Acupuncture Therapy For Neurological Diseases

Acupuncture therapy has been practiced in China and other Asian countries for more than two thousand years. Modern clinical research has confirmed the impressive therapeutic effect of acupuncture on numerous human ailments, such as controlling pain, nausea, and vomiting. However, the biological mechanisms of acupuncture are still under debate. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the mechanism of acupuncture therapy is explained by a meridian model. According to this model, acupuncture is believed to treat the diseased organs by modulating two conditions known as Yin and Yang, which represent all the opposite principles that people find in the universe, both inside and outside the human body. Yin and Yang complement each other, and are subjected to changes between each other. The balance of Yin and Yang is thought to be maintained by Qi, an energy substance flowing constantly through the meridian, a network connecting all the organs of the body. The illness, according to this theory, is the temporary dominance of one principle over the other, owing to the blockade of the Qi from flowing through the meridian under certain circumstance. The axiom of “No stagnation, No pain” in TCM summarizes this concept. Thus, the goal of acupuncture treatment is to restore the balance of Yin and Yang conditions in the diseased organ(s). This theory has been considered to be useful to guide this ancient therapy, such as carrying out diagnosis, deciding on the principle, and selecting the acupoints.

Written by two leading experts in the field, Acupuncture in Neurological Conditions aims to improve patient care by combining Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) concepts of treatment. The language of TCM is uniquely combined with that of evidence-based clinical reasoning to provide an approach relevant to both acupuncture and physiotherapy clinical practice. All major types of neurological conditions encountered in clinical practical are examined. Chinese medical patterns relevant to the application of acupuncture are described, as well as key patterns of dysfunction based on a Western medical perspective. The place of acupuncture within the overall management of different neurological conditions is also discussed. Clinical reasoning options from both TCM and Western medical perspectives are provided, and illustrated by real cases from clinical practice forming a sound platform for true integrated medicine. Fully evidence-based Provides clinical reasoning options from TCM and Western medical perspectives Illustrates clinical reasoning with real cases from clinical practice Provides detailed examination of all major types of neurological conditions encountered in clinical practice.

This book systematically introduces the Brain in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its acupuncture treatments. It discusses the origin and development of the TCM Brain theory, and presents current research on brain and acupuncture, the unique brain related techniques such as scalp acupuncture and Dao-qi technique, the new developing acupuncture treatment methods for brain-related conditions, such as stroke, Parkinson’s, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, autism, cerebral palsy and depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder among others. This book is of interest to TCM and acupuncture practitioners in the West, as well as acupuncture researchers and lecturers. It gives a new understanding of the brain and treatments for brain-related conditions from a complementary medicine point of view.

Neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, are an important cause of disability and death worldwide and pose a serious burden on the global health system over the past 30 years. Acupuncture, as the most widely used traditional Chinese medicine therapy in the world, has been widely used in 183 countries and regions. Acupuncture can treat more than 300 kinds of diseases, especially for neurological diseases. Due to the unique advantages of acupuncture such as good therapeutic effect and low side effects, many researchers have conducted extensive clinical studies on the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of neurological diseases, laying a foundation for the practicability and scientific vigor of this complementary and alternative therapeutic approach. There are still many problems unanswered in the current clinical research on acupuncture for the treatment of neurological diseases: First of all, clinical research is lagging behind due to the lack of emphasis on modern advanced methods and analytical techniques (e.g., artificial intelligence, omics analysis, bioinformatics analysis, data mining) and multidisciplinary integration process. Secondly, the quality of reports on most clinical studies of acupuncture treatment for neurological diseases is extremely low. Most clinical studies have not adopted standardized methodological evaluations, authoritative disease diagnosis standards, and efficacy evaluation standards. The lack of compliance regulations and strict study design reduces the accuracy and authenticity of the research. Thirdly, there is a lack of integrated assessment of the distribution of evidence for acupuncture treatment of neurological diseases. Therefore, strictly designed clinical research and in depth and systematic analysis method are currently needed to provide high-quality evidence for acupuncture treatment of neurological diseases. In this Research Topic, we hope to further understand the role of acupuncture in the treatment of neurological diseases through clinical research and secondary research. The range of acupuncture includes manual acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, body needling, auricular acupuncture, scalp acupuncture, laser acupuncture and acupressure, etc. Neurological diseases include stroke, meningitis, encephalitis, tetanus, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, migraine, tense-type headaches, headaches from drug overuse, and others.

