English Index Acupuncture & Health The Treatment FAQ Acupuncture points to post-op comfort Acupuncture At Work And Play Acupuncture Stops Sickness Surprising Acupuncture Side Effect H E A L T H: Acupuncture may help kids’ nasal allergies Acupuncture gets a face lift and much more Acupuncture for kids Acupuncture is effective against osteoarthritis Acupuncture aids relief for knee arthritis Energy of acupuncturist's needles may ease chronic pain Happy ever after Prozac? Scientific Support for Alternative Medicine Acupuncture Stops Sickness Where Are We?
H E A L T H: Acupuncture may help kids’ nasal allergies
Acupuncture does seem to help lessen the misery of chronic nasal allergies in
children as young as 6, a new study indicates. Hong Kong researchers found that
among 85 allergy sufferers between the ages of 6 and 19, those given a series of
acupuncture treatments had fewer bouts of sneezing, congestion and runny nose
over the next two to three months.
Larger studies, the researchers say, are now needed to confirm the safety and
effectiveness of acupuncture for childhood nasal allergies. If the current
findings are confirmed, study leader Dr Daniel K Ng told Reuters Health, it
would “open a new front on the treatment” of allergic rhinitis, more commonly
known as hay fever. Ng, a consultant pediatrician at Kwong Wah Hospital in Hong
Kong, and his colleagues report their findings in the journal Pediatrics.
Acupuncture is among the most widely practiced forms of traditional or
alternative medicine, with research showing it may aid in conditions such as
chronic pain and post-surgery nausea. The technique involves using fine needles
to pierce the skin at specific points, then manipulating the needle by hand or,
in some cases, with electrical stimulation.
According to traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture points are connected to
pathways in the body that conduct energy, and stimulating the points promotes
the flow of this energy. Modern research has suggested that acupuncture may work
by altering signals among nerve cells or affecting the release of various
chemicals of the central nervous system.
Nasal allergy symptoms arise from an abnormal immune system reaction to
environmental substances such as pollen, dust and pet dander. There is some
evidence from other research, Ng noted, that acupuncture influences immune
function. But, he said, “We need to prove first that the acupuncture is
effective before we figure out the reasons why it is effective.”
The children in the study had all suffered nasal symptoms for at least four
weeks and tested positive for allergies. Half were randomly assigned to undergo
acupuncture twice a week for eight weeks. For comparison, the other half
received “sham” acupuncture sessions, in which needles were inserted to a very
shallow depth and were not manipulated.
The children went off certain allergy medications, such as long-acting
antihistamines, during treatment, but were allowed to take an oral antihistamine
if their symptoms became severe. After all sessions were completed, children and
parents in the acupuncture group reported fewer daily allergy symptoms and more
symptom-free days than those in the comparison group, according to the report.
The apparent benefit did wane by the 10th week after treatment, suggesting that
acupuncture cycles would need to be repeated if used for nasal allergies, the
researchers note. Considering acupuncture’s reliance on needles, it’s a bit of a
surprise that children in the study were so tolerant of the therapy, according
to the study authors.
Ng, who described acupuncture as “only mildly unpleasant,” said he’d had
concerns that children would not be happy about the needles. “But the result,”
he said, “is that Hong Kong Chinese children are quite receptive to this
treatment. It would be interesting to see the response in American children.”
reuters
URL:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_22-11-2004_pg6_14
Daily Times, Pakistan - 21 Nov 2004
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