Helix Clinic blog

In March 2009, the results of a study on acupuncture for pain relief during delivery was published in the journal Birth. The study was carried out by researchers at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

The researchers conducted a randomized, controlled trial with 607 healthy women in labour. The objective of the trial was to compare the results of acupuncture with TENS (electrical stimulation) or more traditional pharmacological interventions.

The researchers found that the group of women who received acupuncture required significantly less pharmacological or invasive treatment during labour compared to the non-acupuncture groups.

The acupuncture was found not to affect the duration of labour, but the researchers did find that mean Apgar scores at 5 minutes were significantly higher among infants in the acupuncture group compared to infants in the other groups.

The Apgar score was devised in 1952 by Dr. Virginia Apgar as a simple and repeatable method to quickly assess the health of newborn children immediately after birth. The results of this study therefore seem to suggest that the use of acupuncture during pregnancy and particularly during labour can lead to healthier newborn babies!

Tags: Apgar, labour, newborn babies, pain, TENS

Why does the body crave foods that could be causing us harm? Often people find they love eating a particular food only later to find out that they are intolerant or allergic to it.

They key to this strange effect may lie with endorphins, chemicals that are produced by the body to relieve pain. Endorphins are our natural pleasure chemicals that give us a high and a sense of well-being, and studies have been done that suggest endorphin production increases during allergic reaction.

If this is the case, then the possibility of addiction to foods that are harming us becomes more understandable. As the body adapts to the higher levels of endorphins associated with a particular food, it starts to feel withdrawal symptoms if those endorphin levels are not maintained. When we finally succumb and eat the food that our body is craving, the release of endorphins will give us a temporary boost and a sense of well-being, but this is most likely followed by an imminent crash. The classic sugar boost and crash that most people have experienced is the most obvious example.

The trouble is though, as we continue to crave and eat the foods that we are allergic to, longer term cumulative allergic symptoms start to build up. Headaches, asthma, chronic tiredness, eczema are all common allergy-related symptoms.

If one can break the addiction cycle related to food allergies, these more chronic long term symptoms should start to disappear. Acupuncture and especially ear acupuncture have been shown to be effective in combating addiction, partly because acupuncture also helps to release endorphins that can help to combat the periodic cravings.

Tags: addiction, allergies, endorphins

Previously we looked at some of the natural approaches to treating IBS, but many people are not aware that hypnotherapy can also be a very useful treatment in the management of IBS. In fact, hypnotherapy, relaxation training and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) have all been shown to help alleviate the symptoms of IBS considerably.

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has published guidance for GPs and consultants saying there is good evidence that hypnotherapy can be effective in the treatment for IBS.

At Manchester University, Professor Peter Whorwell conducted research that demonstrated a high level of effectivness for hypnotherapy, showing that it could relieve many of the normal symptoms of IBS. In addition he found that the improvements were holding over time, not just in the period immediately after treatment.

Hypnotherapy for IBS works by lowering the body’s general levels of anxiety, and also by lowering the body’s perception of pain and discomfort. Part of the treatment also involves directing positive images and suggestions to the gut.

Interestingly, the gut has it’s own separate nervous system (the Enteric Nervous System (ENS)). It has a full set of neurons and neurotransmitters normally found only in the brain itself, so it is able to function seperately from the main central nervous system, although it is well connected to the brain by special large nerve fibres.

In many ways hypnotherapy is an ideal treatment for IBS. It is great at lowering general levels of stress and anxiety and also any hypersensitivity to stressful situations. Hypnotherapy is also very powerful and effective for the reduction of IBS-related pain.

Tags: hypnotherapy, IBS, pain

IBS is probably the most common gastro-intestinal disorder. Roughly 15% of the population suffer from IBS complaints, with women twice as likely to be affected than men. IBS is characterised by some combination of abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, colonic mucus, dyspeptic symptoms such as flatulence or nausea, and varying degrees of anxiety and depression.

April is IBS awareness month, so we thought it would be good to talk about a few natural approaches to the treatment of IBS. The three major things to consider are (1) increasing dietary fibre, (2) eliminating allergic/intolerant foods and (3) controlling any psychological components to the problem. Today we will talk about (1) and (2), and tomorrow we will talk about (3).

As far as increasing dietary fibre goes, this is more important for people who are suffering with constipation rather than loose stools. Fibre from fruit and vegetables is usually the best kind - other traditional sources of fibre such as wheat bran could be contra-indicated because food allergy can often play a significant role in IBS, and many people have some kind of intolerance to wheat.

Food intolerances can be tricky to uncover and eliminate, but there are a few ‘old chestnuts’ that should be eliminated first to see if there is any improvement. Wheat, dairy, caffeine, sugar and alcohol are the first things to stop in order to see if symptoms improve. In fact, if the thought of giving up one or more of these fills you with horror, then that could well be the main culprit - the body often perversely develops an addiction to the food that it is intolerant to.

Other symptoms  such as palpitation, hyperventilation, fatigue or excess sweating could also indicate a possible food allergy or intolerance.

Try eliminating all of the ‘bad foods’ and wait until the symptoms subside. Then you can start slowly bringing each food back into the diet in small quantities one at a time. If the symptoms start up again then you will have a good idea which food could be causing the problem.

Foods containing refined sugar are particularly pernicious because they can lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth by decreasing the intestinal motility. A rapid rise in blood sugar slows GI tract peristalsis (the natural rhythmic movement of the intestines).

If you are suffering from abdominal cramping, you may want to try peppermint oil, as this can be good to relieve intestinal spasm and is often used to treat IBS. If possible, find capsules that are enteric-coated to prevent release of the oils too early in the digestive tract to avoid possible heartburn or acid reflux.

Tags: fibre, food allergy, IBS, peppermint oil

Some women who are having trouble getting pregnant get worried at the thought of all the drugs involved in assisted reproduction treatments like IVF. However, it is possible to do IVF in a natural cycle without hormonal stimulation.

A natural IVF cycle basically involves collection of a naturally produced egg, followed by fertilisation in laboratory and subsequent replacement of the embryo. It is less expensive and less invasive than a normal IVF cycle and in addition, because no drugs are used to stimulate the ovaries, it can be easily repeated in following cycles if unsuccessful after the first go.

The only thing is that success rates tend to be low compared to stimulated cycles. However, for women who don’t want to take conventional fertility medicine, or who can’t take fertility medicines, this treatment could be an option to consider. For example, women who are ovulating and have damaged tubes may wish to try a natural cycle of IVF before moving on to stimulated IVF.

Obviously, the natural IVF cycle fits well with the natural approach of acupuncture. No research has yet been done to see if the natural IVF success rates are improved if women also have acupuncture treatment, but based on previous studies of acupuncture and IVF it could be an interesting study to look at.

Tags: fertility, infertility, IVF, natural cycle