Acupuncture Improves Sleep - New Research

[jason]

New research concludes that acupuncture benefits sleep. A controlled trial conducted on pigs measured sleep outcomes when the subjects received acupuncture at acupoints GV20 and Dafengmen (an acupoint anatomically similar to human GV20, Baihui). Results were measured using an actigraph (Octagonal Basic Motionlogger) and by measuring catecholamine counts in the urine after the application of acupuncture. Pigs receiving acupuncture at Dafengmen for 20 minutes at a depth of 10-20mm showed significant values on the actigraph and urine analysis showed significant changes in the catecholamine count.
The researchers note that the traditional location of GV20 on pigs does not correspond anatomically to human GV20 and therefore Dafengmen was studied along with GV20. Dafengmen is located using the midline between the ears technique and therefore corresponds to human GV20. Sleep improvements were achieved with Dafengmen. The pigs were kept in a light, humidity and temperature controlled environment and acupuncture was applied for 20 minutes (10-20mm depth) using Seirin J type needles (0.2 X 50mm).


more Acupuncture Improves Sleep - New Research

 

[SjNative]

I used to get acupuncture back when I was in 5th grade for my severe allergies and I must agree that this greatly helped me lessen my allergy symptoms and improved my sleep. I would always have restless nights but after a couple months of going to the acupuncture multiple times a week, I was able to start sleeping through the whole night without waking up at all. It also improved my allergies as I started to have less severe symptoms, but after stopping for a while, the symptoms have started to get worse. Although it has gotten worse after stopping, it has never gotten to the severity of when I was in 5th grade.

 

[janayc]

expensive or not

It seems acupuncture helps. Is there a mthod to do it at home? Do you all do some of the acupuncture at home too?

 

[peacenik]

I would highly recommend against trying acupuncture at home yourself. You really need to be properly trained or you can end up causing nerve damage that can be permanent.

 

[hunysukle]

Thanks for sharing that information. I would love to try acupuncture sometime, as well as learn how to perform it on others. It seems like it would be very relaxing and invigorating.

 

[BrittneyD]

I have heard that acupuncture works great for many things. I have not tried it yet because I am nervous around needles. I do want to try it if it truly helps with sleep. There are some nights when I can't fall asleep at all. I just wish that I could get past the thought of the needles. For those who have had it done, is it really that bad? Everytime I think about needles, I think about the nerve test that I had done. They stuck 25 needles throughout my legs and then shocked me. It was extremely painful.

 

[katdolores]

I haven't tried acupuncture yet, but I wanted to try for a long time already. They say that it has great effects and will make you very relaxed afterwards. I usually just have a massage but I have thought of trying acupuncture many times. Maybe if I heard a friend with a testimony about the acupuncture clinic at our place and find out it is good, I would try it right away.

 

[cbm87]

Wow! Great information. I hope I can try acupuncture soon. I've been having problems with sleeping for the past two weeks already, and I still end up feeling tired even after having at least 8 hours of sleep. This is the first time it's happened, though. I hope I'll be able to find great acupuncturists around here. I'm really excited to try something new, especially if it means I'll be able to have a sound sleep at night. Thank you for this information!

 

[artistry]

Very interesting information. I don't think I would try acupuncture at home. There are nerves that could be damaged as a result and you could wind up in a worse condition than when you started. People study for a long time, to know what they are doing. Do not put yourself in jeopardy.

 

[SifuPhil]

As a retired acupuncturist I'll agree that you don't want to play around with it at home. A possible alternative would be to learn some self-acupressure, which has some of the same benefits but far fewer dangers involved. In fact the only side-effect I've ever seen from self-administered acupressure has been bruising among some sensitive body types.

It still helps to take at least a few hands-on courses even in acupressure, since acquiring the "feel" isn't something that is easily learned from a book or video.

 

[Esperahol]

That sounds great, but I just cannot do it - between the cynic in me and my hilarious (that is what the nurse said) phobia of needles.. ain't never gonna happen.

