Acupuncture & Massage BLOG

Massage May Aid Dementia Patients

Massage and touch have been suggested as a drug-free alternative to other treatments offered to address a range of conditions associated with dementia such as anxiety, agitated behavior and depression, according to a Cochrane review of recent research which appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane Library.

Hand massage and touch, plus verbal encouragement, were suggested as methods for immediate or short-term reduction of agitation, one of the most challenging dementia symptoms. In two studies which included 110 nursing home residents with dementia, hand massage and gentle touching during conversation helped ease agitation and restore appetite. Some researchers and caregivers suggest massage might also benefit memory and counteract cognition decline in dementia patients.

“Even if touch therapy aims only to reintroduce something which has been lost in the professionalization and institutionalization of care, it may still turn out to be a relatively effective, inexpensive and low-risk intervention.” said lead author Viggo Hansen, of the Knowledge and Research Center for Alternative Medicine, part of Denmark’s Ministry of Health. The review appears to indicate that for dementia patients who have lost the ability to communicate verbally, physical touch might be the only way for them to connect with other individuals.

In one study, researchers used gentle touch and verbal encouragement to help residents with dementia stay calm at mealtime. Those residents who received contact ate more than patients who received verbal encouragement alone. In the second study, researchers found that hand massage helped soothe dementia patients’ agitation levels. Effects of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia include confusion, anxiety, agitation, wandering, and difficulty with eating and bathing and are especially challenging for caregivers. “Massage and touch may serve as alternatives or complements to other therapies for the management of behavioral, emotional and perhaps other conditions associated with dementia,” the authors concluded.

For information about Acupuncture & Massage College’s Massage Therapy diploma program featuring a Japanese Shiatsu specialization, contact Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

BACK PAIN TREATABLE WITH ACUPUNCTURE

Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), up to 80 percent of the general population in the United States will suffer an episode of low back pain during their lifetimes.

A study examining acupuncture’s effect on nonspecific low back pain appearing in a recent online issue of the British Medical Journal found that patients treated with 10 sessions of traditional Chinese acupuncture over three months reported less pain at a 24-month follow-up than patients who did not get the therapy. “If you offer acupuncture to someone with back pain on average it is expected you are likely to benefit, not just in the short term but particularly in the longer-term of 12 and especially 24 months,” said University of York scientist and co-author Hugh MacPherson, Ph.D., according to a post-study interview.

The researchers compared the impact of adding the acupuncture sessions to the normal treatment for back pain, which includes medication, physiotherapy and exercises. Study participants included 241 back pain sufferers aged 18 to 65 years receiving treatment at three private acupuncture clinics and 18 general practices in York. Findings indicated increased patient satisfaction with acupuncture care, reduced concerns about back pain, and reduced use of analgesics in those receiving the acupuncture course of treatment.

The data indicated acupuncture could be effective in the primary care management of persistent non-specific low back pain. “Our study contributes evidence for a short term acupuncture intervention compared with usual general practitioner care for non-specific low back pain,” the authors conclude.

Acupuncture treatment intervention to reduce back pain is most effective with frequent initial sessions followed by weekly treatments as the pain minimizes. Additionally, aerobic exercise, balance and strengthening exercises such as tai chi, yoga or pilates can keep back muscles strong. For more information about acupuncture for back pain or to schedule a free 15-minute initial consultation contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

WORLD TAI CHI AND QIGONG DAY

On Saturday, April 28th, at 10 a.m. local time (worldwide) a massive global health and healing event will be held in hundreds of cities in sixty nations. World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (WTCQD) is an annual event held the last Saturday of April each year to promote the related disciplines of tai chi and qigong. Local events welcome anyone interested in personal and global health and healing.

Local tai chi and qigong schools, groups and associations independently organize events. Event format varies by locality, although most involve free classes and mass exhibitions. Events range from small tai chi and qigong group events to massive public events, involving many groups, teachers and schools working together. This global event is held to educate the public of medical research indicating that 70 to 85 percent of illnesses are caused by stress, and of the emerging medical research showing that tai chi and qigong can benefit personal, physical, emotional, and mental health.

