Artigo no Atlântico Expresso a 15-07-2013

Electroacupuncture reduces hemiplegia following acute middle cerebral artery infarction with alteration of serum NSE, S-100B and endothelin.

Zhang H, Kang T, Li L, Zhang J.

Source

Department of Neurology Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, China. zhangh9@yahoo.com.

Abstract

Acupuncture may help motor recovery in chronic stroke survivors, but it is unclear whether it is useful for acute or subacute stroke patients. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of electroacupuncture on hemiplegic patients caused by acute first-ever middle cerebral artery infarction.Ninety-eight patients with hemiplegia after first-ever middle cerebral artery infarction were divided into the observation group and the control group. Electroacupuncture was applied once daily for three weeks seven days after symptom onset. The motor functions of the limbs and the activities of daily living (ADL) were evaluated by Fugl-Meyer assessment and Barthel index (BI). Serum neuron -specific enolase (NSE), S-100B and endothelin (ET) were quantified before and after treatment. After treatment, the FMA and BI scores were improved in comparison to before treatment scores in the same group (P<0.01 or P<0.05), with a more significant improvement in the observation group (with electroacupuncture) than in the control group (P<0.01). After treatments, the amounts of serum NSE, S-100B and ET in the observation group were significantly decreased when compared with those of the control group (P<0.01 or P<0.05). No adverse reactions occurred during electroacupuncture. This study showed that motor functions of the limbs and the activities of daily living in hemiplegic patients caused by acute cerebral infarction were improved significantly after treatment with electroacupuncture and this improvement was associated with reduced serum levels of NSE, S-100B and ET.

Curr Neurovasc Res. 2013 May 24.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23713736

Reportagem SIC sobre as Medicinas Complementares (30-11-2012)

Electroacupunctura para o tratamento da estenose do canal lombar resistente à acupunctura tradicional

Spinal nerve root electroacupuncture for symptomatic treatment of lumbar spinal canal stenosis unresponsive to standard acupuncture: a prospective case series

Objective: To study the effectiveness of electroacupuncture of the spinal nerve root using a selective spinal nerve block technique for the treatment of lumbar and lower limb symptoms in patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis. 

Methods: Subjects were 17 patients with spinal canal stenosis who did not respond to 2 months of general conservative treatment and conventional acupuncture. Under x-ray fluoroscopy, two acupuncture needles were inserted as close as possible to the relevant nerve root, as determined by subjective symptoms and x-ray and MRI findings, and low-frequency electroacupuncture stimulation was performed (10 Hz, 10 min). Patients received 3–5 once-weekly treatments, and were evaluated immediately before and after each treatment and 3 months after completion of treatment. 

Results: After the first nerve root electroacupuncture stimulation, scores for lumbar and lower limb symptoms improved significantly (low back pain, p<0.05; lower limb pain, p<0.05; lower limb dysaesthesia, p<0.01) with some improvement in continuous walking distance. Symptom scores and continuous walking distance showed further improvement before the final treatment (p<0.01), and a significant sustained improvement was observed 3 months after completion of treatment (p<0.01). 

Conclusion: Lumbar and lower limb symptoms, for which conventional acupuncture and general conservative treatment had been ineffective, improved significantly during a course of electroacupuncture to the spinal nerve root, showing sustained improvement even 3 months after completion of treatment. The mechanisms of these effects may involve activation of the pain inhibition system and improvement of nerve blood flow.

Os Ex-Fumadores são imparáveis - um óptimo site para o ajudar a parar de fumar

Escolha um estilo de vida mais saudável

Considere deixar de fumar como parte de um novo estilo de vida. Opta por um modo de viver mais saudável e isso vai muito além do simples acto de deixar de fumar. Isso tornará mais fácil para si continuar sem fumar: qualquer pessoa que seja activa e se sinta saudável terá menos tendência para recomeçar a fumar. Se fizer mais exercício físico, não só se sentirá em melhor forma como queimará mais calorias, o que é um bónus agradável nesta fase, pois ao deixar de fumar o seu consumo de energia diminuiu. Além disso, se estiver em melhor forma física também estará mais forte psicologicamente.

30 minutos de exercício moderado, cinco vezes por semana, é suficiente para sentir melhorias na sua saúde. Exemplos: caminhar a um bom passo ou andar de bicicleta tranquilamente. 

Se ainda não consegue pensar em fazer desporto, comece por tornar o seu quotidiano um pouco mais activo. Ande de bicicleta em vez de andar de carro, vá pelas escadas em vez de usar o elevador, lave você o carro em vez de o levar a uma lavagem automática, faça exercícios de alongamento no trabalho ou vá à fotocopiadora noutro andar e dê um passeio à hora do almoço ou durante uma pausa.