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Nowadays, there is no specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19 that has been proven to be safe and effective. Therefore, the prophylactic approach, that is, the preventive approach, especially in risk groups, comes plan to the fore before the disease occurs. In the Covid-19 pandemic, the preventive prophylactic approach becomes even more important as there are doctors, nurses, healthcare professionals and public officials working in this period, especially within the risk group. It is known that acupuncture administration causes an immunomodulating effect. There are many studies on this subject, especially in recent years. We classified the Covid-19 infection according to the stages of development and syndromes, considering Traditional Chinese Medicine. In this review, we discussed at which stage and syndrome acupuncture application can be effective, especially prophylaxis.

We investigated acupuncture, a potential contributor for burn care, on physiological and pathological pain mechanisms and systemic and local inflammatory responses in a rat experimental burn model. Forty male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into two groups. One-hour groups (five rats/group) were observed for 1 hour and included Sh1 (sham/observation), ShA1 (sham + acupuncture/observation), Brn1 (burn/observation), and BrnA1 (burn + acupuncture/observation). Seven-day groups (five rats/group) were observed for 7 days and included Sh7 (sham/observation), ShA7 (sham + acupuncture/observation), Brn7 (burn/observation), and BrnA7 (burn + acupuncture/observation). “Pain–distress scores” were noted daily, and acupuncture was repeated within every wound-dressing change on alternate days. After observation periods, blood samples for interleukin 6 and beta-endorphin and skin biopsies for inflammatory changes and immunohistochemical staining of interleukin 6 were collected for analysis(P < .05). In 1-hour groups, interleukin 6 accumulation in burn wounds of BrnA1 was less than Brn1, with Brn1 having the highest mean blood level (P < .05). Mean beta-endorphin levels were higher in ShA1, Brn1, and BrnA1 than in Sh1 (P < .05). In all 7-day groups, the agonizing period was 48 to 72 hours after burn, with Brn7 most affected (P < .05). Microvessels were multiplied in the Brn7 group, with significantly higher numbers in burn wounds of BrnA7 (P ˂ .05). Burn wounds of BrnA7 had less accumulation of interleukin 6 than Brn7 with the Brn7 group having the highest mean blood level and Sh7, ShA7, and BrnA7 having similarly low levels (P ˃ .05). Beta-endorphin levels in ShA7, Brn7, and BrnA7 were lower than in Sh7 (P < .05). Acupuncture contributed to the management of physiological and pathological pain, modulation of inflammatory responses, and associated enhancement of angiogenesis in the acute phase of burn injury in rats.

Physical therapy (PT) modalities are used in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Acupuncture is a treatment option often sought after by FMS patients. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of PT modalities with those of acupuncture on pain, daily function, and quality of life in FMS patients.A comparative effectiveness study.Forty-four female patients between the ages of 18-70 years presenting to Baskent University Faculty of Medicine Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine with a new diagnosis of FMS according to the American College of Rheumatology, with manifestations of chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain symptoms, normal routine blood tests, and a desire to receive PT or acupuncture were included in the study. Exclusion criteria included the presence of neurologic, inflammatory, endocrinologic, and other chronic diseases, psychiatric illness, use of antidepressants or analgesics, and contraindication to treatment with PT modalities.One group (n = 22) received 15 sessions of hotpack, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and ultrasound to the tender points of the cervical and upper back regions. The other group (n = 22) received 10 sessions of formulated acupuncture aimed at treating pain of the neck, upper, and lower back regions.Pain, functionality, and quality of life measured using the Short Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) and Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) before and after treatment.There was a reduction in all SF-MPQ domains and FIQ scores after treatment in both the PT and acupuncture groups. There was no difference in pre- and post-treatment scores between the two groups.PT modalities and acupuncture can be effectively used in the treatment of FMS. Even though one treatment option was not found to be more beneficial than the other, longer post-treatment follow-up may help determine the superior treatment option.

