Moxibustion is a treatment commonly used by acupuncturists to stimulate the acu-points. The Moxa (which is the herb ‘Mugwort’) is heated and then either placed on acupuncture needles inserted on acu-points or alternatively it is held above the skin to produce a focused radiant heat. Laser acupuncture by contrast uses laser beams focussed on acu-points.
Researchers at the Hebammenlehranstalt Luisen hospital in Germany monitored 55 pregnant women with breech presentation who were given moxibustion to the Zhiyin acupuncture point during pregnancy to promote conversion to a cephalic presentation. Results at different gestational weeks were recorded and then compared with a similar observation series of 615 other pregnant women with breech presentation which converted spontaneously and with a Chinese laser-acupuncture study.
The results revealed that although Chinese laser-acupuncture studies have shown a significant increase in breech corrections, moxibustion produced a significant lower rate of conversion. Sonographic results revealed no significant differences between the converted and the non-converted groups treated with moxibustion and two patients developed early uterine contractions. The researchers therefore concluded that moxibustion should be indicated only under medical care
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Prayer and rehabilitation
Another study conducted at the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, USA found that religious and spiritual needs of the patients were considered by the patients to be very important in their recovery.
The study undertook to ascertain the patient's pastoral needs and the extent of pastoral services which were provided. After discharge from the inpatient rehabilitation hospital, patients were asked about their perceived religious and spiritual needs, as well as to the extent of religious, spiritual, and pastoral services provided during their inpatient stay.
The majority of the patients (74%) reported their religious and spiritual beliefs were important. Forty-five percent indicated that not enough attention was paid to their religious or spiritual needs, whereas only 1% felt that too much attention was paid. A majority of patients (54%) desired pastoral visitation. Other needs were elicited, including expanded pastoral services, increased staff empathy for the patient's spiritual and religious needs, and improved availability of church or synagogue services or sacraments.
Many Jewish patients reported concerns of being punished by God, whereas Christian patients were concerned that God was unaware of their personal needs. Some responders, regardless of personal faith, were also troubled with fears of death, God's failure to heal, and loss of purpose in life.
The researchers found that religious beliefs were important factors in helping the patients cope with their health problems, and that there was a clear need to establish a mechanism to identify the religious and spiritual needs of each individual patient. These needs must be considered with both sensitivity and compassion by all members of the rehabilitation staff.
The study undertook to ascertain the patient's pastoral needs and the extent of pastoral services which were provided. After discharge from the inpatient rehabilitation hospital, patients were asked about their perceived religious and spiritual needs, as well as to the extent of religious, spiritual, and pastoral services provided during their inpatient stay.
The majority of the patients (74%) reported their religious and spiritual beliefs were important. Forty-five percent indicated that not enough attention was paid to their religious or spiritual needs, whereas only 1% felt that too much attention was paid. A majority of patients (54%) desired pastoral visitation. Other needs were elicited, including expanded pastoral services, increased staff empathy for the patient's spiritual and religious needs, and improved availability of church or synagogue services or sacraments.
Many Jewish patients reported concerns of being punished by God, whereas Christian patients were concerned that God was unaware of their personal needs. Some responders, regardless of personal faith, were also troubled with fears of death, God's failure to heal, and loss of purpose in life.
The researchers found that religious beliefs were important factors in helping the patients cope with their health problems, and that there was a clear need to establish a mechanism to identify the religious and spiritual needs of each individual patient. These needs must be considered with both sensitivity and compassion by all members of the rehabilitation staff.
Reflexology & Childbirth
Whenever stress and nervous tension are present, reflexology, like massage and aromatherapy can be very effective in inducing relaxation. It will also help to 'balance' organs and tissues throughout the body and, acting through the nervous system, actually help strengthen and normalise the circulatory system. In this way, it can help activate the body's own healing force to aid recovery.
Reflexology may also be employed to help stimulate the reproductive organs through the autonomic nervous system and so help strengthen and correct under functioning organs and balance hormonal function. Although there are no controlled studies on the subject of reflexology and infertility, there have been research studies relating to the effects of reflexology and childbirth.
