1. Acupuncture By Jennifer Dixon & Amber Hart

2. Definition of Acupuncture • An alternative medicine that treats patients by insertion and manipulation of needles in the body.

3. Acupuncture Needles • Made of stainless steel wire • Sterile and most are disposable • Length ranges from 13mm to 130 mm • Diameter range from .16mm to .46mm

4. Studies Reviewed • Wrist-Ankle Acupuncture as Perineal Pain Relief After Mediolateral Episiotomy: A Pilot Study (2011) • 42 women enrolled in trial, 21 treated with acupuncture, 21 not treated with acupuncture (control group) • Results: Request for oral analgesics were significantly more frequent in the control group • Acupuncture: 8/21 requested oral medication • Control group: 21/21 requested oral medication • Conclusion: Wrist-ankle acupuncture is an effective method of reducing the pain experienced by women due to mediolateral episiotomy after childbirth.

5. Studies Reviewed • Effects of Acupuncture Stimulation on Recovery Ability of Male Elite Basketball Athletes (2009) • 30 male elite university basketball players randomly assigned to 3 groups: acupuncture group, sham group, and normal (control) group. • Results: Acupuncture group had significantly lower Hrmax, VO2max and blood lactic acid than both the sham and control group at 30 minutes post-exercise. Acupuncture group had significantly lower blood lactic acid than other two groups 60 minutes post-exercise. • Conclusion: Effective acupuncture can be used to enhance the recovery ability for elite basketball athletes.

6. Studies Reviewed • Acupuncture reduces crying in infants with infantile colic: a randomized, controlled, blind clinical study (2010) • 90 healthy infants aged 2-8 weeks old with infantile colic, divided into acupuncture and non-acupuncture (control) groups • Results: Duration of fussing was shorter in the acupuncture group during the first and second intervention weeks. The duration of colicky crying was shorter in the acupuncture group during the second intervention week. • Conclusion: Minimal acupuncture shortened the duration and reduced the intensity of crying in infants with colic.

7. Studies Reviewed • Unexplained infertility treated with acupuncture and herbal medicine in Korea • 104 Korean women experiencing infertility lasting an average of 33 weeks • Results: Of the original 104 participants, only 23 remained at the end of the study and 14 of those 23 yielded a pregnancy • Conclusion: Acupuncture is effective in the treatment of infertility

8. Studies Reviewed • Acupuncture for knee osteoarthritis – a randomized trial using a novel sham • 570 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee (average age of 65) split into 3 groups, acupuncture group, sham group, and education only group. • Results: After 26 weeks of treatment, the acupuncture group had a reduction in pain and showed improvement in function. • Conclusion: Acupuncture can be used to treat osteoarthritis of the knee.

9. Studies Reviewed • Traditional acupuncture in migraine: a controlled, randomized study • 160 patients diagnosed with migraines without aura, split into 4 groups: • Acupuncture and rizatriptan • Ritualized mock acupuncture and rizatriptan • Standard mock acupuncture and rizatriptan • Only rizatriptan • Results: The only group to show significant improvement at both 3 and 6 months was the group receiving true acupuncture • Conclusion: Acupuncture used in conjunction with conventional medicine can make an improvement in the treatment of migraines

10. Incorporating Acupuncture into APN • Make referrals for patients to an acupuncturist • Know the limitations and risks of acupuncture • Educate patients on benefits of acupuncture • Keep current on acupuncture research