Research conducted at the Changhai Hospital Medical University found acupuncture more effective than hormones for treating endometriosis. This acupuncture endometriosis study confirmed independent laboratory findings that acupuncture and herbal medicine reduced ectopic endometrial tissue.
Acupuncture Endometriosis Study
Acupuncture outperformed mifepristone (a synthetic steroid that sheds endometrial buildup) to treat endometriosis. This six-month randomized clinical trial consisted of 72 patients divided into two groups:
- Treatment group – patients received electroacupuncture and achieved a 94.4% total effective rate.
- Control group – patients received mifepristone and achieved a 91.7% total effective rate.
In addition, the electroacupuncture group had significantly lower CA 125 levels than the medication group. CA125 is a biological marker for endometriosis severity. High CA 125 levels correlate with severe endometriosis and uterine fibroids.
Acupuncture Treatment Protocol
The acupuncture group had 36 patients with a mean age of 33 years and an average disease course of 34 months. The drug control group had 36 patients with a mean age of 35 and a 32-month average disease duration.
The control group received 12.5 mg of mifepristone once a day for six months. The treatment group received electroacupuncture at the following acupoints:
- CV6 (Qihai)
- CV4 (Guanyuan)
- CV3 (Zhongji)
- EX-CA1 (Zigong)
- SP8 (Diji)
- SP6 (Sanyinjiao)
- LI4 (Hegu)
- LV3 (Taichong)
All needles were sterile and single-use. After insertion of the points, practitioners elicited a deqi sensation (achy feeling at the site of the needle). Activating the Qi in this way is standard practice for maximizing the benefits of acupuncture treatment.
Electroacupuncture
The practitioners in the acupuncture endometriosis study then connected the needles to an electroacupuncture machine. Specifically, they joined bilateral Zigong points to CV4 and CV3, all residing on the lower abdomen. Next, they set the device to a continuous wave (70 Hz, 3 mA) with 30-minute needle retention.
Patients in the acupuncture group received treatment every other day for six months, after which the investigators measured results, including a one-year follow-up to calculate recurrence rates.
Acupuncture Outperforms Medications
The results demonstrated that electroacupuncture was an important therapeutic option for patients with endometriosis. Both acupuncture and medications provided significant improvements for patients. However, electroacupuncture treatment realized more significant patient improvements, particularly in reducing CA 125 levels.
Furthermore, the acupuncture group saw a lower recurrence rate in the year following treatment. As a result, the researchers concluded that electroacupuncture was an effective protocol for treating endometriosis.
Additional Endometriosis Research
The laboratory findings of a second acupuncture endometriosis study were consistent with the one above. Yueyang Hospital of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine researchers tested the effectiveness of different treatment protocols treating endometriosis in rats. [3]
Investigators randomly divided the rats into four groups: model, electroacupuncture, herbal medicine, and electroacupuncture plus herbal medicine. They concluded that electroacupuncture plus Chinese herbs produced optimal treatment outcomes for endometriosis model rats.
Researchers prescribed the herbal formula Jia Wei Mo Jie Pian in the acupuncture endometriosis study to activate qi and blood circulation, remove stasis, and relieve pain. The acupuncture treatment included applying moxibustion to CV4 (Guanyuan) and using electronic stimulation at the following acupoints:
- SP10 (Xuehai)
- SP6 (Sanyinjiao)
The electroacupuncture plus herbal medicine group outperformed the other three groups in reducing the size of endometrial tissue. These two studies support electroacupuncture in producing positive outcomes for endometriosis patients. In addition, the combination of acupuncture and herbal medicine introduces a more significant potential for positive patient outcomes.
Next Steps
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Resources
Video – Raleigh Acupuncture Endometriosis Treatment.
Second Endometriosis Research Study.
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References
[1] Zhang XX, Li WH. (2015). Efficacy on endometriosis treated with acupuncture. Chinese Acupuncture, 35(04): 323-326. DOI:10.13703/j.0255-2930.2015.04.003.
[2] Koninckx PR. (1994). Is mild endometriosis a condition occurring intermittently in all women? Hum Reprod, 9:2202–2205.
[3] Zhang CY, et al. (2014). Effect of combined acupuncture and medicine on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in endometriosis rats. Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, 33(08): 764-768. DOI:10.13460/j.issn.1005-0957.2014.08.0764.
Focus keyphrase: acupuncture endometriosis study
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