Abstract
This special acupuncture edition is a gateway to understanding some of the contemporary issues that challenge the acupuncture community when dealing with women's health. The articles presented do not reflect the entire spectrum of acupuncture for women's health. Instead, they offer a sample of articles received when we encouraged our readership to submit studies on this topic. Because of the positive response to the call for submissions, it is very probable that a second special issue on acupuncture and women's health will be forthcoming.
Acupuncture for women's health is not unique and, for the most part, is found around the globe. I found information on the internet regarding a medical project for women and children in a small Eastern village in Tibet where Japanese-style acupuncture is practiced. In Africa, the Pan African Acupuncture Project trains health care workers to use simple and effective acupuncture techniques—even in small villages.
With the opening of this special edition of the journal, Arnyce R. Pock, MD, the Guest Editor of this issue, states in her editorial, “Acupuncture—the Alternative Prescription,” that the importance of physical contact as part of healing patients may not be so archaic as perhaps may be thought, even when compared to the advanced technology of medical robots and the development of modern drugs. The “human touch” may be more therapeutic than realized. A guest editorial by Gerhard Litscher, MSc, PhD, MDsc, “Are Female and Male Meridians Different? Some Spontaneous Thoughts,” explores gender differences and their impact on the biophysics of acupuncture, in other words: Are female and male meridians “biophysically” different?
Eight articles in the issue, including a review, a perspective, and six original articles, provide valuable insights into the role of acupuncture in treating a range of women's health issues. The article by Peter T. Dorsher, MS, MD, “Acupuncture for Hot Flashes: Combining Traditional and Neurophysiologic Considerations for Effective Treatment,” is a comprehensive review of current concepts regarding the pathophysiology of hot flashes and acupuncture neurophysiology with practical clinical applications. In the perspective article “Using Acupuncture to Prevent Recurring Migraine Headaches,” Poovadan Sudhakaran, MBBS, MD, PhD, MastAcu, describes the potential benefit of using acupuncture to treat acute and chronic migraines; however, the challenge is also to prevent migraine recurrences. Wei He, MD, PhD, and colleagues, in their article, “Auricular Acupressure Plus Exercise for Treating Primary Obese Women: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial,” demonstrate the effectiveness of acupressure combined with exercise for weight reduction. Acupressure can be self-administered and convenient. This is important, given the prevalence of obesity worldwide. Weidong Lu, MB, MPH, PhD, and colleagues, in their article, “The Feasibility and Effects of Acupuncture on Quality of Life Scores During Chemotherapy in Ovarian Cancer: Results from a Pilot, Randomized Sham-Conrolled Trial,” discuss the feasibility of researching the impact of acupuncture on quality of life in patients with ovarian cancer who are receiving chemotherapy. I would like to bring attention to the sham component of the acupuncture discussed in this article. In the article “Electroacupunture for Nausea, Vomiting, and Myelosuppression in Women Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Early Breast Cancer: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial,” Jane M. Beith, MBBS, PhD, and colleagues do not confirm that acupuncture is useful for treating nausea and vomiting, which is perhaps contrary to what has been found in the literature; however, these authors show that acupuncture may offer some protection against neutropenia.
In “Acupuncture and Female Sexual Dysfunction: A Time Series Study of Symptom Relief,” Alice Running, PhD, RN, APRN, and colleagues report on the usefulness of acupuncture in the domain of sexual dysfunction. These challenges occur frequently and are very difficult to address. It is, indeed, a very encouraging study. Beverley de Valois, PhD, LicAc, FBAcC, and colleagues evaluate the feasibility of the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association's (NADA) five-point ear acupuncture protocol in “NADA Ear Acupuncture for Breast Cancer Treatment–Related Hot Flashes and Night Sweats: An Observational Study.” The NADA protocol is very useful and easy to incorporate into acupuncture practice. The protocol has been available for decades for detoxification and is in very wide usage. Suggesting that NADA is also helpful for hot flashes and night sweats would be a clinical force multiplier to patients who have these side-effects—not only for women but for men, too. “An Acupuncture Diagnosis of Marilyn Monroe's Ill-Health During Her Most Productive Years in Hollywood,” by Vera Kaikobad, LAc, profiles Marilyn Monroe not only as the silver-screen actress, but also as Water Yin Deficient and Fire Afflicted. The author suggests that this actress may have benefited from acupuncture therapy.
Two case reports complete the issue. Lee Hullender Rubin, DAOM, and Benjamin L. Marx, MAcOM, underscore the complex acupuncture treatment that may be required to assist patients as part of an integrative approach in “Diminished Ovarian Reserve, Clomid, and Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Case Study.” A unique and rare report involving acupuncture in hemodialysis-dependent women is presented in “Perceived Experiences of Acupuncture Treatment for Hot Flashes in Woman Receiving Postmenopausal Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Analysis of Two Cases,” by Kun Hyung Kim, KMD, MS, and colleagues.
As you read through the articles, keep in mind the old, but still relevant, echoes of the Nei Ching. 2 In that classic compendium, the Yellow Emperor stated that there were five methods of treatment: (1) Cure the spirit: (2) nourish the body; (3) give medications; (4) treat the whole body; and (5) use acupuncture and moxibustion. Many of these challenges are reflected in the articles of this special women's health issue and should make us aware that our goals are relatively the same, even after many centuries of evolving medical practice accompanied by advances in technology. Is the ancient practice of acupuncture becoming the hyper-medicine of the future?