Tag: Acupuncture and HRV
Effect of “needle sensation” and the real-time changes in autonomic nervous system activity during acupuncture analgesia
Acupuncture analgesia (AA) is commonly used, with the autonomic nervous system (ANS) playing a crucial role in its mechanism. A study assessed real-time Autonomic Nervous System changes during Acupuncture analgesia in a human pain model. Participants were randomized into model, sham acupuncture, and acupuncture groups. Acupuncture significantly reduced pain compared to the model group, with…
Read MoreInstant and short-term effects of acupuncture for depression and anxiety in unstable angina pectoris patients with percutaneous coronary interventions.
This is a nice, well-conceived study since it focuses on a specific population under specific circumstances (pre-op cath lab). What they found was that the patients receiving electroacupuncture had lower LF/HF which means their stress profile of sympathetic/parasympathetic activity was lowered. The measure of their vagal activity was higher. One specific measure of inflammation, Il-6,…
Read MoreControl Your Stress With Acupuncture to Rest, Restore and Live Long: Video
topic of stress and why controlling it is crucial for your well-being and how to do that. Click on my photo for a brief videoGreetings! And welcome to my channel and blog! Where ancient medicine is made modern. Today we’ll dive into the topic of stress and why controlling it is crucial for your well-being…
Read MoreThe Dosage Effect of Laser Acupuncture at PC6 (Neiguan) on Heart Rate Variability: A Pilot Study
This is a very important study in that it corroborates the groundbreaking study from Nature that established that the intensity/frequency of stimulation can be important in achieving parasympathetic increase. I measure parasympathetic activity, or vagal activity in the clinic. In this study they varied the energy density applied to Neiguan, or Pericardium 6. If it…
Read MoreHRV and Photobiomodulation for Vagal and Sympathetic ANS modulation
If nothing else, I aim to improve my patients’ autonomic balance by increasing their vagal activity. Stimulating the vagus nerve indirectly to increase parasympathetic activity and decreasing sympathetic activity. Acupuncture can increase vagal activity as well as transcutaneous auricular vagal stimulation. I am extremely excited by this study. Not only does it validate my approach of…
Read MoreHeart Rate and Autonomic Nervous System Activity Relationship During Acupuncture Associated with Postural Change and Effect on Menopausal Symptoms:
In addition to showing that just 4 weeks of acupuncture improved menopausal symptoms, these authors show that vagal activity is enhanced with acupuncture needling in real time. This study looks at the effect of postural change on HR and HRV in menopausal women receiving once per week acupuncture. They compare the verum acupuncture group with…
Read MoreCan acupuncture improve objective sleep indices in patients with primary insomnia? A systematic review and meta-analysis
Nice study. Other sleep study here, and here Zhao FY, Fu QQ, Kennedy GA, Conduit R, Zhang WJ, Wu WZ, Zheng Z. Can acupuncture improve objective sleep indices in patients with primary insomnia? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med. 2021 Apr;80:244-259. doi: 10.1016/j.sleep.2021.01.053. Epub 2021 Feb 2. PMID: 33610071. Abstract Background: The efficacy of acupuncture for…
Read MoreEffects of Acupuncture on Heart Rate Variability During Sleep: Comparison with Nonacupuncture Site Stimulation Using a Crossover Design.
This is a very nice study that looks at HRV during sleep comparing verum acupuncture with sham acupuncture. They find that there was a significant increase in parasympathetic activity during sleep (except during REM sleep). Heart rate also decreased. Previous studies have shown that acupuncture improves sleep, so here we see that this autonomic shift…
Read MoreKevin Tracey: The Inflammatory Reflex and the Role of Complementary and Alternative Medical Therapies
A somewhat older article, but articulates very nicely the role of acupuncture as a potential to activate the vagus nerve. This is what I’ve been looking at for many, many years with HRV. Oke SL, Tracey KJ. The inflammatory reflex and the role of complementary and alternative medical therapies. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009;1172:172-180. doi:10.1196/annals.1393.013…
Read MorePoster Presentation INS Barcelona: HRV as biomarker for successful TAVNS treatment during acupuncture
I realize the poster is hard to read. Feel free to go to the link for a better view. Basically, I was trying to see if TAVNS, transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation, would alter the HRV of patients while receiving acupuncture. My hypothesis was that it would further improve patients HRV if given during an acupuncture…
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