SummarySeit Jahrhunderten kommen Wasseranwendungen zur Steigerung von Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden... more SummarySeit Jahrhunderten kommen Wasseranwendungen zur Steigerung von Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden zum Einsatz. Studien belegen die Wirksamkeit der Wassertherapie nach Kneipp bei Indikationen wie chronisch-venöser Insuffizienz, Hypertonie, leichter Herzinsuffizienz, menopausalen Beschwerden und Schlafstörungen. Bei äußerlichen Anwendungen spielen Wärme oder Kälte eine wichtige Rolle. So kann Eisbaden zum Beispiel die Stressresistenz, die emotionale Stabilität sowie das Herz-Kreislauf-System stärken. Wärmebäder besitzen eine entspannende und stressregulierende Wirkung. Innerlich angewandt hat eine hohe Wasseraufnahme ebenfalls viele positive Effekte auf den Körper.
: Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medical practice, which has at its heart a subcontinent filled... more : Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medical practice, which has at its heart a subcontinent filled with diverse customs and ethos. Since ancient times, as considered in the Vedas, fasting has been considered to aid a man’s spiritual life as a means of purification. The body and mind constitute the substrata of diseases, and the imbalance of Vata, Pitta, Kapha, somatic Doshas, and Rajas and Tamas (mental doshas) results in various diseases. Derangement of metabolism (Agni) is a major cause of the imbalance in the abovementioned doshas. In Ayurveda, Agni refers to the complete process of metabolic activities, both at the levels of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the tissues. Digestion, metabolism, and assimilation, that is, the entire process of biological conversion and utilisation, is symbolised by ‘Agni’. The concept of channels and microchannels (srotus) plays a major role in metabolic processes as particles are transported for various bodily functions through these channels. The concept of metabolic toxins (Ama) is very relevant in modern times, particularly in the treatment of many diseases including irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, adiposity, hypercholesterolaemia, obesity, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, oedema, migraine, chronic fatigue syndrome, burnout syndrome, various skin diseases and psychiatric and psychosomatic diseases that occur due to weak digestion and tissue metabolism. The vitiated doshas in the body, particularly in the stomach, reduce the intensity of or impair digestive activity to cause digestive impairment and the production of metabolic toxins. They together block the channels in the body which result in various diseases. Fasting is the absence of food in the viscera or ensuring a controlled food intake and aids the digestion of metabolic toxins, kindles digestive enzymes, activates tissue metabolism, and removes the blockage in the channels.
Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 2019
The use of medicinal leech therapy (MLT) is the subject of many articles describing basic pharmac... more The use of medicinal leech therapy (MLT) is the subject of many articles describing basic pharmacological principles, application procedures, or efficacy and safety of the broad range of therapeutic indications. This review is focused on the information gap between Eastern and Western medicine when medicinal leech therapy is used in wound healing. Impaired wound healing has serious consequences for patients' health in a variety of clinical conditions. Western, Persian and Indian medicine seem to apply different therapeutic approaches when using medicinal leech therapy for healing wounds. A range of review articles, single case reports and case series on the use of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing have been inspected. The various reports indicate that medicinal leech therapy has potential benefits for patients experiencing venous congestion of the skin and tissues, as well as varied types of ulcers. Such therapy is proven to have thrombolytic, anti-coagulant, blood and lymph enhancing, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. The specifics of these approaches are expected to stimulate further research on the use of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing. Although the use of medicinal leech therapy to relieve venous congestion following reconstructive and plastic surgery is well-known in Western medicine, its use in promoting wound healing in various ulcer forms, in the context of Ayurveda/Unani/Persian medicine, seems largely restricted to Asian-and Arabic spheres. The true value of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing should be elucidated by further investigations applying modern, evidence-based research methods.