Aim. To evaluate the effects of acupuncture and transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) applications on the quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) changes and to evaluate their therapeutic effects in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). The study included 42 patients with FMS and 21 healthy volunteers. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups (n=21 in each) to undergo either TENS or acupuncture application. In both acupuncture and TENS groups, baseline electroencephalography (EEG) recording was performed for 10 min and, then, TENS or acupuncture was performed for 20 min, followed by another 10 min EEG recording. Baseline qEEG findings of FMS patients in the TENS and acupuncture groups were similar. Delta and theta powers over the frontal region of FMS patients were lower than controls. Theta powers of right posterior region were also lower than controls. In the TENS group, after the treatment, an increase was observed in the alpha power of the left anterior region as well as a decrease in pain scores. In the acupuncture group, an increase was determined in the alpha power of the right and left posterior regions as well as a decrease in pain score after the treatment. The power of low- and moderate-frequency waves on resting EEG was decreased in the patients with FMS. Decreased pain and increased inhibitor activity were found on qEEG after TENS and acupuncture applications. In conclusion, both TENS and acupuncture applications seem to be beneficial in FMS patients. © 2019 Merve Yüksel et al. This study was funded by Medicine.

We want to share our experience about acupuncture and acupressure in newborns as a treatment modality. Researches have shown that acupressure and acupuncture are effective for headaches, stress control or obesity. Our studies and experiences about acupressure and acupuncture use in newborns and adults suggest that alternative and complementary medicine could be a promising treatment modality to be used with modern medicine. We studied in which diseases and how we can use these treatment modalities in newborns. We summarised our studies about acupuncture and acupressure effect for minor painful procedures and skin perfusion and thought that this could be a new treatment modality. Further research is needed to evaluate effective modes and doses for pain control in newborns.

Acupuncture is the most frequently used treatment method among the complementary medicine practices. Acupuncture practices mainly affect the somatic and autonomic nervous systems in the nervous system. It is important to understand the mechanism of action of acupuncture practices especially in the central nervous system. Electroencephalography (EEG) is one of the best techniques to explain the effects of acupuncture on the central nervous system. In the present review, the changes in the EEG by the application of acupuncture to different acupoints were evaluated. It was observed that the application of acupuncture to different acupoints caused different brain activities in different regions of the brain. In addition to this, an increase in the alpha-1 wave frequency due to the stimulation of Baihui (GV 20), Neiguan (P6), and Hegu (LI 4) acupoints in different meridian and regions has indicated that these points have mood modifying and relaxation effects and they can be used in the psychological state changes.

Acupuncture point differs from non-acupuncture points in terms of receptor intensity, primarily noci receptors. This histological difference characterizes the acupuncture points. Among these differences, especially electrical properties of acupuncture poin...

Acupuncture, which is the most commonly used method among traditional and complementary medicine methods, has recently begun to be used also in pediatric cases. In the present review, acupuncture procedures performed by acupuncture needle in pediatric cases were evaluated. Studies have revealed that there are fields in which acupuncture is beneficial and not recommended for pediatric diseases. The use of acupuncture is recommended for the treatment of nocturnal enuresis, pain, nausea-vomiting and allergic diseases in children. Acupuncture and acupressure studies in neonates have also been initiated. Further studies are needed on the applicability of acupuncture in pediatric patients. How important is the benefit brought by acupuncture to children, it is also important who would perform acupuncture and which method would be used.

WOS:000366239700006 PubMed: 26742308 OBJECTIVE: To identify how acupressure on the acupoint Yintang (EX-HN 3) impacts oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and peripheral perfusion in term-born infants without underlying disease. METHODS: Infants born between weeks 37 and 42 of gestation were included in this study. The polyclinic's neonatology room was noise-controlled and made half-dark to prevent the perfusion index from being confounded. A pulse oximeter was linked to the baby's left lower extremity. Acupressure was applied on Yintang (EX-HN 3) for 30 s clockwise, held for 30 s, and then acupressure was applied for another 30 s counterclockwise. The baby's SaO(2), pulse rate, and perfusion index were recorded for each minute before and after acupressure. RESULTS: When pre- and post-acupressure pulse rate values were compared, a significant decrease in pulse rate values after acupressure application was observed. When pre- and post-acupressure oxygen saturation values were compared, a significant increase in post-acupressure oxygen saturation was observed. In addition, peripheral perfusion increased significantly after acupressure. CONCLUSION: Acupressure application has been used in traditional medicine for many years. However, it is not yet widely used in modern medicine. This study shows the impact of acupressure on neonatal skin perfusion, oxygen saturation, and pulse rate. (C) 2015 JTCM. All rights reserved.