This book represents a significant advance in the field of evidence-based acupuncture, specifically in regard to neurological disorders. It is a testament to the promising future of acupuncture, integrating the complexities of the human brain with the healing art of acupuncture. Each chapter leads readers to an expanded perspective where past and future, tradition and technology, converge in the pursuit of healing and well-being. In recent decades, technologies like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have revolutionized our understanding of the human brain, enabling scientists to observe the brain’s response to acupuncture in real-time. Tracing the pathways from acupoint to brain structure reveals fresh insights on the therapeutic function of acupoints and meridians. Participate in this journey to understand how acupuncture influences the brain, exploring new frontiers in the treatment and understanding of brain-related conditions. This book offers a rich blend of traditional healing wisdom and contemporary scientific insight.

This book systematically introduces the Brain in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its acupuncture treatments. It discusses the origin and development of the TCM Brain theory, and presents current research on brain and acupuncture, the unique brain related techniques such as scalp acupuncture and Dao-qi technique, the new developing acupuncture treatment methods for brain-related conditions, such as stroke, Parkinson's, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, autism, cerebral palsy and depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder among others. This book is of interest to TCM and acupuncture practitioners in the West, as well as acupuncture researchers and lecturers. It gives a new understanding of the brain and treatments for brain-related conditions from a complementary medicine point of view.

This book summarises the recent development in acupuncture research and in particular, the neurobiology of acupuncture. It provides a focus but a diverse range of subjects covering many body systems. The first a few chapters discuss the basic principles of acupuncture, then its modulatory effects on nervous system such as induction of neurotrophin and neurogenesis in the brain. Late chapters explore the clinical effects and potential mechanisms of acupuncture on different conditions ranging from neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and stroke, to psychiatric illnesses, insomnia, hypertension, gastrointestinal diseases and drug addiction. We believe this will promote the understanding acupuncture treatment and enhance acupuncture research in the future. This volume of International Review of Neurobiology brings together cutting-edge research on the neurobiology of acupuncture It reviews current knowledge and understanding, provides a starting point for researchers and practitioners entering the field, and builds a platform for further research and discovery

Written by over seventy scientists and clinicians worldwide from China, USA, Germany, Canada, Japan and other countries, this monograph, with nearly 450 figures and tables, covers a wide range of advanced progress in acupuncture research, from experimental research to clinical applications. In addition to exploring the histopathological basis for acupuncture and mathematical simulation of acupoint response to stimulation, initiation and transduction of acupuncture signals and cellular mechanisms during acupuncture effects as well as chemical and physical characteristics of moxibustion on acupoints are broadly discussed. The topics also include novel data on acupuncture effect with advanced imaging techniques, a unique understanding of meridian-viscera correlation, specific interactions between meridians and neurosensory organs within the system of homeostatic regulation and the acupuncture-induced influences on autonomic function. Several chapters introduce specific approaches with dry needling, silver needling and stainless needling for certain diseases, such as myofascitis, supportive care for breast cancer and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy as well as perioperative care of surgical patients. Moreover, this book discusses recent research on acupuncture therapy and potential mechanisms for a number of severe and refractory neurological disorders, including hyperactivity of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, orofacial pain, chronic pain, itch, multiple sclerosis, autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, depressive disorders, Alzheimer’s disease and ischemic brain injury. The vast amount of information offered in this book provides a comprehensive perspective on advanced acupuncture research to not only acupuncturists, but also to neuroscientists, neurologists, and other clinicians. For medical students and graduate and undergraduate students majoring in biology, physiology and neuroscience, this book offers an advanced course in learning about the mechanism-driven advances in alternative and complementary medicine.