“They were the first to enjoy free health care, and had the time of their lives in the Swinging Sixties. But the post-war ‘baby boomers’ are now paying the price. Today’s 60-year-olds are the first modern generation to be less healthy than their immediate predecessors. Despite improvements in medicine and standards of living, they are more likely to be blighted. Even simple tasks such as getting in and out of bed or climbing ten steps without a rest prove a challenge. And with fast food, lack of exercise and a growing reliance on computers and other technology, the future could be even bleaker.

Researcher Teresa Seeman said: ‘The baby boomers, whatever health benefits they’ve enjoyed up until now, may not enjoy such a rosy old age.’

Professor Seeman compared the health of thousands of men and women in their 60s, 70s and 80s with data on different people of the same age collected ten years earlier.  She found that one in five of the 60-somethings polled needed help with basic day-to-day activities – up more than 50 per cent on a decade earlier. Those just over 60 are 70 per cent more likely to have difficulty walking from room to room, getting in and out of bed and eating or dressing.

Their problems did not end there. They were also 50 per cent more likely to have trouble walking a quarter of a mile or climbing ten steps without a rest. Stooping, crouching, kneeling and getting up from a chair proved 40 per cent more troublesome, the American Journal of Public Health reports. “

Please click on the following link to see an overview or our unique anti-aging protocols.

http://www.drscottdenny.com/Anti-Aging-Program.htm

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art…

Contact our award winning practice today!

Call for more information: 954-473-8925
Scott Denny, PhD, AP, DOM, FAAIM
Integrative Hospital Associates
2215 S. University Dr.
Davie, FL 33324

Scott Denny, PhD, AP, DOM, FAAIM
Integrative Hospital Associates
4711 N. Dixie Hwy.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334

www.drscottdenny.com
www.naturalclinics.net

Hot flashes are one of the most common symptoms of menopause. In one study of 638 menopausal women ages 45 to 54, approximately 75 percent reported experiencing hot flashes (1). Another study shows that loss of sleep due to hot flashes may lead to daytime fatigue and irritability (2).

Now, a study published in the July-August 2009 issue of Menopause may have a solution (3). Moxibustion therapy has been used to treat other obstetric/gynecologic conditions such as ovulation problems, breech presentations and dysmennorhea (4-6). According to researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine in Seoul, it can also alleviate menopausal hot flashes.

The researchers divided a group of 51 women, ages 45 to 60 with at least five moderate to severe hot flashes every 24 hours, into three groups. The first group received a moxibustion based upon evidence from clinical experts (Moxa 1). The second group received their moxibustion treatment based upon published literature (Moxa 2). The third was a wait-list control group. Both moxibustion groups received 14 treatments over the course of four weeks. Outcomes were measured by the frequency and severity of hot flashes for one week, as well as the Menopausal-Specific Quality of Life Scale (MENQOL) and the Menopause Rating Scale.

At the end of the four-week period, the frequency of hot flashes was reduced significantly; 60 percent in the Moxa 1 group and 59 percent in the Moxa 2 group. In the control group, however, the frequency increased slightly at the second week before returning back to baseline at the fourth week. There was no significant difference in frequency of hot flashes between the two moxa groups.

In terms of severity of hot flashes, both moxibustion groups also showed significant reductions at the end of four weeks. The Moxa 1 group reported a 50 percent reduction, and the Moxa 2 group reported a 43 percent reduction. The control subjects, however, showed only a minor reduction in severity.

The researchers concluded, “Our study explored the efficacy of moxibustion in reducing menopausal hot flashes. In our study, participants who received moxibustion treatment exhibited a stronger reduction in both hot flash frequency and severity. Furthermore, we investigated the point-specific effects of moxibustion by using different acupuncture points based on clinical expert opinions (Moxa 1) and published literature (Moxa 2). Moxa 1 was found to be no different from Moxa 2 in reducing hot flash frequency and severity … Our results suggest that moxibustion improves menopausal hot flash symptoms in terms of both frequency and severity, as compared with a control group.”