The results of previous systematic reviews of the economic impacts of CIM are limited and now out... more The results of previous systematic reviews of the economic impacts of CIM are limited and now out of date. The purpose of this comprehensive review is to capture and highlight for policy makers what is currently known about the economics of CIM, and to make recommendations for future research. Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, AMED, PsychInfo, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched through December 2010 using a comprehensive search strategy. In addition, bibliographies were searched, and key researchers contacted. All full economic evaluations published 2001-2010 were also subjected to five study quality criteria and one indicator of whether the study's results were transferable (i.e., could be adjusted to apply/generalize to other settings). Results: A total of 340 economic evaluations of CIM were found, of which 206, covering a wide variety of CIM for different populations, were published 2001-2010, and 134 of those were full economic evaluations. Despite the fact that most CIM users utilize more than one type of CIM, almost all (88%) of these studies were of single CIM therapies and only one evaluated coordinated care across CIM and conventional practitioners. Of the recent full evaluations 32 (24%) met all five study quality criteria, and 17 of these also met the minimum criterion for study transferability. Conclusion: This comprehensive review identified a substantial number of economic evaluations of CIM and emerging evidence of cost-effectiveness in at least a few clinical populations. Therefore, instead of more studies, what is actually needed are higher quality studies-both in terms of enhanced study quality (to increase the validity of the results for its targeted population and setting) and better transferability (to increase the usefulness of results to other decision-makers in other settings). To this end, eight specific recommendations are made. O2 OA01.02. Associations between complementary and alternative medicine and conventional medical care utilization, access and quality of care
European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Dec 1, 2009
ABSTRACT Question Metabolic syndrome has an increasing prevalence worldwide and there is an urgen... more ABSTRACT Question Metabolic syndrome has an increasing prevalence worldwide and there is an urgent need for improvement of medical treatment. In traditional medical systems bloodletting is a frequently recommended therapy in subjects with obesity and vascular disease. Recent randomized studies showed that bloodletting improves insulin sensitivity in patients with diabetes mellitus and increased ferritin concentration and might be beneficial in younger patients with peripheral arterial vascular disease. We aimed to test if traditional bloodletting has beneficial effects in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods A randomized controlled study with a study period of 3 months was conducted in 64 self-referred subjects that had a confirmed diagnosis of metabolic syndrome as defined by recent guidelines. Thirty-three subjects (60±7 yr; BMI 32.8±5.5 kg/m2) were allocated to the bloodletting intervention group and 31 subjects (57±10 yr; BMI 32.5±5.6 kg/m2) to the control group (waiting list). In the intervention group two phlebotomies with removal of 300–400 ml of venous blood were performed at day 1 and after 4 weeks. Primary outcomes were the course of seated systolic blood pressure and of insulin sensitivity as measured by HOMA-Index. Secondary endpoints included diastolic blood pressure, ferritin, serum iron, hematocrit, HbA1c, LDL/HDL-quotient and blood glucose. Results Baseline characteristics were balanced between groups. Seated systolic blood pressure dropped from 148.5±12.3 to 130.5±11.8 mmHg in the intervention group and from 144.7±14.4 to 143.8±11.9 mmHg in the control group (group difference −16.6 mmHg, 95% CI:−20.7 to −12.5; p<0.001). HOMA-index after 3 months was not different between groups (p=0.251). Diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, HbA1c and LDL/HDL were significantly decreased by bloodletting. Bloodletting led to reductions of serum iron concentration, plasma ferritin and a slight decrease in hematocrit with no serious adverse events. Conclusions Phlebotomy (bloodletting) effectively decreases blood pressure and improves metabolic parameters in patients with metabolic syndrome. Larger studies should test the longer-term efficacy of bloodletting in metabolic syndrome, hypertension and lipid disorders.
