Miami acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine that originated 5,000 years ago from China. Its belief is based on the belief that all living things have a vital energy called “qi” that circulates through the twelve invisible energy lines called meridians on the body. As a rule, each meridian is connected to a certain organ system in the body. If there is an imbalance in the flow of the energy or “qi” though a meridian, this could result to a disease.
New research suggests that acupuncture is the best form of treatment compared to standard medical care alone for headaches. The results of the study shows that acupuncture offers substantial benefits in preventing headaches and improving the quality of life for people who suffer headaches including migraines. Published in the March 15 issue of the British Medical Journal, researchers randomly separated 401 adults aged 18-65 years old with at least two headaches a month into two treatment groups.
This is the largest study completed using acupuncture for headaches. One group received up to 12 acupuncture sessions during a three-month period in addition to standard medical care, and the other group received standard care alone. A year later, researchers found those who received acupuncture visited their physicians 25% less, used 15% less drugs, had 15% less sick days from work compared to the control group, and experienced 22 fewer days with headaches. Although some results may be due to placebo effects, acupuncture has shown in this study to have significant impacts to individuals with headaches.
The exact mechanism of acupuncture is still unknown. According to various studies conducted through NIH funding, there is evidence that there is a release of endorphins and other “pain killers” in the pain site. However, a recent BBC TV has also shown that acupuncture “deactivates the brain” by affecting the area of the brain that governs pain. Scientists at the University College London, Southampton University, and the University of York found that the deep needling deactivated the limbic system, even though most scientists believed that acupuncture activates parts of the brain.
COMMENTS