Context Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing art. In this pain-relieving method, the fingers are used to press key acupuncture points on the skin surface that stimulates the body׳s regulatory processes. Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of acupressure at Kun Lun (UB60) and Taixi (K3) points for pain management in preterm infants prior to heel lancing for blood collection. Design This was a prospective, randomized controlled study. Setting The study setting was the neonatal intensive care unit at Baskent University Hospital in Turkey. Patients A total of 32 preterm infants between 28 and 36 weeks׳ gestational age were randomly assigned to one of two groups: an acupressure group ( n = 16) or a control group ( n = 16). Intervention In the acupressure group, immediately before the heel prick, acupressure was applied for three minutes at UB60 and K3 points. Main Outcome Measures A behavioral pain score was determined using the Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) scale. Results There were no significant differences between the groups with respect to gestational age, birth weight, sex, mode of delivery, age at time of procedure, weight at time of procedure, or PIPP score. Mean duration of procedure and mean duration of crying were both shorter in the acupressure group (both P = .001). Conclusions Applying acupressure at the BL60 and K3 points before heel lancing was associated with shorter procedural time and shorter duration of crying in preterm infants.

This study sought to investigate the interactive effects of acupuncture on pain and distress and the local progress in the burn wound in an experimental major burn model. Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups: S group (sham/observation during 7 days after injury); SA group (sham/acupuncture/observation during 7 days after injury); B1 group (burns/observation during 1h after injury); BA1 group (burns/acupuncture/observation during 1 h after injury); B7 group (burns/observation during 7 days after injury); and BA7 group (burns/acupuncture/observation during 7 days after injury). Pain and distress scores were evaluated throughout the study. The amounts of neutrophils and mononuclear cells were evaluated semiquantitatively, and the number of microvessels was evaluated quantitatively. Our data indicated that the average pain score of BA7 group was significantly lower than the other study groups. Histopathologic investigations indicate that the amounts of neutrophil and mononuclear cell and numbers of microvessels in the unburned skin were higher in acupuncture-applied groups. The number of microvessels in burn wounds of BA7 group was significantly higher than that of the other groups. Our data suggest that acupuncture provides low pain and distress scores in experimental rat model, and it contributes to wound healing with an enhanced angiogenesis during the acute phase of burns. Future clinical and experimental studies should be conducted to discern the benefits from acupuncture in pain management of burn patients.

Human mirror neuron system is believed to provide the basic mechanism for social cognition. Mirror neurons were first discovered in 1990s in the premotor area (F5) of macaque monkeys. Besides the premotor area, mirror neuron systems, having different functions depending on their locations, are found in various cortical areas. In addition, the importance of cingulate cortex in mother-infant relationship is clearly emphasized in the literature. Functional magnetic resonance imaging, electroencephalography, transcortical magnetic stimulation are the modalities used to evaluate the, activity of mirror neurons; for instance, mu wave suppression in electroencephalography recordings is considered as an evidence of mirror neuron activity. Mirror neurons have very important functions such as language processing, comprehension, learning, social interaction and empathy. For example, autistic individuals have less mirror neuron activity; therefore, it is thought that they have less ability of empathy. Responses of mirror neurons to object-directed and non-object directed actions are different and non-object directed action is required for the activation of mirror neurons. Previous researchers find significantly more suppression during the observation of object-directed movements as compared to mimed actions.

