Acupuncture May Ease the Symptoms of OCPD
For patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), acupuncture may help relieve shortness of breath during activity.
COPD is a progressive lung condition that makes it hard to breathe; it is commonly caused by smoking or exposure to other toxins.
"The effects of acupuncture are large," said Dr. George Lewith, from the University of Southampton in Hampshire, England, co-author of an editorial accompanying the study. "This is particularly remarkable in a condition that seems largely unresponsive to more conventional treatments."
"Acupuncture is safe, and people with [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] should try it," he added.
In a recent study, a team led by Masao Suzuki, from Kyoto University and Meiji University of Integrative Medicine in Japan, randomly assigned 68 patients suffering from severe COPD to 12 weeks of acupuncture and standard medication, or a sham procedure in which the acupuncture needles didn't actually penetrate the skin.
The researchers looked for improvement in a six-minute walking test.
Patients who received acupuncture saw a significant improvement in breathing ability, but those who had the sham procedure were no less breathless than they had been, the researchers found. The acupuncture group also was able to walk farther.
"Our results clearly demonstrated that acupuncture is important and effective non-pharmacological modality for COPD management, which should be used [as an] adjunct to the conventional care," Suzuki said.
"We would like patients and health care providers to be aware that acupuncture could be a useful modality, not only for painful conditions, but also internal disorders such as COPD," he added.
The researchers speculated that acupuncture reduces stress and improves the strength and mobility of the chest muscles, making the chest more pliable and resulting in easier breathing.
Courtesy of www.usnews.com
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