The event also provides a vision of health and healing that connects tens of thousands of participants traversing ethnic, religious and geo-political boundaries, while educating about the increasing use of these ancient Chinese medicine modalities in businesses, schools and hospitals everywhere. All styles of tai chi can offer powerful health benefits.

The annual April event is free and open to the general public, and begins in the earliest time zones of New Zealand at 10 a.m., and then participants across Oceania, Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, and South America take part, with celebrations in sixty nations and several hundred cities, ending with the final events in the last time zones of Hawaii almost an entire day later. To find local events, visit www.worldtaichiday.org. The event’s site also provides information on tai chi and qigong, including health research, how tai chi and qigong relate to traditional Chinese medicine and samples of tai chi and qigong exercises and forms.

For information about tai chi individual and group classes contact Dr. Richard Browne, tai chi instructor, at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

AMBP GRANT COMMITS TO RAISE MASSAGE STATUS FOR LOW-BACK PAIN

Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) has pledged $15,000 to gain medical recognition of massage therapy as a treatment for low-back pain. ABMP has made a lead grant to the initiative and funds pledged represent one fourth of those needed to advance a NIH review. The initiative is termed a consensus conference, and includes testimony and an independent panel research review. Historically, panel findings are the impetus for Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement policies, which lead to expansion of insurance coverage.

The last consensus conference addressing back pain was more than 10 years ago. At the time, the body of research supporting massage therapy was deemed insufficient to gain recognition. “The evidence is there and the time has come,” says Les Sweeney, nationally certified massage therapist and ABMP president. “We moved swiftly to support this initiative because massage therapists are long overdue in receiving medical recognition for the work they do to relieve suffering from back pain.”

The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) advocates the consensus conference which would lead to a federal statement declaring that massage provides effective relief of low back pain. If the conference goal is attained, the AMTA believes that massage for low back pain will be widely accepted by the health care community. Recent AMTA consumer surveys report that 39 million adults are getting a massage annually, and 30 percent of those adults are using massage therapy for medical purposes.

Research indicates consumer massage use is as frequent as insurance-paid chiropractic and physical therapy care, yet more than 90 percent of massage therapy is client-paid. “Massage therapists have long treated low-back pain safely and effectively,” Sweeney says. “They have done so less expensively and less invasively than is possible with other treatments. A favorable finding by the panel could reduce pain and financial hardship for Americans who now pick up the tab for massage therapy or go without care.”

For information about Acupuncture & Massage College’s Massage Therapy diploma program featuring a Shiatsu specialization contact Joe Calareso at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

MEDITERRANEAN DIET REDUCES ALLERGIES

A study of children living on the Greek island of Crete revealed a Med-style diet high in vegetables, fruits, olive oil, and nuts can have a beneficial effect on allergies and asthma symptoms. Dr. Paul Cullinan of Britain’s Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute, and colleagues in Greece and Spain, assessed the diet and health of 690 children living in rural areas of Crete, aged 7 to 18.

Most of the children had a moderate to high level adherence to the dietary pattern of the Mediterranean diet, evaluated by a 58-item food frequency questionnaire. Children who ate more grapes, oranges, apples, and fresh tomatoes, the main local products in Crete, had less wheezing and allergic rhinitis. “Our findings indicate that a high dietary intake of commonly consumed fruits and vegetables and nuts may have a protective role on the prevalence of asthma-like symptoms and allergic rhinitis,” wrote lead author Leda Chatzi from the University of Crete.

About 30 percent of children have allergies and about half of those would exhibit symptoms. In Crete, about the same percent of children have allergies, yet almost none exhibit symptoms. “The startling thing about Crete is that these kids ought to have as much asthma and allergy symptoms,” said Cullinan. “There’s something different about their lifestyle, and one obvious thing is what they eat.” The diet’s main nutritional components include antioxidants and polyphenols that appear to offer protection, wrote the researchers. The study was published in the journal Thorax.