Perception is the interpretation of the sensory stimuli received from the environment. Visual, auditory, and tactile senses are collected and interpreted in the “General Interpretation Area” (Wernicke’s area). This area alone plays a much more active role than all other regions of the cortex in the comprehension of the brain called intelligence. We comprehend the events as a whole with the combination of the visual, auditory, and tactile perceptions in the Wernicke’s area; the events remain longer in our memory and its impact on us is stronger. This situation is called multi-sensory perception. Different pressure groups are in an effort to influence the feelings, sensations, systems of thought, and actions of their target population in order to ensure their target population to behave in line with their targets. In this respect, “Perception Management” is defined as all activities that are performed to influence the thoughts of a target population. Modeling, focusing attention on a specific point, creating an expectation, participation, rewarding, punishment, and stress management are among the methods applied in perception management. If we learn these methodological approaches used in perception management, we are in the opinion that it would be easy for individuals to decide independently by preventing them from the influence and manipulation of different pressure groups on their decision-making processes. Today, pressure groups aim at managing the community in line with their targets by influencing single individuals mostly using the perception management method.

Objective: This single-blind, randomized study aimed to evaluate effects of acupuncture stimulation at the GV 20 point on the electroencephalogram (EEG). Methods: Data was collected from 17 volunteers, aged 18 - 25 years old. EEG recordings were obtained...

Application of acupuncture methods goes back centuries. Today, there is much scientific research and many approaches to explain the mechanism of acupuncture. Among these approaches, the most popular one is the neurophysiologic approach. In this paper, we explain the series of events that follow the insertion of acupuncture needles under the headings of local reactions; regional reflexes related with viscero-cutaneous and cutaneo-visceral reflexes; increased levels of β-endorphin, enkephalin, and serotonin in the central nervous system and plasma; and effects of these neurotransmitters in the nervous system and many other systems. We then address the clinical application of this neurophysiologic approach.

Acupuncture, a method of traditional Chinese medicine that uses Back-Shu and Huatuo-Jiaji points, is especially effective for treating diseases of the visceral organs. Applying acupuncture on Back-Shu points affects visceral organs in many ways. For example, it dilates the bronchus, affects the heartbeat, stomach motility, urinary bladder contractions and so on. Acupuncture's effects can be explained as viscero-cutaneous, cutaneo-visceral, cutaneo-muscular, and viscero-muscular reflexes. Segmental dispersion of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems is related to the location of Back-Shu points. Changes in visceral organs caused by application of acupuncture can be explained as modulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture treatment on lipoprotein A, apolipoprotein A and apolipoprotein B levels in obese subjects. Fifty-eight women were studied in 3 groups as follows: 1) Placebo acupuncture (n = 15; mean age = 41.47 ± 4.61, and mean body mass index {BMI} = 33.43 ± 3.10); 2) Electroacupuncture (EA) (n = 20; mean age = 40.55 ± 5.30, and BMI = 35.65 ± 3.84) and 3) Diet restriction groups (n = 23; mean age = 42.91 ± 4.02, and BMI = 34.78 ± 3.29). EA was performed using the ear points, Hungry, Shen Men and Stomach the body points, Hegu (LI 4), Quchi (LI 11), Tianshu (St 25), Zusanli (St 36), Neiting (St 44) and Taichong (Liv 3) for 20 days. Intragroup comparisons were made by using paired samples t-test whereas intergroup differences were investigated by the two-way variation analysis and LSD test. There was a 4.7% (p < 0.001) weight reduction in patients with electroacupuncture application, whereas patients in diet restriction had a 2.9% (p < 0.001) weight reduction. There were significant decreases in lipoprotein A (p < 0.05) and apolipoprotein B (p < 0.05) levels in the EA compared to the control group and no changes in apolipoprotein A levels was observed in EA, diet and placebo acupuncture groups. EA therapy may be a useful approach for the treatment of obesity for both losing weight and lowing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease associated with obesity, since this application may decrease the plasma lipoprotein A and apolipoprotein B levels.