Commentary: Although Moxibustion can be used to hot flashes, there are natural medicines and herbs which are equally as effective without the risk of burns. Please See You Can Beat Menopause Symptoms…NOW on this blog. As an acupuncturist I do use moxa, but I prefer treatments that can be used by the patient on a long term basis eliminating the need for subsequent treatments. Dr. D

Please click on the following link to see an overview or our unique anti-aging protocols which are part of our system for treating menopausal symptoms.

http://www.drscottdenny.com/Anti-Aging-Program.htm

Contact our award winning practice today!

Call for more information: 954-473-8925
Scott Denny, PhD, AP, DOM, FAAIM
Integrative Hospital Associates
2215 S. University Dr.
Davie,  FL 33324

Scott Denny, PhD, AP, DOM, FAAIM
Integrative Hospital Associates
4711-A N. Dixie Hwy.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334

www.drscottdenny.com
www.naturalclinics.net

References

1. McKinlay SM, Jefferys M. The menopausal syndrome. Br J Prev Soc Med 1974;28:108-15.

2. Kronenberg F. Hot flashes: phenomenology, quality of life, and search for treatment options. Exp Gerontol 1994 May-Aug;29(3-4):319-36.

3. Park JE, Lee MS, Jung S, et al. Moxibustion for treating menopausal hot flashes: a randomized clinical trial. Menopause 2009 Jul-Aug;16(4):660-5.

4. Peng Y, Hou LH, Wu XK. Advances of modern studies of acupuncture and moxibustion for treatment of ovulation disorders. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2006;26:756-9.

5. van den Berg I, Bosch JL, Jacobs B, et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture-type interventions versus expectant management to correct breech presentation: a systematic review. Complement Ther Med 2008;16:92-100.

6. Kim SO, Cho SH. The effect of hand acupuncture therapy and moxibustion heat therapy on dysmenorrhea. Korean Acad Womens Health Nurs 2001;7:610-21.

Attention sufferers of menopause symptoms – Are you sick and tired of PMS, hot flashes, unexplained weight gain, fatigue, low sex drive and other symptoms? Want to get your life back and start ENJOYING LIFE AGAIN? Then please read the results of this study:

Therapeutic effects of Klimakt-Heel® compared with a phytotherapeutic preparation for the treatment of menopausal symptoms – a randomized study *

SUMMARY:

In dissatisfaction with conventional therapies, many of today’s women turn to complementary and alternative medicine for treatment of menopausal symptoms. However, scientific studies on the effectiveness and safety of such therapies are lacking. In this study performed in a randomized fashion, women with menopausal symptoms were allocated to either the homeopathic preparation Klimakt-Heel® or to the phytotherapeutic medication Femolene Ultra® for 12 weeks.

The response to treatment and the smoothness of therapy over time were greater in the group receiving Klimakt-Heel®. None of the therapies had an appreciable effect on plasma 17-ß estradiol levels. Fewer women discontinued treatment with Klimakt-Heel® than Femolene Ultra®, indicating differences in tolerability between the therapies. A statistical analysis showed that the group on Klimakt-Heel® experienced a more significant decrease in symptoms and more women responded to treatment with Klimakt-Heel® than to Femolene Ultra® therapy.

In conclusion, Klimakt-Heel® is a safe, effective and well tolerated homeopathic remedy for menopausal symptoms and exerts its beneficial action in concordance with the principles of homotoxicology.

This growing popularity of CAM has empowered many women to deal more independently with ailments previously considered part of a woman’s condition. However, with this increasing interest and availability of remedies follows a need for clinical studies in the efficacy and safety of alternative medications, conducted with the same stringency as research in conventional therapies. The aim of the current study was to determine the effectiveness of Klimakt-Heel® compared with the phytoestrogen preparation Femolene Ultra® in the treatment of typical climacteric symptoms.

