Thesis (M. CM)--Hong Kong Baptist University, 2006. / Dissertation submitted to the School of Chinese Medicine. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 25-28).

Introduction: Anxiety and depression are common among patients enrolled in psychiatric outpatient care. Ear Acupuncture is an alternative form of treatment that has been shown to relieve anxiety and depression in previous studies. Aim: To evaluate ear acupuncture as a group treatment for depression and anxiety Method: A psychiatric outpatient clinic has been offering group treatments with ear acupuncture for anxiety and depression for 5 weeks. Participants of the study have answered self-rating scales Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory and Sheehan Disability scale before and after the treatment period. Material was collected in the period 2008-2012 and has been analyzed in SPSS. Results: Data from 31 patients were included in the study. The results from the study showed a significant difference, between the measurements before and after treatment, with a reduction of the average values in the three different scales. Summary: From this study, it is difficult to draw any conclusions about the effect of ear acupuncture. More studies in this area is needed to be able to draw any conclusions. Keywords: Acupuncture, anxiety, auricular acupuncture, depression, psychiatric. / Introduktion: Ångest och depression är vanligt förekommande bland patienter inskrivna i psykiatrisk öppenvård. Öronakupunktur är en alternativ behandlingsform som visat sig lindra ångest och depression enligt flera tidigare utförda studier. Syfte: Utvärdering av öronakupunktur som gruppbehandling vid ångest och depression Metod: En psykiatrisk öppenvårdsmottagning har erbjudit gruppbehandlingar med öronakupunktur mot ångest och depression under 5 veckor. Deltagarna har svarat på självskattningsskalorna Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory och Sheehans funktionskala före respektive efter behandlingsperioden. Material är insamlat mellan 2008-2012, vilket har analyserats med hjälp av SPSS. Resultat: Data från 31 patienter inkluderades i studien. Efter behandling visades en signifikant skillnad med en sänkning av medelvärdena i de tre olika skalorna. Slutsats: Utifrån denna studie är det svårt att dra några slutsatser angående öronakupunkturens effekt. Mer studier inom området är önskvärt. Nyckelord: Acupuncture, anxiety, auricular acupuncture, depression, psychiatric.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

published_or_final_version / Psychiatry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Abstract not available

Background: Persistent allergic rhinitis (PAR) is a common disorder affecting substantial number of people worldwide. In Australia, allergic rhinitis affects 16% of the population. Increasingly, patients are seeking alternative therapies especially acupuncture for allergic diseases. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture in the treatment of persistent allergic rhinitis. Methods: Eighty (80) subjects aged between 16 and 70 were randomly assigned to either real or sham acupuncture groups. Each patient received either real or sham acupuncture treatments twice per week for the period of eight weeks. Daily symptom scores by subjects using five-point scale was employed as the primary outcome measure to assess the severity of nasal symptoms every day. The secondary outcome measures were rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) and relief medication scores. Relief medication scores were recorded every day by subjects whereas RQLQ assessment was monitored fortnightly throughout the trial and at the end of three-month follow-up period. Results: Compared to the control group, the real acupuncture group demonstrated more improvement of nasal symptoms after eight-week treatment and significant after the follow-up periods. Significant differences between the two groups were also shown in terms of RQLQ. While there were not significantly Relief medication scores were more reduced in real acupuncture group than those in control group, although the differences were not significant. Both real and sham acupuncture treatments were well tolerated. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that acupuncture is potentially an effective and safe option of treatment for persistent allergic rhinitis and it may improve patients' quality of life.

I världen lever cirka 3-5 procent av befolkningen med det långvariga smärtsyndromet fibromyalgi. Det är svårt att finna behandlingar mot fibromyalgi då det inte finns någon vetenskap om vad som orsakar syndromet. Syftet med föreliggande litteraturstudie var att beskriva effekterna på smärta och hälsa av akupunkturbehandling hos personer med fibromyalgi samt beskriva kvaliteten av de valda artiklarnas metod. Studien utformades med en deskriptiv design där 11 vetenskapliga artiklar inkluderades och sammanställdes. Litteratursökningarna utfördes i databaserna Medline (PubMed) samt Cinahl. Resultatet visade att akupunktur gav positiva kortsiktiga effekter på smärta och hälsa i kombination med farmakologisk behandling hos personer med fibromyalgi. Däremot var långtidseffekten av akupunktur inte betydande effektiv. Placebo visade sig även ge en god effekt. Akupunktur gav betydande minskning av smärta genom en förhöjd aktivering av endogena opioidreceptorer samt genom ökat blodflöde i hud och muskler. Slutsatsen av studien var att akupunktur med fördel kan användas tillsammans med farmakologisk behandling till personer med fibromyalgi. För att kunna ge en god omvårdnad är det viktigt att få kunskap och förståelse om akupunktur som behandlingsmetod till denna population. För att dra några slutsatser om akupunktur kan ge några långsiktiga effekter behövs mer forskning inom området.

published_or_final_version / Medicine / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Background Traditional medication therapy and psychotherapy are commonly used for treatment drug abstinence syndrome. Because of the side effects of traditional medication therapy (MT), acupuncture therapy (AT) is under investigation for treating abstinence syndrome, particularly for heroin detoxification. This project aims to review different randomised clinical trials (RCTs) of heroin detoxification treatment by acupuncture, and retrieve relevant data so that appropriate suggestions can be made to the Narcotics Division (ND), the Department of Health (DH), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and related local public health institutes for the anti-drug services of heroin and opioid drugs. Methods A systematic review was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar to retrieve 13 relevant articles of randomised clinical trials (RCTs) in English and Chinese conducted from 2000 to 2014. These RCTs contained data of heroin-dependent patients, details of assessment of abstinence syndrome and treatments; and comparison of efficacy of AT with MT, such as side effects, severity and relapse of heroin abstinence in physical and psychological aspects. Results 13 articles were included. All treatments were conducted in clinics or hospitals. Different intervention strategies were included, comparing AT with MT, AT plus MT with MT alone, AT with no treatment as well as true AT with superficial AT. All trials have reported better therapeutic effects in the heroin abusers with AT, regardless the use of medication, age and sex. Improved treatment effects were demonstrated in reducing psychological effect of heroin abstinence, such as anxiety and depression, sleep quality, relapse and heroin craving. Also, improved treatment of physical effects of abstinence was shown by increasing body weight, improved liver and kidney functions, improved immunity and lower adverse effects than conventional MT. No adverse effect was reported in 3 trials (23%) or mentioned in 9 trials (69%), mild adverse effects was reported in 1 trial. Conclusions ND, DH, NGOs and other local public health institutes should conduct further studies in Hong Kong to obtain primary local data of the therapeutical effects of AT, and implement AT as an adjunct to the traditional MT and psychotherapy for treating heroin abstinence syndrome due to it high efficacy, safety and low side effects. / published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Technology, Sydney, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.