PubMedID: 17464775 Acupuncture is applied, especially in treatment of pain, hemiplegia, obesity, and psychological illnesses including addiction. Recently, ear and body acupuncture have been frequently used in the treatment of smoking. An increase in levels of endorphin, enkephalin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the central nervous system and plasma has been reported as the most important mechanism of acupuncture. That is, acupuncture application may increase the levels of endorphin, enkephalin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the central nervous system and plasma. The authors think that acupuncture application provides the patients with deterioration in the taste of smoking, decrease in desire of smoking, and the obstruction of psychological symptoms that appear as a result of smoking cessation. Because of these effects it is presumed that acupuncture application may be used as an important method for smoking cessation treatment. Copyright © 2007 Informa Healthcare.

PubMedID: 17464776 The aim was to study the effect of placebo EA, electroacupuncture (EA), and diet on obesity and accompanying psychological symptoms. One hundred and sixty-five volunteer women participated in the study. There were three groups: (i) Placebo EA, (ii) EA, and (iii) diet restriction group. EA was performed by using three ear and six body points. There was a 4.8% reduction in weight of patients with EA application, whereas patients with a diet restriction and placebo EA had a 2.5% and 2.7% weight reduction, respectively. There were significant decreases in phobia, anger, anxiety, obsession, paranoid symptoms, and depression in the EA groups compared to those of the placebo EA and diet groups. It was suggested that electroacupuncture may be an effective therapy for obesity including the psychological signs and symptoms in women. Copyright © 2007 Informa Healthcare.

BackgroundHealthy term newborns commonly undergo painful procedures during routine follow-up visits. Non-pharmacological strategies have currently become more important than pharmacological analgesic agents in neonatal pain management. Acupuncture is a new non-pharmacological method for preventing pain in newborns.ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the effect of laser acupuncture (LA) at the Yintang point before heel lancing as a non-pharmacological intervention for procedural pain management in infants.MethodsForty-two term newborns, who were undergoing heel lancing between postnatal days 3 to 8 as part of routine neonatal screening, were randomly assigned to the LA group or the oral sucrose group. In the LA group, 2 min before the heel lancing, 0.3 J of energy was applied to the Yintang point using a Laser PREMIO-30 unit for 30 s. In the sucrose group, each infant received 0.5 mL of 24% sucrose orally via syringe 2 min before the heel lancing. Each baby's behaviour was scored using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS), assessed blinded to group.ResultsThere were no significant differences between the LA and oral sucrose groups with respect to means for gestational week of age at birth, birth weight, actual weight, or Apgar score. Mean procedure time was significantly shorter in the LA group; however, mean crying time was longer and NIPS score was lower compared to the oral sucrose group.ConclusionsOur results indicate that 0.3 J of LA at the Yintang point before heel lancing is less effective than oral sucrose for reducing the discomfort of this procedure.Trial Registration NumberKA14/09.

Objective To evaluate analgesic effects of acupuncture in preterm neonates during minor painful procedures. Methods Ten preterm neonates requiring heel prick for blood gas analysis were enrolled in the study, which had a crossover design. Oxygen saturation, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, heart rate, and crying duration were recorded before and after heel prick. Babies were given expressed breast milk before each procedure. Patients were randomly assigned to receive acupuncture or not, and the groups were crossed over on the following day, so that patients who had received acupuncture received only breast milk, and the previous breast milk only group received both acupuncture and breast milk. The neonatal infant pain scale (NIPS) was used for pain evaluation. Results Crying duration and NIPS pain scores during heel prick were lower in the neonates who had received acupuncture. Conclusion Acupuncture is an effective method for the treatment of pain in neonates.

Acupuncture is a well-known form of Asian medical treatment and it is used not only as an effective curative method but also to prevent illness and mai ntain health. It is used for the production of analgesic effect; stress related physical-mental disorders and homeostasis. Electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation, an application of electrical current on acupuncture needles, is one of the most popular types of this traditional therapy. In recent years, intensive studies have been carried out to explain the underlying mechanisms of the efficacy of acupuncture. An increase in the release of endogen opioid peptides is generally accepted to be a keystone pathway that affects the immune system after the acupuncture application. To understand the huge gap between specific skin point applications and immune responses, a vast number of accumulating data of experimental and clinical studies in the literature have been collected. This paper reviews the data to explain the updated mechanisms related to immune modulation via acupuncture therapy.

