The more things change, the more they stay the same.  When I was in college 40 something years ago (yeah, I am really that old), I had plenty of teachers who were so boring that I thought my brains would melt out of my ears.  Apparently, throughout the history of education, students have tried all sorts of remedies to stay attentive when a boring professor, or lack of proper sleep, sends them drifting off in a college class. Drinking coffee, taking commercially available tablets alleged to stop the dozing, or indulging in high-sugar snacks are just a few of them. Now, according to a University of Michigan study, Acupressure may bring new hope to those struggling to stay awake in the classroom.

The study involved teaching students to self-administer Acupressure to a variety of body points on their legs, feet, hands and heads. Some of these points were known to cause more stimulation, others greater relaxation. A total of 39 students in a 3-day On Job/On Campus program took part in the study. The results were published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

“Our findings suggested that Acupressure can change alertness in people who are in classroom settings for a full day which could be very good news for students who have trouble staying alert at school.” This comment comes from the director of the study, Dr. Richard E. Harris, Ph.D., in the Dept. of Internal Medicine and a researcher with the U-M Health System’s Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center.

The 39 students were taught to self-apply Acupressure regimens on either 5 stimulation points or 5 relaxation points. Techniques consisted of light tapping with the fingers and massaging with thumbs or forefingers. On day one, the first group self-administered Acupressure to the stimulation points followed by the relaxation points on days 2 and 3. The second group used relaxation points the first day and stimulation points on days 2 and 3. The Acupressure was administered mid-day during the student lunch period.

Students rated their level of sleepiness in the morning, afternoon and after class using the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS) for evaluation. (The SSS is a self-measurement tool for assessing sleepiness on an 8-point rating from wide awake to fast asleep.)

In each case, the stimulation group had significantly less fatigue than the other group and this has interesting implications for future studies, said Dr. Harris, who himself is a trained acupuncturist. “The study showed that a stimulation Acupressure regimen leads to a statistically significant reduction in sleepiness compared to an Acupressure treatment that focuses on relaxation,” he said.

“The idea that Acupressure can have effects on human alertness needs more study, including research that can examine the scope of influence Acupressure can have on alertness and fatigue,” said Dr. Harris. That research can have an impact on performance in the classroom and in other areas of life where a high state of alertness is mandatory or desirable.

While classroom performance (or employee performance) is often affected by nutrition as well as food and environmental allergies and sensitivities, sometimes we all just need a boost in the middle of the day.  At the Wahls of Wellness, we recommend massaging or tapping on the following acupressure points during the day to stimulate alertness: 

KD 27:    Tap these two points which are located on either side of the breastbone just below the collarbone.  If you place your hands as though you were Abe Lincoln holding on to his coat lapels, your extended thumbs will be located around the KD 27 acupoint just below the collarbone.

REN 17 and REN 6:    Massage in a circular motion, at the same time, the acupoints REN 17 (located in the center of the chest between the breasts) and REN 6 (located two finger widths below the navel)

DU 20:    Massage in a circular motion the top of the head

ST 36:     Massage the acupoint located on the front of the leg, one hand width (four fingers) below the kneecap, on the outside, in the depression between the shinbone and the leg muscle.

By performing these simple acupressure massage techniques, a person can enjoy a natural mid-day energy boost without the use of stimulants.

If you would like more information about acupuncture and how it can help you live a more full life, give us a call at 847 392-7901.

Source: University of Michigan, September 2005. http://www.med.umich.edu/opm/newspage/2005/acupressure.htm

       

People who suffer from a condition known as dry eye syndrome often experience quite a number of irritations with their vision. Dryness, a burning sensation and sandy-gritty eye discomfort are just some of the symptoms that seem to increase in sensation as the day progresses.

In one such case, Rebecca had been suffering the condition for 3 years. The dry eye pain was described as excruciating during the day and caused problems with her sleep as well. At times, her eyes were so dry she literally had to peel her eyelids off her eyes, she said. Numerous trips to doctors and one to a dietitian produced no results. She decided as a last resort to try Acupuncture.

Even though the initial treatments showed no marked results, she decided to continue with her program because of confidence in the acupuncturist. After 14 treatments that included Chinese herbs as well, her condition literally improved overnight. All of her symptoms disappeared and have been gone for over a year.

That Acupuncture improves dry eye syndrome was the focus of a recent study conducted at the China Medical University in Taiwan. A group of 43 dry eye syndrome patients were divided into a control group and Acupuncture group.

All of the participants first received an artificial tears treatment. The Acupuncture group then received two 20-minute treatments. Several different measurement tools were used to determine tear production including the Schirmer’s test where strips of paper are inserted into the eye for several minutes to measure the production of tears.