The awareness of the advantages of CAM therapies compared with conventional medical treatments is growing worldwide and the recent worry about possible negative effects of hormone replacement therapy has fuelled the need for safe and well-tolerated alternatives and extensions to common treatments.

Our mission is to provide our patients with the most effective and state of the art functional nutrition and anti-aging services in South Florida!

Utilizing the latest scientific technologies, our primary goal is to promote wellness by focusing on the early detection and prevention of chronic and age related diseases.

Our varied therapies include non-toxic alternatives to bio-identical hormone replacement, weight management programs, inflammation elimination, detoxification therapies and customized nutritional supplement programs. In addition, we have a full array of facial aesthetics treatments.

Please click on the following link to see an overview or our unique anti-aging protocols which are part of our system for treating menopausal symptoms.

http://www.drscottdenny.com/Anti-Aging-Program.htm

Contact our award winning practice today!

Call for more information: 954-473-8925
Scott Denny, PhD, AP, DOM, FAAIM
The MultiCare Clinic
2215 S. University Dr.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33324
www.naturalclinics.net
www.multicareclinic.org
www.drscottdenny.com

* Smit A. Komplementäre Therapie bei hormonellen Störungen älterer Frauen [Complementary medicine for hormonal disturbances in older women]. Biol Ther 2001;30(6):303-6.

Oct. 8 (HealthDay News) –

About two-thirds of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome sampled in a recent study were infected with a retrovirus called XMRV. The finding, albeit preliminary, has raised hopes that there might be a concrete cause for the mysterious malady and thus, down the line, treatments for the disease. “This study does not prove that XMRV is the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, however it does suggest it is a viable candidate for a cause,” said Robert H. Silverman, co-author of a report appearing online Oct. 8 in Science. “But if it can be proven that the virus causes the disease, that would be a breakthrough in diagnosing, combating and preventing the disease,” added Silverman, a professor of cancer biology at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. “There could be an antiretroviral drug that could prevent this virus from replicating.”

Another expert was similarly hopeful. “This article could give a spark of hope, one, that chronic fatigue syndrome is caused by something, and two, if that bears out, maybe we could do something about it,” said Dr. Tamara Kuittinen, an emergency physician with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

Chronic fatigue syndrome was first recognized in the late 1980s and initially dubbed the “yuppie flu,” resulting in an enduring credibility crisis.

Some segments of the medical community do not believe it is a discrete illness because there is no known cause, and diagnosis can only be made through excluding other conditions, such as depression.

“There’s no test, no clear etiology, the symptoms are vague, there’s no treatment and no cure,” said Kuittinen. “It’s very frustrating.”

Possible explanations for the disease have been far-reaching, ranging from different viruses, including Epstein-Barr, enteroviruses and herpes, to childhood trauma.

The illness affects an estimated 1 percent of people worldwide and, as its name implies, involves crippling fatigue as well as aching joints, headaches and various other symptoms.

Recently, XMRV was detected in prostate cancer patients and in prostate tumor biopsies. Like other retroviruses, it can activate latent viruses in the body, such as Epstein-Barr, which has been linked to chronic fatigue syndrome.

For this study, researchers analyzed 101 blood samples taken from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and found the virus in 68 of the samples, as compared with only eight samples in 218 healthy patients (67 percent versus 3.7 percent).

Although 3.7 percent seems a small proportion, the authors do note that this could mean millions of people are infected with a virus whose effects are as yet unknown.

Retroviruses, a group that includes both XMRV and HIV, have genomes made of RNA instead of DNA.

“When the virus infects cells, the RNA gets copied into the DNA, then the DNA inserts itself or integrates into the host DNA,” explained Silverman. “One of the many problems with infections with retroviruses is that it’s very difficult to actually cure the patient because the virus DNA becomes part of the infected person’s DNA. Patients need to continually take drugs to keep it from replicating.”

XMRV is simpler than HIV, though, Silverman added, which is a good thing. “It’s a kind of stripped down version of a retrovirus. It has just the genes required for infection and replication. We could probably stop it with an antiretroviral drug.”