European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Nov 1, 2008
Acupuncture has lately been discussed to be a powerful placebo. The standard paradigm in experime... more Acupuncture has lately been discussed to be a powerful placebo. The standard paradigm in experimental pain/placebo research is experimental ischemic pain (submaximal effort tourniquet technique=SETT). The aim of this study was to directly compare the effect of electroacupuncture to pharmacological interventions in a well-established, opiate-sensitive, standardized, experimental pain paradigm. Accordingly, there was no sham acupuncture condition. The effects of a placebo pill, a non-steroidal analgesic (Ibuprofen: 400 mg), an opiate (Tramadol: 50 mg) and electroacupuncture on the SETT were compared to non-treatment control. Methods In total, 125 healthy young men (mean age: 24.44±4.46) were randomized to 5 groups (non-treatment control, placebo pill, Ibuprofen, Tramadol, and electroacupuncture). Baseline was measured at day 1 and treatment on day 2 in a double-blind design for the pharmacological conditions. SETT was performed on the non-dominant arm with 250 mmHg cuff pressure and time was limited to 30 min or a pain rating of 10 (Scale 0–10). Subjects were prompted every 3 min to rate their pain. Electroacupuncture was performed at acupoints DI 4 and DI 10 contralaterally with 20 min of stimulation prior to and throughout the SETT. Dependent measures were “time”, “average rating over time”, “pain tolerance index” (time/rating). Results Mean pain ratings were significantly reduced for electroacupuncture and the opiate condition compared to non-treatment control, the placebo pill and Ibuprofen, while pain tolerance was increased. There was a tendency for subjects in the opiate and acupuncture condition to tolerate the SETT for a longer period of time. However, the effect was blurred due to a strong ceiling effect (time limit of 30 min). Discussion Electroacupuncture was shown to be as effective as a single dose of an orally administered opiate in reducing experimental tourniquet pain. There was no effect of the placebo pill or Ibuprofen. Therefore, electroacupuncture is as much a placebo as the opiate Tramadol.
Explore-the Journal of Science and Healing, Jul 1, 2011
Context: Although acupuncture and meditation are widely utilized in the clinical treatment of pai... more Context: Although acupuncture and meditation are widely utilized in the clinical treatment of pain, trials to evaluate their efficacy and modes of action under experimental conditions have yielded equivocal results. Objective: This feasibility study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) and meditation effectively relieve pain within a well-established ischemic pain paradigm (submaximum effort tourniquet technique, SETT). Design: In this semirandomized trial, experienced meditators were compared with nonmeditators. The nonmeditating subjects were randomly assigned to either an EA group or a nontreatment group.
SummarySeit Jahrhunderten kommen Wasseranwendungen zur Steigerung von Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden... more SummarySeit Jahrhunderten kommen Wasseranwendungen zur Steigerung von Gesundheit und Wohlbefinden zum Einsatz. Studien belegen die Wirksamkeit der Wassertherapie nach Kneipp bei Indikationen wie chronisch-venöser Insuffizienz, Hypertonie, leichter Herzinsuffizienz, menopausalen Beschwerden und Schlafstörungen. Bei äußerlichen Anwendungen spielen Wärme oder Kälte eine wichtige Rolle. So kann Eisbaden zum Beispiel die Stressresistenz, die emotionale Stabilität sowie das Herz-Kreislauf-System stärken. Wärmebäder besitzen eine entspannende und stressregulierende Wirkung. Innerlich angewandt hat eine hohe Wasseraufnahme ebenfalls viele positive Effekte auf den Körper.
: Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medical practice, which has at its heart a subcontinent filled... more : Ayurveda is a traditional Indian medical practice, which has at its heart a subcontinent filled with diverse customs and ethos. Since ancient times, as considered in the Vedas, fasting has been considered to aid a man’s spiritual life as a means of purification. The body and mind constitute the substrata of diseases, and the imbalance of Vata, Pitta, Kapha, somatic Doshas, and Rajas and Tamas (mental doshas) results in various diseases. Derangement of metabolism (Agni) is a major cause of the imbalance in the abovementioned doshas. In Ayurveda, Agni refers to the complete process of metabolic activities, both at the levels of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the tissues. Digestion, metabolism, and assimilation, that is, the entire process of biological conversion and utilisation, is symbolised by ‘Agni’. The concept of channels and microchannels (srotus) plays a major role in metabolic processes as particles are transported for various bodily functions through these channels. The concept of metabolic toxins (Ama) is very relevant in modern times, particularly in the treatment of many diseases including irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, adiposity, hypercholesterolaemia, obesity, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, oedema, migraine, chronic fatigue syndrome, burnout syndrome, various skin diseases and psychiatric and psychosomatic diseases that occur due to weak digestion and tissue metabolism. The vitiated doshas in the body, particularly in the stomach, reduce the intensity of or impair digestive activity to cause digestive impairment and the production of metabolic toxins. They together block the channels in the body which result in various diseases. Fasting is the absence of food in the viscera or ensuring a controlled food intake and aids the digestion of metabolic toxins, kindles digestive enzymes, activates tissue metabolism, and removes the blockage in the channels.
Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 2019
The use of medicinal leech therapy (MLT) is the subject of many articles describing basic pharmac... more The use of medicinal leech therapy (MLT) is the subject of many articles describing basic pharmacological principles, application procedures, or efficacy and safety of the broad range of therapeutic indications. This review is focused on the information gap between Eastern and Western medicine when medicinal leech therapy is used in wound healing. Impaired wound healing has serious consequences for patients' health in a variety of clinical conditions. Western, Persian and Indian medicine seem to apply different therapeutic approaches when using medicinal leech therapy for healing wounds. A range of review articles, single case reports and case series on the use of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing have been inspected. The various reports indicate that medicinal leech therapy has potential benefits for patients experiencing venous congestion of the skin and tissues, as well as varied types of ulcers. Such therapy is proven to have thrombolytic, anti-coagulant, blood and lymph enhancing, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. The specifics of these approaches are expected to stimulate further research on the use of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing. Although the use of medicinal leech therapy to relieve venous congestion following reconstructive and plastic surgery is well-known in Western medicine, its use in promoting wound healing in various ulcer forms, in the context of Ayurveda/Unani/Persian medicine, seems largely restricted to Asian-and Arabic spheres. The true value of medicinal leech therapy in wound healing should be elucidated by further investigations applying modern, evidence-based research methods.
The results of previous systematic reviews of the economic impacts of CIM are limited and now out... more The results of previous systematic reviews of the economic impacts of CIM are limited and now out of date. The purpose of this comprehensive review is to capture and highlight for policy makers what is currently known about the economics of CIM, and to make recommendations for future research. Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, AMED, PsychInfo, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched through December 2010 using a comprehensive search strategy. In addition, bibliographies were searched, and key researchers contacted. All full economic evaluations published 2001-2010 were also subjected to five study quality criteria and one indicator of whether the study's results were transferable (i.e., could be adjusted to apply/generalize to other settings). Results: A total of 340 economic evaluations of CIM were found, of which 206, covering a wide variety of CIM for different populations, were published 2001-2010, and 134 of those were full economic evaluations. Despite the fact that most CIM users utilize more than one type of CIM, almost all (88%) of these studies were of single CIM therapies and only one evaluated coordinated care across CIM and conventional practitioners. Of the recent full evaluations 32 (24%) met all five study quality criteria, and 17 of these also met the minimum criterion for study transferability. Conclusion: This comprehensive review identified a substantial number of economic evaluations of CIM and emerging evidence of cost-effectiveness in at least a few clinical populations. Therefore, instead of more studies, what is actually needed are higher quality studies-both in terms of enhanced study quality (to increase the validity of the results for its targeted population and setting) and better transferability (to increase the usefulness of results to other decision-makers in other settings). To this end, eight specific recommendations are made. O2 OA01.02. Associations between complementary and alternative medicine and conventional medical care utilization, access and quality of care
European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Dec 1, 2009