A variety of test results showed that the Acupuncture treatments brought positive results. After just 4 weeks of treatment, the Acupuncture group showed improvements over the control group. Tearing in both eyes had improved during this time.

After 8 weeks of treatment, the acupuncture group continued to show improvement over the control group. Acupuncture produced significant improvement in reducing the symptoms of dry eye syndrome and also reduced the need for artificial tear application.

Rebecca, in the case study first reported in this story was so pleased with the results of her treatment that she embarked upon a study of Acupuncture. How’s that for a true convert!

Sources: Acupuncture.com, http://www.acupuncture.com/testimonials/dryeyes.htm and http://www.acupuncture.com/newsletters/m_apr06/res.htm#2 2006.

       

There’s nothing enjoyable about fighting for one’s life when the diagnosis is cancer. The pain, nausea and sickness that accompany the disease or the treatment just add insult to injury.

But time and time again, studies have shown that Acupuncture helps those with the pain of cancer or the sickness resulting from treatment.

In 1986, two doctors in London studied whether or not patients at a Pain Clinic in a cancer hospital could benefit from Acupuncture treatment. The results were quite promising. This study found that 82 percent of the patients treated with Acupuncture received a benefit that lasted for hours or even days. Patients who were suffering from muscle spasms or unpleasant sensations such as itching, prickling or burning were among those who received the greatest help.

In 2009, a study executed by Jeanette Ezzo, a Maryland researcher, and a research group investigated the relief that might be provided to those who were receiving chemotherapy. It is very typical for those receiving chemotherapy to suffer vomiting and nausea.  Acupuncture and self-administered acupressure were tested together on this study.

The research group found that, “acupuncture has demonstrated benefit for chemotherapy-induced acute vomiting.” It also determined that, “Self-administered acupressure appears to have a protective effect for acute nausea and can readily be taught to patients.” Further studies are needed to provide complete verification of the benefits.

Then treatments such as chemotherapy produce sickness and vomiting as a side effect, the usual medical solution is to give more drugs to combat those side effects. Rather than involve oneself in a never-ending round of drug-taking, it is always wise to see if a minimally invasive and nearly painless method of treatment such as Acupuncture can help before resorting to more drugs.  

Avoiding more drugs leaves the body with a maximum amount of innate healing power with which to deal with the cancer.

Source: http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab002285.html, http://www.acupuncture.com/research/cancerpain.htm, http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/cam/acupuncture/healthprofessional/allpages#Reference6.17

       

Many people have experienced the benefits of Acupuncture treatment for pain of various types including low back pain and tension headaches. Recent articles and studies have also shown its benefits for conditions as diverse as post-traumatic stress disorder and chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

But unless a person has lived in China and worked with traditional doctors treating a wide range of conditions, they may not know that even ailments associated with problems with the brain and nervous system often benefit from Acupuncture.

As an example, Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a difficult neurological disorder to treat. It is characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations referred to as “tics.” Symptoms tend to show up in childhood and include eye blinking, shoulder shrugging, jerking and head movements. A person suffering from this condition may hit himself or herself in the face and may have a compulsion to repeat what other people say or swear out loud.

As medical science does not know the exact cause of this condition, it cannot cure it. If the symptoms are serious enough, practitioners can only suppress them with a choice of clomipramine (Anafranil^®), fluoxetine (Prozac^®), fluvoxamine (Luvox^®), paroxetine (Paxil^®), and sertraline (Zoloft^®). Each of these drugs is associated with an increased risk of suicidality.

In China, there has been success in treating children between the ages of 6 and 15 who suffer from TS using Acupuncture. A report was published of the treatment of 156 young patients diagnosed with TS who were treated at the Tianjin College of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The children were divided into two groups based on analysis by the practitioners, and each group received the treatment appropriate to their analysis. Some treatments addressed deficiencies of the kidneys and heart.

Whatever the treatment pattern, the results were nothing short of excellent. Seventy-three percent of the patients were sufficiently relieved of their condition to discontinue medication. What a relief to their parents to be able to create better health for their children and stop administering dangerous drugs!

Source: National Institutes of Health, Acupuncture-Like Treatments Improve Outcomes Compared to Usual Care for Low Back Pain, May 2009, http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2009/nccam-11.htm

Source: National Institutes of Health, Acupuncture and Pain, February 2010, http://nccam.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2010_february/acu2.htm

Source: National Institutes of Health, Tourette’s Syndrome, February 10, 2010, http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tourette/tourette.htm

Source: National Institutes of Health, Office of Rare Diseases Research, Tourette Syndrome, February 24, 2010, http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/Condition/7783/QnA/21553/Tourette_syndrome.aspx#633

Source: Institute for Traditional Medicine, Acupuncture and Herbs for Mind and Brain Disorders, April 4, 2010, http://www.itmonline.org/articles/acubrain.htm