A study at the Gentofte Hospital in Copenhagen revealed that reflexology is beneficial to women during the labour of childbirth. 58 out of 60 women giving birth experienced "outstanding pain relief using reflexology treatment", and 11 out of 14 women were able to avoid surgery under general anaesthesia. Dr Carsten Lenstrup was so impressed by the results that he said: "Taken as a whole, the results are so good that am not in any doubt that reflexology can give many women a better, easier and less painful delivery than they would have had otherwise." (2)
The findings of the Gentofte study were supported by a further study carried out by Dr Gowri Motva at the Jeyrani Birth Centre on the effects of reflexology on pregnant women. 37 pregnant women completed a course of 10 reflexology treatments with remarkable effect. The average length of the first stage of labour was 5 hours whereas the text book average is 16 - 24 hours; the second stage of labour lasted an average of 16 minutes compared to the text book expectancy of 1 - 2 hours, and only 5.4% of the women who had reflexology treatment required emergency caesarian section compared to an average of 13% in Newham district which was the district where the study was conducted.(2)
Reflexology may also be employed to help stimulate the reproductive organs through the autonomic nervous system and so help strengthen and correct under functioning organs and balance hormonal function. Although there are no controlled studies on the subject of reflexology and infertility, there have been research studies relating to the effects of reflexology and childbirth.
A study at the Gentofte Hospital in Copenhagen revealed that reflexology is beneficial to women during the labour of childbirth. 58 out of 60 women giving birth experienced "outstanding pain relief using reflexology treatment", and 11 out of 14 women were able to avoid surgery under general anaesthesia. Dr Carsten Lenstrup was so impressed by the results that he said: "Taken as a whole, the results are so good that am not in any doubt that reflexology can give many women a better, easier and less painful delivery than they would have had otherwise." (2)
The findings of the Gentofte study were supported by a further study carried out by Dr Gowri Motva at the Jeyrani Birth Centre on the effects of reflexology on pregnant women. 37 pregnant women completed a course of 10 reflexology treatments with remarkable effect. The average length of the first stage of labour was 5 hours whereas the text book average is 16 - 24 hours; the second stage of labour lasted an average of 16 minutes compared to the text book expectancy of 1 - 2 hours, and only 5.4% of the women who had reflexology treatment required emergency caesarian section compared to an average of 13% in Newham district which was the district where the study was conducted.(2)
Predicting which preterm infants benefit most from massage therapy
Researchers at the Department of Paediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine studied ninety-three preterm infants; the mean gestational age of the infants was 30 weeks; the mean birth weight, 1204 g, and mean duration in the intensive care was 15 days. All of the babies were randomly assigned to either a massage therapy group or a control group as soon as they were considered medically stable.
The fifty babies in the treatment group received three daily 15-minute massages for 10 days. The massage therapy infants gained significantly more weight per day than the infants in the control group (32grams compared to 29 grams). All of the babies in the treatment and control groups were divided into high and low weight gainers based on the average weight gain for the control group. Seventy per cent of the massage therapy infants were classified as high weight gainers whereas only forty per cent of the control infants were classified as high weight gainers.
A closer inspection of the records revealed that the babies who needed the most help (ie. those infants who had experienced more complications before the study began) actually benefited more from the massage therapy. Using those parametres, the researchers accurately predicted that seventy eight per cent of the infants would benefit significantly from the massage therapy. Thus, they concluded from the results, that it was possible to to identify those infants who would benefit most from future massage therapy programs.
The fifty babies in the treatment group received three daily 15-minute massages for 10 days. The massage therapy infants gained significantly more weight per day than the infants in the control group (32grams compared to 29 grams). All of the babies in the treatment and control groups were divided into high and low weight gainers based on the average weight gain for the control group. Seventy per cent of the massage therapy infants were classified as high weight gainers whereas only forty per cent of the control infants were classified as high weight gainers.
A closer inspection of the records revealed that the babies who needed the most help (ie. those infants who had experienced more complications before the study began) actually benefited more from the massage therapy. Using those parametres, the researchers accurately predicted that seventy eight per cent of the infants would benefit significantly from the massage therapy. Thus, they concluded from the results, that it was possible to to identify those infants who would benefit most from future massage therapy programs.
Massage used in post-delivery care on neonatal body temperature
Doctors at the at Kathmandu Maternity Hospital recently demonstrated that massage may play a valuable role in helping maintain babies body temperatures immediately after birth. The researchers first carried out a prospective observational study of post-delivery care and neonatal body temperature and then followed it with a randomised controlled intervention study using three simple methods used to help maintain the babies’ body temperatures.
Five hundred infants were monitored in the initial observation study and three hundred in the intervention study. In the observation study, 85% of infants had temperatures less than 36 degrees C at 2 hours following the birth and nearly 50% still had temperatures less than 36 degrees C at 24 hours after the birth.
Most of the infants who were cold after 24 hours had initially become cold at the time of delivery (incredibly, only seven infants had been both well dried and wrapped). In the intervention study, all infants were dried and wrapped before random assignment to one of the three methods: the "kangaroo" method, the traditional "oil massage" or a "plastic swaddler". All three methods were found to be equally effective. Overall, 38% of the infants had temperatures less than 36 degrees C at 2 hours and less than 18% ( at 24 hours.