We investigated the effect of acupuncture therapy on obese women's body weight and peripheral blood levels of serum immunoglobulin G ( IgG ), immunoglobulin A ( IgA ), immunoglobulin M ( IgM ), and immunoglobulin E ( IgE ). Sixty-three healthy women were assigned into 3 groups: placebo electroacupuncture ( n = 13; mean age, 40.5 ± 4.2 years; body mass index [BMI], 33.5 ± 4.2), diet restriction ( n = 23; mean age, 42.9 ± 4.0 years; BMI, 34.6 ± 2.9), and electroacupuncture ( n = 24; mean age, 40.1 ± 5.9 years; BMI, 33.9 ± 2.7). Electroacupuncture was applied to the Hunger and Shen Men ear points and to the LI 4, LI 11, St 36, St 44, and Ren 6 body points for 30 min once daily for 20 days. A restricted diet of 1400 kilocalories was given to participants in all 3 groups for 20 days. Weight was lost significantly in subjects in the electroacupuncture group compared to those in the diet restriction and placebo electroacupuncture groups ( p < 0.000, Tukey test). Modulations in serum IgG ( p < 0.001) were apparent in women treated with electroacupuncture compared with women treated with placebo electroacupuncture and restricted diet only. No significant changes were seen in serum IgA , IgM , and IgE levels among the 3 groups. Our results suggest that electroacupuncture can be effectively used to treat obesity. We also observed a modulating effect of serum IgG , which is associated with weight loss, in patients in the electroacupuncture group.

Our purpose was to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) therapy on body weight and on levels of serum insulin, c-peptide and glucose in obese women. 52 healthy women were included in this study and were allocated into three groups: 1) Placebo EA group ( n = 15; mean age = 41.8 ± 4.6 and mean body mass index { BMI } = 33.2 ± 3.5); 2) EA group ( n = 20; mean age = 42.1 ± 4.4 and BMI = 35.9 ± 3.6) and 3) Diet restriction group ( n = 20; mean age = 42.9 ± 4.3 and BMI = 34.7 ± 2.7). EA was applied to the ear points Hunger and Shen Men on alternating days and to the body points LI 4, LI 11, St 36 and St 44 once a day for 30 minutes over 20 days. Diet restriction that entailed a 1450 kilocalorie (kcal) diet program was applied to the three groups for 20 days. An increase in weight loss was observed when weight loss in the EA group (p < 0.000) was compared to that in the diet restricted and placebo EA groups using the Tukey HSD test. There were increases in the serum insulin (p < 0.001) and c-peptide levels (p < 0.000) in the women treated with EA compared to those in the women treated with the placebo EA and diet restriction groups. A decrease was observed in the glucose levels (p < 0.01)in both the EA and diet restriction groups compared to those in the placebo EA group. Our results suggest that EA therapy is an effective method in treating obesity. EA therapy also helps serum glucose levels to decrease through the increase of serum insulin and c-peptide levels.

This study aims to investigate the role of changes in leptin and beta endorphin (BE) levels in weight loss following electroacupuncture (EA) application in obesity treatment. EA was applied to 20 females who were 41.45 ± 4.71 years old and had a body mass index of 36.00 ± 2.66; and a diet program was applied to 20 females who were 42.30 ± 4.35 years old and had a body mass index of 34.90 ± 3.21. There was a 4.5% weight reduction in the patients with EA application, whereas patients on diet restriction had a 3.1% weight reduction. A decrease of loss of body weight was observed in the EA group ( p < 0.000) when compared against the diet restricted group. A decrease of serum leptin levels ( p < 0.000) and an increase in the serum BE ( p < 0.05) levels were observed in the EA group compared to the diet restricted group. In this study, reduced serum leptin levels paralleling to weight loss were observed in the EA group. Furthermore, it is thought that in the EA applied group, increasing serum BE level probably enhanced the lipolitic activity which may have caused weight loss in obese people by mobilizing energy stores. It may be considered that the EA application with diet restriction in obesity treatment is more effective than the diet restriction alone.