 

[artifactsofmars]

This is probably one of my biggest phobias. When I go to get a shot I cannot look at the needle. I have to turn away and just wait for the inevitable stick. Of course I cannot escape it going to the dentist and that really drives me out of my mind.

 

[Parker]

I have only had acupuncture done when I was suffering with carpal tunnel syndrome. I paid for it myself since the Workers' Comp doctors wanted me to get surgery. It requires a lot of skill and you should not do it on yourself without any training.

 

[SifuPhil]

For the needle-fearers, you DO realize don't you that acupuncture needles are usually very, very small - often only 2" in length - and only as wide as a few hairs put together? Sure, they have larger ones but they're used much less often.

In the hands of a skilled practitioner you barely even know that the needle is in - it isn't like going to a phlebotomist with a nervous condition.

 

[artistry]

You are funny SifuPhil. Indeed the needles are very, very thin and after the initial entry, it should be fine from there on.
Good advice to the faint of heart.

 

[Esperahol]

For the needle-fearers, you DO realize don't you that acupuncture needles are usually very, very small - often only 2" in length - and only as wide as a few hairs put together? Sure, they have larger ones but they're used much less often.

In the hands of a skilled practitioner you barely even know that the needle is in - it isn't like going to a phlebotomist with a nervous condition.

Phoba of needles - I freak out when I have to have my finger pricked. I am not good with needles and I have never been good with needle of any size. I mean it really doesn't matter how small or thin or practiced the handler. I suck at dealing with needles.

 

[SifuPhil]

Phoba of needles - I freak out when I have to have my finger pricked. I am not good with needles and I have never been good with needle of any size. I mean it really doesn't matter how small or thin or practiced the handler. I suck at dealing with needles.

I never would have imagined you as a trypanophobe.

Personally I have both leukophobia (fear of the color white) and levophobia (fear of things to the left side of the body) - driving down a road with a white stripe was murder.

 

[Esperahol]

I never would have imagined you as a trypanophobe.

Personally I have both leukophobia (fear of the color white) and levophobia (fear of things to the left side of the body) - driving down a road with a white stripe was murder.

Dude I am so sorry for that, as for my trypanophobia - it is better than a fear of bugs, spiders, birds, open spaces, heights, etc. I mean in everyday life I generally don't have to deal with them so it's all good and I avoid the doctor like the plague.

 

[SifuPhil]

Dude I am so sorry for that, as for my trypanophobia - it is better than a fear of bugs, spiders, birds, open spaces, heights, etc. I mean in everyday life I generally don't have to deal with them so it's all good and I avoid the doctor like the plague.

Actually I was making a joke but it died.

True though that you can be pretty selective about avoiding needles - I guess you're not in those lines of people waiting to get their yearly flu shots or volunteering blood or plasma.

The only "fear" I would have about needles, whether acupuncture, tattoo or other wise, would be sterilization or the lack of it. That fear really came home in the 70's with the discovery of AIDS and the increased use of drugs that required injections. In acupuncture at least the most common needles are factory-fresh, pre-sterilized and thrown away after one use - I'm not really sure about the other fields. Sharps protocols improved greatly as a result so that was one good fallout from a bad time.

 

[Esperahol]

Actually I was making a joke but it died.

True though that you can be pretty selective about avoiding needles - I guess you're not in those lines of people waiting to get their yearly flu shots or volunteering blood or plasma.

The only "fear" I would have about needles, whether acupuncture, tattoo or other wise, would be sterilization or the lack of it. That fear really came home in the 70's with the discovery of AIDS and the increased use of drugs that required injections. In acupuncture at least the most common needles are factory-fresh, pre-sterilized and thrown away after one use - I'm not really sure about the other fields. Sharps protocols improved greatly as a result so that was one good fallout from a bad time.

Your joke died because you deserved it. That said I am very selective about my encounters with the Evils of Needles. Of course I can make my hideous fear of awful things look reasonable by pointing out the horrors of unsterilized needles. It helps (not that it isn't unfortunate) that recently VA hospitals have been shown to give people heptitis and the like along with their transfusions.