There’s also the possibility that a vaccine would prevent people from being infected in the first place.

But, stressed Silverman, “there are lots of qualifiers because it hasn’t actually been proven that it causes disease, although the evidence looks pretty intriguing. This is an area that needs more research.”

SOURCES: Tamara R. Kuittinen, M.D., emergency physician, Lenox Hill Hospital, New York City; Robert H. Silverman, Ph.D., professor, cancer biology, Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio; Oct. 8, 2009, Science, online

Please visit our Fibro/CFS page for our unique approach to these syndromes: http://www.drscottdenny.com/FMS-CFS-Treatment.htm

If you would like more information about Dr. Denny’s practices please visit www.drscottdenny.com or www.multicareclinic.org. Please call 954-473-8925 for further information. Practice locations in Davie and Fort Lauderdale.

The prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is easily witnessed with estimates showing that as many as 5% of all school children being affected by this condition. Effective treatment first requires the practitioner to consider the child’s health needs. We are now proud to offer effective natural remedies which gently detoxify while concurrently strengthening perceptive abilities and regulating the central nervous system. When the body’s ability to properly react to the specific stimuli is blocked, one observes contradictory constitutional characteristics and an inability to respond to treatment. Implementation of the proper homeopathic detoxification therapy allows for a proper platform in which to then administer constitutional remedies.

Effective Regulation:

These natural medicines are designed to actively regulate a child’s nervous system and promote healthy functioning on a physical and emotional level.

Non-Toxic:

Unlike pharmaceutical options such as Ritalin, natural medicines do not cause a toxic burden on the body, and promote detoxification.

Gentle Remedies:

Children’s developing bodies are delicate. Natural medicines provide a simple and effective method to help the body without adverse effects or chemicals.

Easily Administered:

The system is designed to be given in a simple yet logical manner. The products are liquid and can be mixed with warm water and placed in the mouth for easy absorption.

If you would like more information about natural medicine for ADD/ADHD, and the treatment of many other conditions, please visit Dr. Denny’s practice websites at http://www.drscottdenny.com or http://www.multicareclinic.org. Please call 954-473-8925 for further information .

For more information on Chinese medicine and prostate treatment, please click on this link to receive my free ebook “How to Thrive in a Modern World.”

The H1N1 flu (the so-called swine flu) is putting the population on alert. Everybody is eager to receive news about the distribution of the relevant vaccine. However, we have to wonder if the vaccine against flu is really the best solution to help prevent millions of people from catching the flu all over the world this year.

To prevent this flu effectively we have at first to consider the characteristics of the virus that causes the flu. The offending agent is an Orthomyxovirus (type A, B, C) which has high antigenic changeability like all other RNA-viruses (exhibiting antigenic shift, the greatest mutations or antigenic drift, the least mutations depending on the season ). Any antigenic drift and especially antigenic drift in the virus will result in an ineffective anti-influenza vaccine for that season.

The homeopathic remedy Guna®-Flu has been an effective solution to prevent flu for more than 10 years. Its immunostimulating ingredients (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, Anas barbariae hepatic et cordis extractum, Influencinum) induce a cell-mediated response (cytotoxic T lmphocytes and Natural Killer Cells) acting on the specific and the nonspecific cytolysis of infected cells. This response enhances the humoral immune response by increasing lysozyme activity and stimulating Interferon-gamma and initiating the cytokine cascade.

This kind of immunostimulating action bypasses the problem of antigenic variability of influenza viruses from season to season. Clinical studies have shown that using Guna®-Flu and the anti-influenza vaccine simultaneously dramatically increases the prophylactic coverage compared to the exclusive use of the anti-influenza vaccine as evidenced in controlled published research. (1)

To order Guna®-Flu either come by our office or order online by clicking here. You will need the access code “heal” in order to get into the website at which time you can set up an account and order your product or products. In addition to Guna®-Flu there are thousands of supplements to choose from.