The Mediterranean diet has been associated with reductions in high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. A new Mediterranean diet symbol is set to be launched in the US in coming months. Due to be introduced by nutrition group Oldways, the Med Mark stamp (likely shaped as a terra cotta amphora) will be available for use on products that meet the traditional Mediterranean guidelines set out by Oldways. A new Oldways website will include Mediterranean diet information and a summary of studies on its healthfulness. For more information about food therapy for wellness contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

ACUPUNCTURE AND MASSAGE REDUCE PAIN AFTER CANCER SURGERY

Acupuncture and massage are effective in decreasing pain and depression following surgery in cancer patients, according to a UCSF study. The study compared post-operative pain, nausea and mood symptoms in two groups of hospitalized patients during the first three days after cancer surgery. The study appears in the March 2007 issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.

One group had standard medication treatment, and one group received a combination of Swedish massage, Shiatsu foot massage and traditional Chinese acupuncture treatment along with standard care. Massage therapy sessions ranged from 10-30 minutes depending on clinical condition and acupuncture was used to treat pain, nausea and anxiety. Study findings indicated that compared with usual care alone, the combination of massage and acupuncture was associated with reduced post-operative pain and reduced depression.

“This pilot study confirmed that pain after surgery decreased when patients underwent a combination of massage and acupuncture. This is a significant finding because there are implications for further study to see if these therapies should be offered to hospitalized patients for symptom management,” said Wolf Mehling, M.D., lead author and UCSF assistant professor of family and community medicine. “For patients who received acupuncture and massage, it is possible that this personal attention contributed to a marked decrease in anxiety.”

During the three-day post-operative period, patients used a 0-10 point numeric pain rating scale to rank severity of current pain and pain during the previous 24 hours. The average scores among patients reporting significant pain improved by 1.8 for the massage and acupuncture intervention group compared to 0.3 in the control group. “The combination of massage and acupuncture for symptom management in perioperative cancer patients has never been studied,” said Mehling. “We know that integration of these therapies has shown short-term benefit on psychological well-being, but there has not been strong evidence to support it until now.”

To learn more about Acupuncture & Massage Therapy call Dr. Richard Browne at 305.595.9500

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”

GREEN TEA COMPOUND MAY PREVENT HIV INFECTION

Drinking green tea may reduce the risk of HIV infection and slow the spread of the virus in people who are already infected, a UK and US joint study suggests. A green tea flavonoid called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) could protect the body’s immune system from the HIV virus, the researchers found.

The study, which examined the ability of EGCG to block HIV from binding to immune cells in test tubes, appears in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Study findings indicated EGCG stopped the HIV virus from binding to the body’s immune cells by getting there first. There is no room for the HIV to latch onto the T-cells thereby giving the immune system a chance to destroy the virus.

“Our research shows that drinking green tea could reduce the risk of becoming infected by HIV, and could also slow down the spread of HIV,” said co-researcher Professor Mike Williamson, from the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology at the University of Sheffield in the UK. “It is not a cure, and nor is it a safe way to avoid infection, however, we suggest that it should be used in combination with conventional medicines to improve quality of life for those infected.”

Two to three cups per day might reduce infection risk by a factor of 10. “We tried to use the same concentrations of EGCG in experiments as you would get from drinking green tea. We are confident in the results we are seeing, but it is still not the same as putting it into humans,” said Williamson. Future research is underway to determine how much effect can be expected from different amounts of tea.

Previous studies have linked green tea to lower risk of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. A study from Japan published last September in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported high consumption of green tea was linked to reduced overall risk of death due to all causes and cardiovascular disease. Green tea flavonoids have been shown to contain anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-tumor effects. For more information about Chinese food therapy for health and well being contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. It can be used as long as credit is attributed to the author by including the following section :

“Written by Rev. Dr. Richard Browne

http://www.amcollege.edu

http://www.acupuncturistmiami.com”