Transcript Acupuncture Meridians

ACUPUNCTURE’S ROLE IN
MANAGING EPILEPSY
Presented by
Maoshing Ni, Ph.D., D.O.M., L.Ac.
Ban B. Wong, M.S., L.Ac.
TAO OF WELLNESS
Can Acupuncture Help Epilepsy?
• Acupuncture May Reduce the
Frequency and Severity of Epileptic
Seizures
• Acupuncture May Decrease PostSeizure Symptoms
• Acupuncture May Also Reduce SideEffects of Anti-Seizure Medications
Research 1
• A study of 1,315
patients treated with
acupuncture along
with herbal medicine
over a two year
period, conducted by
Fushan Epilepsy
Hospital in China, as
published by its
director, Dr. Shoyin
Wei
• Results:
• 1,087 (82%) cases
received complete
remission.
• 170 (13%) cases
experienced substantial
decrease in frequency
and rate of seizure
episodes.
• 58 (4%) cases
experienced no change.
Research 2
• One German study involved 98 people with
epilepsy over 12-18 months, 65 people
showed marked improvements with an
absence of seizures during a one-year
period without drugs. Afterwards, patients
received acupuncture maintenance
treatments once a week over 2-3 months.
Relapses occurred in 5 cases.
• Epilepsia, May/June 1991, pp. 289-302. 2. Fisher, M.V., "Acupuncture
Therapy in the Outpatient Department of the Heidelberg University
Clinic." Anaesthetist. 31(1):25-32, 1982.
Research 3
• One U.S. study of acupuncture on 5 dogs
with seizure disorder, all had decreased
numbers of seizures after being treated
with acupuncture. Three continued to have
fewer seizures with lower levels of
anticonvulsants; the other two dogs also
had a reduction in seizures.
Klide, A.M. et al. "Acupuncture Therapy for the Treatment of
Intractable Idiopathic Epilepsy in Five Dogs." Acupuncture
Electrotherapy Research, 12 (1), 1987, pp. 71-4.
What is Acupuncture?
How Does Acupuncture Work?
 Studies have shown acupuncture to produce
endocrine and neurological responses as well as
helpful in counteracting the effects of stress
 fMRI study of P6 at Harvard Medical School
showed direct hypothalamus activities
 fMRI study of G37 at UCI showed direct visual
cortex activities
 Studies show acupuncture increases
cholecystokinin level in the central nervous
system--a deficiency of which can cause seizure
Acupuncture Meridians
Case Study
A 7-year-old female patient in the pediatric
intensive care unit with intractable
seizures for 6 weeks.
ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT OF PEDIATRIC STATUS EPILEPTICUS
Y.C. Lin, MD, MPH, Dept of Anesthesia, Stanford University School of Medicine
and G. Hong, MD, Oregon Academy of Medical Acupuncture,
Treatment
Acupuncture: 3 treatments for the first week,
then 2 times weekly for 4 weeks. Each
treatment was 10 minutes long, and
electrical stimulation was performed at low
frequency.
Outcome
Before Acupuncture: EEG showed periods of burst
suppression alternating with periods of continuous
seizure activity.
After Acupuncture: EEG showed moderate
generalized cortical dysfunction with no electrographic
seizures, and no overt seizure activity was noted;
more obvious change at the second treatment.
Result: Patient was weaned off phenobarbital drip and
was transferred to the regular ward. Following
discontinuation of her tracheotomy tube, she was
transferred to a rehabilitation facility.
Discussion
Seizure is viewed in Traditional Chinese
Medicine (TCM):
1. One of the four major disorders affecting
children
2. The first known documentation of
epilepsy appeared in the Yellow Emperor's
Classic of Medicine (700-221 B.C.)
3. TCM considers Seizure as “Wind”
generated by extremes of Heat or Cold
Recent Development
• Complementary and Alternative
Therapies for Epilepsy were the topic
of a recent three-day course at New
York University School of Medicine in
New York City
Seminar Continued
“There are many approaches to
complementary and alternative
therapies and that many patients
[with epilepsy] benefit from the
additional treatments.”
Orrin Devinsky, M.D., Professor of Neurology,
Neurosurgery and Psychiatry at NYU School of
Medicine, Director NYU-Mount Sinai Comprehensive
Epilepsy Center
Seminar Continued
“Alternative therapies can
include …. aromatherapy to
yoga, hypnosis to massage
therapy, pet therapy to
magnetic stimulation, or
acupuncture to herbs.”
Massage Therapy
Meditation
Herbal Medicine
Traditional Chinese Herbs
• Gastrodia
– Anticonvulsive effects
– Raises Seizure
Threshold and inhibits
development of
epilpsy signs on EEG
– Duration of effect in
stopping seizure after
halting treatment is
longer than
phenobarbital
• Uncaria
– Anticonvulsive effects
– Stopped seizure in
induced epilepticus in
guinea pigs
– Regulates blood
pressure
– Calming effect
Current Research on Herbal
Medicine
• Dr. Steven Schachter, Professor of
Neurology at Harvard Medical School
(HMS), and Associate Director of Clinical
Research at the HMS Division for
Research and Education in
Complementary and Integrative Medical
Therapies, recently received a research
grant from The Epilepsy Project to lead a
study on East Asian herbs as a potential
source of new anti-seizure medications.
Dr. Steven
“The main goal of the study is to
scientifically study herbs and combinations
of herbs that have traditionally been used
over a number of centuries in East Asia to
treat seizures.The ultimate goal is to
discover new compounds that could
possibly undergo further testing in people
with epilepsy.”
- Steven Schachter, MD
International Collaboration
• China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Beijing, China
• Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
• Keio University, Japan.
• Harvard Medical School Division for Research
and Education in Complementary & Integrative
Medical Therapies (David Eisenberg, M.D.,
Steve Schachter, M.D.)
• Ban B. Wong, M.S., L.Ac., Tao of Wellness, U.S.
The Future Model for Epilepsy
• An Integrative Approach
– Lifestyle Management
– Meditation/Stress Management
– Dietary Therapy
– Massage Therapy
– Herbal Therapy
– Acupuncture
– Drug Therapy
– Surgery
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