If you would like more information about Dr. Denny’s practices please visit http://www.drscottdenny.com or http://www.multicareclinic.org. Please call 954-473-8925 for further information  

Colombo M., Rigamonti G., Danza M.L., Bruno A. – Comparative evaluation of Guna®-Flu vs vaccine for the prevention of influenza syndrome in paediatrics – A prospective, multicentric randomized, controlled clinical trial. Physiological Regulating Medicine, 2007/1; 3-10

The randomized, controlled study that was published in the May 2009 issue of the Clinical Journal of Pain, investigated the efficacy of acupuncture compared with steroid treatment in patients with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome as measured by both nerve conduction studies and symptom assessment surveys.

Seventy-seven patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group received eight acupuncture treatments over four weeks, and the other group received oral doses of prednisone, daily, for four weeks. The results showed that acupuncture was just as effective as the corticosteroid for pain, numbness, tingling and weakness.  For the symptoms of night time awakening and motor function, the acupuncture group had better results.

The researchers concluded that acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment option for CTS for those who experience side effects to oral steroids or for those who do not opt for early surgery.

In our practice we use a variety of treatment techniques for carpal tunnel syndrome including cold laser technique, manual therapies and biopuncture injections, in addition to acupuncture treatment. This integrative medical approach can greatly enhance the results for many patients.

Source: The Clinical Journal of Pain. 25(4):327-333, May 2009.

For more information on Chinese medicine and carpal tunnel  treatment, please click on this link to receive my free ebook “How to Thrive in a Modern World.”  For an article on acupuncture treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome on acufinder.com please click here.

If you would like more information about Dr. Denny’s practices please visit http://www.drscottdenny.com or http://www.multicareclinic.org or http://www.dodaifusion.com. Please call 954-473-8925 for further information.

Although news from a major clinical trial was disappointing, the 2008 American Urological Association meeting also brought good news of helpful treatment for men with CP/CPPS from an unexpected quarter-physical and alternative therapies. Some of those were supported with well-designed, controlled, and even sham-controlled studies, a scientific gold standard that few thought could be applied to these therapies.

The disappointing news was from the clinical trial of the alpha blocker alfuzosin from the NIDDK-sponsored Chronic Prostatitis Collaborative Research Network (CPCRN). Good Science Supports Acupuncture for CP/CPPS Pain.

For more information on Chinese medicine and prostate treatment, please click on this link to receive my free ebook “How to Thrive in a Modern World.” 

If you would like more information about Dr. Denny’s practices please visit http://www.drscottdenny.com or http://www.multicareclinic.org. Please call 954-473-8925 for further information 

Here are the references and resources to review if you are a patient who is considering acupuncture treatment for prostate conditions:

www.prostatitis.org

Acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain. The American journal of medicine 2008 Jan
www.nextbio.com

Electroacupuncture relieves pain in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: three-arm randomized trial. Lee SH, Lee BC. Urology. 2009 May;73(5):1036-41. PMID: 19394499 [PubMed - in process]

Acupuncture versus sham acupuncture for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain. Lee SW, Liong ML, Yuen KH, Leong WS, Chee C, Cheah PY, Choong WP, Wu Y, Khan N, Choong WL, Yap HW, Krieger JN. Am J Med. 2008 Jan;121(1):79.e1-7. PMID: 18187077 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and acupuncture–a case report. Rosted P. Acupunct Med. 2007 Dec;25(4):198-9. PMID: 18160930 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

A pilot study on acupuncture for lower urinary tract symptoms related to chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain. Capodice JL, Jin Z, Bemis DL, Samadi D, Stone BA, Kapan S, Katz AE. Chin Med. 2007 Feb 6;2:1. PMID: 17284322 [PubMed]

Complementary and alternative medicine for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Capodice JL, Bemis DL, Buttyan R, Kaplan SA, Katz AE. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2005 Dec;2(4):495-501. Epub 2005 Oct 10. PMID: 16322807 [PubMed]