Five hundred infants were monitored in the initial observation study and three hundred in the intervention study. In the observation study, 85% of infants had temperatures less than 36 degrees C at 2 hours following the birth and nearly 50% still had temperatures less than 36 degrees C at 24 hours after the birth.
Most of the infants who were cold after 24 hours had initially become cold at the time of delivery (incredibly, only seven infants had been both well dried and wrapped). In the intervention study, all infants were dried and wrapped before random assignment to one of the three methods: the "kangaroo" method, the traditional "oil massage" or a "plastic swaddler". All three methods were found to be equally effective. Overall, 38% of the infants had temperatures less than 36 degrees C at 2 hours and less than 18% ( at 24 hours.
Massage and premature babies
The explosion of narcotic and alcohol abuse in the USA has been accompanied by a surge of premature cocaine-exposed babies who often suffer post-natal complications and exhibit poor co-ordination and motor skills along with increased stress behaviours during infancy. Researchers at the department of Pediatrics at the University Miami School of Medicine studied the effect of massage on thirty cocaine-exposed premature babies who were randomly assigned to receive massage therapy or placed in a control group as soon as they were considered medically stable.
The fifteen babies in the treatment group received three 15-minute massages over a period of three consecutive hours each day for ten days. All of the babies were monitored as to weight gain, post-natal complications and motor skills and compared with the babies in the control group.
The researchers found that the massage group showed significant improvements over the control group. At the end of the 10-day study period the babies who received massage averaged 28% greater weight gain per day (33g as opposed to 26g in the control group) even though both the dietary volume and calorific intakes were the same in both groups. The babies in the massage group also showed significantly fewer post-natal complications and stress behaviours than the control group, and they also demonstrated more mature motor skills.
This study gives a fascinating insight into the physiological benefits of massage therapy for premature cocaine-exposed babies. It seems that as little as three fifteen minute sessions of massage over a 10 day period can make a dramatic difference to a baby's development and effectively reduce the main problems associated with cocaine exposure. The study indicates that massage therapy may have an increasingly significant role to play in paediatric medicine.
The fifteen babies in the treatment group received three 15-minute massages over a period of three consecutive hours each day for ten days. All of the babies were monitored as to weight gain, post-natal complications and motor skills and compared with the babies in the control group.
The researchers found that the massage group showed significant improvements over the control group. At the end of the 10-day study period the babies who received massage averaged 28% greater weight gain per day (33g as opposed to 26g in the control group) even though both the dietary volume and calorific intakes were the same in both groups. The babies in the massage group also showed significantly fewer post-natal complications and stress behaviours than the control group, and they also demonstrated more mature motor skills.
This study gives a fascinating insight into the physiological benefits of massage therapy for premature cocaine-exposed babies. It seems that as little as three fifteen minute sessions of massage over a 10 day period can make a dramatic difference to a baby's development and effectively reduce the main problems associated with cocaine exposure. The study indicates that massage therapy may have an increasingly significant role to play in paediatric medicine.
Nausea & vomiting
Acupressure for the prevention of nausea and vomiting after epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain reliefThere have been numerous studies demonstrating the efficacy of acupressure on the P-6 (Neiguan) acupoint in preventing and alleviating nausea (1). However, researchers at the Department of Anesthesiology, Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan have recently demonstrated that this treatment has applications in childbirth.
Nausea arid vomiting are common side effects following administration of epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief. The researchers therefore sought to evaluate the antiemetic effect of P-6 acupressure in women who were given epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief.
In a randomised, double-blind and controlled trial, sixty women receiving epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief were allocated to receive either the acupressure bands on the P-6 acupoint on both arms, or placebo bands, before the administration ofspinal anaesthesia and the women were monitored over the following 48 hours.
The data revealed that the incidence of nausea and vomiting was significantly decreased from 43% and 27% in the control group, and from to 3% and 0% in the acupressure group. These results demonstrate that prophylactic use of acupressure bands bilaterally on the P-6 acupoint can significantly reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting after epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief.
Nausea arid vomiting are common side effects following administration of epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief. The researchers therefore sought to evaluate the antiemetic effect of P-6 acupressure in women who were given epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief.
In a randomised, double-blind and controlled trial, sixty women receiving epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief were allocated to receive either the acupressure bands on the P-6 acupoint on both arms, or placebo bands, before the administration ofspinal anaesthesia and the women were monitored over the following 48 hours.
The data revealed that the incidence of nausea and vomiting was significantly decreased from 43% and 27% in the control group, and from to 3% and 0% in the acupressure group. These results demonstrate that prophylactic use of acupressure bands bilaterally on the P-6 acupoint can significantly reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting after epidural morphine for post-Cesarean section pain relief.
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