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This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to:

Dysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation, is one of the most common gynecological conditions, and is a leading cause of absenteeism by women from work, school and other activities. While most cases of dysmenorrhea are caused by anemia, stress and poor nutrition, some cases are caused by lesions or pelvic diseases such as endometriosis.

In China, acupuncturists have used ear acupuncture to treat endometriosis for years. In this study, published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, researchers selected 67 women diagnosed with dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis and divided them into an ear acupuncture group and a Chinese herb group. Women in the acupuncture group received treatment at several points on the ear once every other day, beginning with the fifth day before the menstrual period, for a total of three menstrual cycles.

Women in the herb group were given a decoction of six Chinese herbs every day for seven days, starting from the fifth day before the menstrual period, also for a total of three menstrual cycles. Women given ear acupuncture had "markedly better" results than women who took the herbal decoction. Eighty-one percent of the women who received ear acupuncture were judged to be "cured" or showed "markedly effective" improvement, compared to less than 27% of women in the Chinese herb group.

The researchers speculated that acupuncture may treat endometriosis by promoting blood circulation and regulating the endocrine system. They also suggested that acupuncture could act as an analgesic by elevating levels of endorphins in the blood, especially in patients with moderate or severe dysmenorrhea.

Reference

Xiang D, Situ Y, Liang X, et al. Ear acupuncture therapy for 37 cases of dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine December 2002;22(4):282-285.

Carpesium is a perennial plant of the compositae family. It is grown from southern Europe to eastern Asia, particularly China, Japan and Korea. Carpesium grows to about one meter in height, usually in land that has most soil, with little or no shade.

Different parts of carpesium are used for different purposes. The seeds (yellow-brown in color, ridged, and 3-4 millimeters in length) are used to kill intestinal parasites such as roundworms or pinworms, and to treat abdominal pain caused by enteritis or malnutrition. However, the entire plant can be ground up and used as a laxative or to induce vomiting, while carpesium juice (taken from the plant's stems) can treat sore throat and insect bites.

The standard dosage of carpesium is 3-10 grams, which should be prepared in a decoction for oral administration. Some herbalists recommend it be ground into a powder and combined with soup when being administered. It is sometimes used in conjunction with betel nuts to enhance its anti-parisitic effects.

As of this writing, there are no known adverse effects or drug interactions with carpesium. As always, make sure to consult with a qualified health care practitioner before taking carpesium or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.

References

Kim EJ, Jin HK, Kim YK, et al. Suppression by a sesquiterpene lactone from carpesium divaricatum of inducible nitric oxide synthase by inhibiting nuclear factor-kB activation. Biochemical Pharmacology 2001;61:903-910.
Yang C, Shi YP, Jia ZJ. Sesquiterpene lactone glycosides, eudesmanolides, and other constituents from carpesium macrocephalum. Planta Med Jul 2002;68(7):626-30.
Yang C, Zhu QX, Zhang Q, et al. Eudesmanolides, aromatic derivatives, and other constituents from carpesium cernuum. Pharmazie Oct 2001;56(10):825-7.

Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum

The "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum provides a place for interested parties to ask questions about acupuncture and Oriental medicine and have them answered by a licensed acupuncturist. This month's questions:

Question #1: My wife has continuing pain in the buttock area where bone for a fusion for her back was performed. This caused scar tissue to form and block the nerves in that area. Can acupuncture help her control the pain for long periods of the day?

Answer: It is quite possible. Acupuncture can help control this type of pain. It is not harmful to have acupuncture, so she could have 10 to 15 treatments to see if she can respond. Her pain must be individually evaluated, and a proper history taken.

Question #2: I have a son that recently turned three. He has problems with bowel movements. He usually has one every six to eight days. We give him prune juice every evening, but it doesn't seem to work. Can acupuncture or herbs help?

Answer: Yes -- there are several forms of treatment for childhood constipation with traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture techniques and herbal remedies. His particular case must be determined before treatment can begin. Please see someone in your area for a personal examination, then a treatment plan will be proposed. You may want to ask to see someone who regularly works with children.

Have a question about acupuncture and Oriental medicine? Visit AcupunctureToday.com's "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum at https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/ask.