ABSTRACT Question Metabolic syndrome has an increasing prevalence worldwide and there is an urgen... more ABSTRACT Question Metabolic syndrome has an increasing prevalence worldwide and there is an urgent need for improvement of medical treatment. In traditional medical systems bloodletting is a frequently recommended therapy in subjects with obesity and vascular disease. Recent randomized studies showed that bloodletting improves insulin sensitivity in patients with diabetes mellitus and increased ferritin concentration and might be beneficial in younger patients with peripheral arterial vascular disease. We aimed to test if traditional bloodletting has beneficial effects in patients with metabolic syndrome. Methods A randomized controlled study with a study period of 3 months was conducted in 64 self-referred subjects that had a confirmed diagnosis of metabolic syndrome as defined by recent guidelines. Thirty-three subjects (60±7 yr; BMI 32.8±5.5 kg/m2) were allocated to the bloodletting intervention group and 31 subjects (57±10 yr; BMI 32.5±5.6 kg/m2) to the control group (waiting list). In the intervention group two phlebotomies with removal of 300–400 ml of venous blood were performed at day 1 and after 4 weeks. Primary outcomes were the course of seated systolic blood pressure and of insulin sensitivity as measured by HOMA-Index. Secondary endpoints included diastolic blood pressure, ferritin, serum iron, hematocrit, HbA1c, LDL/HDL-quotient and blood glucose. Results Baseline characteristics were balanced between groups. Seated systolic blood pressure dropped from 148.5±12.3 to 130.5±11.8 mmHg in the intervention group and from 144.7±14.4 to 143.8±11.9 mmHg in the control group (group difference −16.6 mmHg, 95% CI:−20.7 to −12.5; p<0.001). HOMA-index after 3 months was not different between groups (p=0.251). Diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, HbA1c and LDL/HDL were significantly decreased by bloodletting. Bloodletting led to reductions of serum iron concentration, plasma ferritin and a slight decrease in hematocrit with no serious adverse events. Conclusions Phlebotomy (bloodletting) effectively decreases blood pressure and improves metabolic parameters in patients with metabolic syndrome. Larger studies should test the longer-term efficacy of bloodletting in metabolic syndrome, hypertension and lipid disorders.
European Journal of Integrative Medicine, Nov 1, 2008
Acupuncture has lately been discussed to be a powerful placebo. The standard paradigm in experime... more Acupuncture has lately been discussed to be a powerful placebo. The standard paradigm in experimental pain/placebo research is experimental ischemic pain (submaximal effort tourniquet technique=SETT). The aim of this study was to directly compare the effect of electroacupuncture to pharmacological interventions in a well-established, opiate-sensitive, standardized, experimental pain paradigm. Accordingly, there was no sham acupuncture condition. The effects of a placebo pill, a non-steroidal analgesic (Ibuprofen: 400 mg), an opiate (Tramadol: 50 mg) and electroacupuncture on the SETT were compared to non-treatment control. Methods In total, 125 healthy young men (mean age: 24.44±4.46) were randomized to 5 groups (non-treatment control, placebo pill, Ibuprofen, Tramadol, and electroacupuncture). Baseline was measured at day 1 and treatment on day 2 in a double-blind design for the pharmacological conditions. SETT was performed on the non-dominant arm with 250 mmHg cuff pressure and time was limited to 30 min or a pain rating of 10 (Scale 0–10). Subjects were prompted every 3 min to rate their pain. Electroacupuncture was performed at acupoints DI 4 and DI 10 contralaterally with 20 min of stimulation prior to and throughout the SETT. Dependent measures were “time”, “average rating over time”, “pain tolerance index” (time/rating). Results Mean pain ratings were significantly reduced for electroacupuncture and the opiate condition compared to non-treatment control, the placebo pill and Ibuprofen, while pain tolerance was increased. There was a tendency for subjects in the opiate and acupuncture condition to tolerate the SETT for a longer period of time. However, the effect was blurred due to a strong ceiling effect (time limit of 30 min). Discussion Electroacupuncture was shown to be as effective as a single dose of an orally administered opiate in reducing experimental tourniquet pain. There was no effect of the placebo pill or Ibuprofen. Therefore, electroacupuncture is as much a placebo as the opiate Tramadol.
Explore-the Journal of Science and Healing, Jul 1, 2011
Context: Although acupuncture and meditation are widely utilized in the clinical treatment of pai... more Context: Although acupuncture and meditation are widely utilized in the clinical treatment of pain, trials to evaluate their efficacy and modes of action under experimental conditions have yielded equivocal results. Objective: This feasibility study investigated whether electroacupuncture (EA) and meditation effectively relieve pain within a well-established ischemic pain paradigm (submaximum effort tourniquet technique, SETT). Design: In this semirandomized trial, experienced meditators were compared with nonmeditators. The nonmeditating subjects were randomly assigned to either an EA group or a nontreatment group.
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