Mental health articles
OF mental health care and mentally ill
acupuncture
Acupuncture in smoking cessation
Acupuncture and related techniques are promoted as a treatment for smoking cessation in the belief that they may reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms. White et al. conducted a review determining the effectiveness of acupuncture and the allied therapies of acupressure, laser therapy and electrostimulation, in smoking cessation in comparison with: (a) sham treatment, (b) other interventions, […]
Tags: acupuncture, smoking
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Is there a role for acupuncture in mental illness?
There are Chinese studies on the treatment of mental illness with acupuncture. Unfortunately, the methodological quality of these studies is very poor. The majority are uncontrolled and do not meet the ‘gold standard’ of research for evaluating treatments, which is the randomized control trial. In the West, there have been a number of studies in […]
Tags: acupuncture, mental illness
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Is acupuncture safe?
A review by Rampes and James revealed that serious adverse effects of acupuncture have been reported ranging from trauma to underlying organs (for example pneumothorax: puncture of the lung cavity) to infections (hepatitis B). Most serious adverse effects are preventable by appropriate practitioner training. In the past, practitioners used reusable needles, which required careful sterilization. […]
Tags: acupuncture
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What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture encompasses differing philosophies and techniques. Acupuncture is the stimulation of special points on the body, usually by insertion of fine needles. How the points to be treated are selected depends on the teaching and background of the practitioner. At one end of the spectrum is the Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncturist, who operates from a […]
Tags: acupuncture
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