Effects of acupuncture for chronic pelvic pain syndrome with intrapelvic venous congestion: preliminary results. Honjo H, Kamoi K, Naya Y, Ukimura O, Kojima M, Kitakoji H, Miki T. Int J Urol. 2004 Aug;11(8):607-12. PMID: 15285750 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Acupuncture for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Chen RC, Nickel JC. Curr Urol Rep. 2004 Aug;5(4):305-8. PMID: 15260934 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Acupuncture ameliorates symptoms in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Antolak SJ Jr. Urology. 2004 Jan;63(1):212. No abstract available. PMID: 14751398 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Acupuncture ameliorates symptoms in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Chen R, Nickel JC. Urology. 2003 Jun;61(6):1156-9; discussion 1159. PMID: 12809886 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Clinical studies on chronic prostatitis and prostatitis-like syndrome (7). Electric acupuncture therapy for intractable cases of chronic prostatitis-like syndrome. Ikeuchi T, Iguchi H. Hinyokika Kiyo. 1994 Jul;40(7):587-91. Japanese. PMID: 8085519 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

From Acupuncture Today, July, 2009, Vol. 10, Issue 07

There seems to be no question that Americans spend a great deal of money dealing with back pain. According to research, we spend at least $37 billion annually on medical care for back pain.^1,2 Furthermore, the economy suffers another $19.8 billion in lost worker productivity due to back pain.³

In response to this, there has been extensive research on the use of acupuncture for treating back pain. A 2008 literature review concluded that there was “strong evidence” for the use of acupuncture as an adjunct to conventional therapy for lower back pain.⁴

Now, a new study published in the May 11, 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine has added even further to the literature on the value of acupuncture in treating back pain.⁵

Daniel C. Cherkin, PhD, and colleagues examined a group of 638 patients suffering from back pain to determine not only if acupuncture is superior to usual care for treating back pain, but to see if needle insertion at individualized points is the mechanism of action by which acupuncture works best. A total of 10 acupuncture treatments was provided over the course of eight weeks.

Study Design: The researchers started by dividing the patients into four groups:

Individualized acupuncture: This treatment was prescribed by the diagnostician at the beginning of each visit. There were no constraints on number of needles, depth of insertion or needle manipulation. Needles were retained for 18 minutes. Seventy-four distinct points were used.

Standardized acupuncture: This protocol used a standardized acupuncture prescription considered effective for chronic low back pain, including Du 3, Bladder 23 on either side, low back Ashi point, Bladder 40 on ether side and Kidney 3 on either side. All points were needled for 20 minutes, with needle stimulation at 10 minutes and again just prior to removal.

Simulated acupuncture: This technique used a toothpick in a needle guide tube. All acupuncture points were stimulated with toothpicks at 10 minutes and again at 20 minutes, just before they were “removed.” The acupuncturists simulated insertion and removal of needles at the eight acupuncture points used in the standardized treatment.

Usual care: Participants in this group only received the care, if any, they and their physicians chose. This was mainly mostly medications, and primary care, and physical therapy visits. All participants received a self-care book with information on managing flare-ups, exercises and lifestyle modifications.

Results:

At 8-week follow up, all groups of patients showed improvement. However, the “usual care” group only improved by 2.1 points (scored on a disability questionnaire), as opposed to the individualized, standardized and simulated acupuncture groups, which improved by 4.4, 4.5 and 4.4 points, respectively. The greater improvement for the acupuncture groups over usual care continued all the way to 52 weeks, at the end of the study. Of those patients receiving real acupuncture, only 11 reported any side effects.

Interestingly, at the end of the study, there was little difference between the four acupuncture treatment groups in terms of effectiveness. The researchers speculated that this may mean that acupuncture’s actual mechanism of action may not be clear and that further research is warranted.