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January 2003 [Volume2, Issue 1] To Your Health is brought to you by:

This issue features a number of articles you will want to share with your family, friends and co-workers. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to them via e-mail. If you have received this e-mail newsletter from someone else, you may subscribe free of charge and begin receiving your own copy by going to: https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/subscribe.php In this issue of To Your Health: Auricular Acupuncture for Endometriotic Dysmenorrhea Herb of the Month: Carpesium Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum Auricular Acupuncture for Endometriotic Dysmenorrhea Dysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation, is one of the most common gynecological conditions, and is a leading cause of absenteeism by women from work, school and other activities. While most cases of dysmenorrhea are caused by anemia, stress and poor nutrition, some cases are caused by lesions or pelvic diseases such as endometriosis. In China, acupuncturists have used ear acupuncture to treat endometriosis for years. In this study, published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, researchers selected 67 women diagnosed with dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis and divided them into an ear acupuncture group and a Chinese herb group. Women in the acupuncture group received treatment at several points on the ear once every other day, beginning with the fifth day before the menstrual period, for a total of three menstrual cycles. Women in the herb group were given a decoction of six Chinese herbs every day for seven days, starting from the fifth day before the menstrual period, also for a total of three menstrual cycles. Women given ear acupuncture had "markedly better" results than women who took the herbal decoction. Eighty-one percent of the women who received ear acupuncture were judged to be "cured" or showed "markedly effective" improvement, compared to less than 27% of women in the Chinese herb group. The researchers speculated that acupuncture may treat endometriosis by promoting blood circulation and regulating the endocrine system. They also suggested that acupuncture could act as an analgesic by elevating levels of endorphins in the blood, especially in patients with moderate or severe dysmenorrhea. Reference Xiang D, Situ Y, Liang X, et al. Ear acupuncture therapy for 37 cases of dysmenorrhea due to endometriosis. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine December 2002;22(4):282-285. Herb of the Month: Carpesium Carpesium is a perennial plant of the compositae family. It is grown from southern Europe to eastern Asia, particularly China, Japan and Korea. Carpesium grows to about one meter in height, usually in land that has most soil, with little or no shade. Different parts of carpesium are used for different purposes. The seeds (yellow-brown in color, ridged, and 3-4 millimeters in length) are used to kill intestinal parasites such as roundworms or pinworms, and to treat abdominal pain caused by enteritis or malnutrition. However, the entire plant can be ground up and used as a laxative or to induce vomiting, while carpesium juice (taken from the plant's stems) can treat sore throat and insect bites. The standard dosage of carpesium is 3-10 grams, which should be prepared in a decoction for oral administration. Some herbalists recommend it be ground into a powder and combined with soup when being administered. It is sometimes used in conjunction with betel nuts to enhance its anti-parisitic effects. As of this writing, there are no known adverse effects or drug interactions with carpesium. As always, make sure to consult with a qualified health care practitioner before taking carpesium or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement. To learn more about the benefits of herbal medicine, visit https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/herbcentral. References Kim EJ, Jin HK, Kim YK, et al. Suppression by a sesquiterpene lactone from carpesium divaricatum of inducible nitric oxide synthase by inhibiting nuclear factor-kB activation. Biochemical Pharmacology 2001;61:903-910. Yang C, Shi YP, Jia ZJ. Sesquiterpene lactone glycosides, eudesmanolides, and other constituents from carpesium macrocephalum. Planta Med Jul 2002;68(7):626-30. Yang C, Zhu QX, Zhang Q, et al. Eudesmanolides, aromatic derivatives, and other constituents from carpesium cernuum. Pharmazie Oct 2001;56(10):825-7. Acupuncture Q & A: This Month's Highlights from the "Ask an Acupuncturist" Forum The "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum provides a place for interested parties to ask questions about acupuncture and Oriental medicine and have them answered by a licensed acupuncturist. This month's questions: Question #1: My wife has continuing pain in the buttock area where bone for a fusion for her back was performed. This caused scar tissue to form and block the nerves in that area. Can acupuncture help her control the pain for long periods of the day? Answer: It is quite possible. Acupuncture can help control this type of pain. It is not harmful to have acupuncture, so she could have 10 to 15 treatments to see if she can respond. Her pain must be individually evaluated, and a proper history taken. Question #2: I have a son that recently turned three. He has problems with bowel movements. He usually has one every six to eight days. We give him prune juice every evening, but it doesn't seem to work. Can acupuncture or herbs help? Answer: Yes -- there are several forms of treatment for childhood constipation with traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture techniques and herbal remedies. His particular case must be determined before treatment can begin. Please see someone in your area for a personal examination, then a treatment plan will be proposed. You may want to ask to see someone who regularly works with children. Have a question about acupuncture and Oriental medicine? Visit AcupunctureToday.com's "Ask an Acupuncturist" forum at https://www.acupuncturetoday.com/ask. Unsubscribe Thank you for subscribing to To Your Health. If you have received this newsletter in error or wish to unsubscribe, you may remove your name from our e-mail subscription list at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletter/TYH/unsubscribe.php. Update your e-mail address To update the e-mail address your newsletter is sent to, click here. If you have any questions regarding your subscription, please complete this form at www.acupuncturetoday.com/newsletterhelp/TYH.