality of the included studies and the lack of a large, multicenter study, the research team's conclusion has yet to be substantiated.