Nevertheless, they concluded, “Compared with usual care, individualized acupuncture, standardized acupuncture and simulated acupuncture had beneficial and persisting effects on chronic back pain. These treatments resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in function. … For clinicians and patients seeking a relatively safe and effective treatment for a condition for which conventional treatments are often ineffective, various methods of acupuncture point stimulation appear to be reasonable options, even though the mechanism of action remains unclear.

According to Josephine P. Briggs, MD, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, “The findings of this research show that acupuncture-like treatments, including simulated acupuncture, can elicit positive responses. This adds to the growing body of evidence that there is something meaningful taking place during acupuncture treatments outside of actual needling. Future research is needed to delve deeper into what is evoking these responses.”

Commentary from Dr. Denny: This interesting study compares usual or standard medical care with individualized acupuncture care, standard acupuncture care and simulated acupuncture care. All three types of acupuncture care produced better results than usual medical care. What makes this a fascinating study is the apparent benefit from the simulated acupuncture care. It is described as stimulating the acupuncture points with toothpicks on the skin. For those of you reading who are not familiar with acupuncture, there are many acupuncture techniques. There are also acupuncture techniques which do not involve puncturing the skin, which have been reported in Japanese acupuncture for generations. In fact, the Japanese have developed many devices to accomplish non-needle techniques such as Tei-shin, Yuko-shin and others. Many of these devices are used for the needle-phobic patient as well as in pediatric acupuncture. In addition there is an entire system of Japanese acupuncture where needles are not inserted or only superficially inserted on or over acupuncture points. This is called Toyohari.

In summary, acupuncture has many styles. Simply because needles are not inserted, does not make the treatment a “simulation.” Once again we see how difficult it is to “blind” treatments which actually involve patient participation. This method makes sense when you give someone a placebo sugar pill, but is very difficult to assess the effectiveness of hands-on type of treatments.

For more information on Chinese medicine including the different styles of acupuncture please click on this link to receive my free ebook “How to Thrive in a Modern World.” 

If you would like more information about Dr. Denny’s practices please visit http://www.drscottdenny.com or http://www.multicareclinic.org. Please call 954-473-8925 for further information.

References:

1. Luo X, Pietrobon R, Sun SX, et al. Estimates and patterns of direct health care expenditures among individuals with back pain in the United States. Spine. 2004 Jan 1;29(1):79-86.

2. Martin BI, Deyo RA, Mirza SK, et al. Expenditures and health status among adults with back and neck problems. JAMA. 2008 Feb 13;299(6):656-64.

3. Stewart WF, Ricci JA, Chee E, et al. Lost productive time and cost due to common pain conditions in the US workforce. JAMA. 2003 Nov 12;290(18):2443-54.

4. Yuan J, Purepong N, Kerr DP, et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture for low back pain: a systematic review. Spine. 2008 Nov 1;33(23):E887-900.

5. Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Avins AL, et al. A randomized trial comparing acupuncture, simulated acupuncture, and usual care for chronic low back pain. Arch Intern Med. 2009 May 11;169(9):858-66.

About nine months ago the HEEL Rx Club started its work. The intention was to create a club that provides something special and adds some useful benefits to the practice of natural medicine, and in particular the use of HEEL natural medicine sin their injectable form to which oftentimes have a turbo effect in helping patients with a variety of health conditions.

The HEEL Rx Club now has approximately 500 members and Scott Denny, PhD, AP, DOM is one of those original members because of his work in natural medicine.

Heel was originally founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1979 by Hans-Heinrich Reckeweg, MD, as Biological Homeopathic Industries (BHI). Dr. Reckeweg, who also founded Heel in Baden-Baden, Germany in 1936, relocated to the United States to continue his scientific investigations and introduce U.S. practitioners to Homotoxicology and the Heel products involved in its application.

Today, Heel is one of the largest homeopathic pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world, with distribution in over 60 countries. “Heel” stands for Herba est ex luce, which translates to: “plants come from the light”.

If you would like more information about Dr. Denny’s practice please visit www.drscottdenny.com or www.multicareclinic.org. Please call 954-473-8925 for further information.