EA post-TKA 2024

Inspired by Huang et al 2023.[1] This Figure is taken from the published protocol.[2] EA – electroacupunctureTKA – total knee arthroplastyRCT – randomised controlled trialVAS – visual analogue scorePCA – patient-controlled analgesiaMSK – musculoskeletalSD – standard deviationCI – confidence intervalMCID – minimum important clinical difference key to acronyms This is a paper that we (Acupuncture … Continue reading EA post-TKA 2024

Acupuncture for severe hip OA 2023

Stimulated by Astini & Riberto 2023.[1] OA hip protocols – the protocol from Astini & Riberto 2023 is on the left. On the right is the periosteal protocol currently taught by the BMAS. There is a video demonstration in a previous blog: Periosteal techniques 1963-2018. OA – osteoarthritisVAS – visual analogue scoreWOMAC – Western Ontario … Continue reading Acupuncture for severe hip OA 2023

STP and the DH 2023

Stimulated by Cathenaut et al 2023.[1] Graphic drawn by MC in the late 90's at the request of AW for a paper in the BMJ.[2] STP – short term plasticityDH – dorsal horn (the sensory horn of the spinal cord)EA – electroacupunctureCirca – approximately (sometimes shortened to c)TRPV1 – transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1GABA … Continue reading STP and the DH 2023

EA and COMT Val158Met 2023

Stimulated by Yang et al 2023.[1] Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com.You might expect this sort of character to be Val Val ie homozygous for guanine at codon 158 of the COMT gene. EA – electroacupunctureAA – auricular acupunctureCOMT – catechol-o-methyltransferaseMSK – musculoskeletalBFA – battlefield acupuncture (an AA protocol – See: Ears and the battlefield)rs – … Continue reading EA and COMT Val158Met 2023

Acupuncture for endometriosis pain 2023

Stimulated by Li et al 2023.[1] Figure 2 from Li et al 2023.[1] RCT – randomised controlled trialVAS – visual analogue score key to acronyms This is the second moderately large (n=106) controlled trial of acupuncture in endometriosis. It is a sham controlled trial. The first was a similarly sized (n=101) cross-over trial using acupuncture … Continue reading Acupuncture for endometriosis pain 2023

Acupuncture for acute arthritis 2023

Stimulated by Yu and Kim 2023.[1] Figure summarising mechanisms from Yu and Kim 2023.[1] MA – manual acupunctureEA – electroacupunctureSR – systematic reviewPWL – paw withdrawal latencyPWT – paw withdrawal thresholdRoB – risk of biasWMA – Western medical acupunctureNSAIDs – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs key to acronyms I have long pondered on the difference between what … Continue reading Acupuncture for acute arthritis 2023

Pre-EA on spinal WDRs

Stimulated by Yu et al 2023.[1] Image from part of Figure 1 in Yu et al 2023.[1] EA – electroacupunctureWDR – wide dynamic range (neurones that respond to non-noxious and noxious inputs)SDH – spinal dorsal hornHS – hypertonic salineRF – receptive field key to acronyms This paper comes from Professor Jing’s team in Beijing and … Continue reading Pre-EA on spinal WDRs

EA for PSD

Stimulated by Yao et al 2023.[1] PSD – post-stroke dysphagiaIF – impact factorEA – electroacupunctureaka – also known asROS – reactive oxygen speciesM1 – primary motor cortexPBN – parabrachial nucleusNTS – nucleus tractus solitarius key to acronyms I am pretty selective about choosing laboratory studies to highlight on the blog. I do not have direct … Continue reading EA for PSD

Acup* for ARC 2023

Inspired by Chen C et al 2023 and Chen H-T et al 2023.[1,2] Screen grab from the supplementary video file demonstrating the position of the Qiu point.[1] Acup* – Acupressure or AcupunctureARC – acute renal colicRCT – randomised controlled trialIV – intravenousNSAID – non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugBCE – before common era (secular version of BC)CE – … Continue reading Acup* for ARC 2023