If you’re looking for ways to fight insomnia naturally, you may be wondering how many acupuncture treatments are needed to cure your problem. There are several factors that go into determining how effective acupuncture is, as well as its safety and limitations. In this article, we’ll explore acupuncture’s effectiveness for treating insomnia, as well as what factors to consider before scheduling an appointment. Once you’ve decided that acupuncture is right for you, a professional will develop an individualized treatment plan for you, based on the causes of your insomnia.
Efficacy of acupuncture in treating insomnia
Acupuncture may improve sleep problems, such as insomnia, caused by anxiety or chronic pain. There are no rigorous studies, however, to prove the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating insomnia. However, a recent review of nine insomnia studies concluded that acupuncture was better than medication and sham treatments. These studies, however, involved small numbers and poor quality. So, how does acupuncture improve sleep?
To assess the efficacy of acupuncture in treating insomnia, studies must use rigorous methodology, large sample sizes, and long-term follow-up. Objective outcomes, such as sleep quality or nighttime wakefulness, may be more useful than subjective assessment. These measures may be measured by a recognized sleep scale or some other monitoring facility. In addition, the choice of acupoints may have a substantial impact on the overall curative effect of acupuncture.
The study authors aim to identify high quality randomized controlled trials that demonstrate the efficacy of acupuncture treatment for insomnia. These studies will also identify the adverse effects of acupuncture, as well as the safety of acupuncture. These randomized trials will provide a solid basis for future evaluation of the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating insomnia. So, the next step for researchers is to design a rigorous randomized controlled trial and conduct a systematic review.
The study found that acupuncture was more effective in treating insomnia than sham acupuncture. It was more effective than a sedative medication called estazolam, in terms of total time asleep, and sleep efficiency. The study also found that the frequency of sleep awakenings and the self-rated anxiety of patients improved significantly after treatment. In addition, a sleep diary was created for patients in the acupuncture and sham groups.
Safety
If you’re looking for a natural remedy for insomnia, acupuncture could be a good option. There are several studies that have shown how effective acupuncture is for treating insomnia, including a meta-analysis of 46 randomized control trials. In a meta-analysis, acupuncture with and without medication increased total sleep time significantly more than either method alone. While there’s no definitive answer to this question, recent studies have indicated that acupuncture does have some benefits.
Acupuncture has a positive effect on sleep, and it has a cumulative effect. Generally, a patient will need at least four treatments to see a significant improvement. Some patients have reported success, and they’ve been able to stop taking sleep drugs. Acupuncture is a type of TCM, and involves inserting needles into specific body points. These points correspond to energy channels.
Another study showed that acupuncture increased melatonin secretion, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Low levels of melatonin are associated with many mental health disorders, including insomnia. Researchers found that acupuncture improved sleep in 500 people, including forty people with depression, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, further research is needed to confirm these findings.
Insomnia is an incredibly common condition, and many treatments do nothing to address the problem. A systematic review of acupuncture for insomnia included 46 studies that included 3811 participants. The studies were graded ‘fair’ on criteria like blinding, randomisation, and intention-to-treat analysis. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that acupuncture was more effective than medication for average total sleep time. In some cases, the treatment boosted sleep duration significantly, and was better than medication alone.
Effectiveness
The study compared the effectiveness of acupuncture on perimenopausal women suffering from insomnia with a sham acupuncture control. The acupuncture group showed a significantly better improvement in sleep quality than the control group, with the patients’ scores on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale also improving. The study’s results are reported in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry under registration number Chi CTR-TRC-14004859.
The study’s investigators will complete clinical training sessions prior to the start of the trial, including the proper application of the random number table, making diagnoses, understanding inclusion criteria, and completing case report forms. Participants will undergo three acupuncture treatments a week for four weeks, while the control group will receive acupuncture from a non-effective acupoint. The control group will also include 30 healthy individuals. The primary outcome will be the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Secondary outcomes will include the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Depression Scale, and Fatigue Score-14. The investigators will also collect data from a sleep diary and r-fMRI data.
One recent study, involving 180 patients suffering from primary insomnia, examined the effects of acupuncture treatments on sleep quality and daytime functioning over six weeks. This double-blind, single-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial enrolled 180 patients. Patients were randomly assigned to three groups: a verum acupuncture group, an estazolam group, and a sham acupuncture group. The patients’ sleepiness was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and an overall 36-item short-form health survey.
In addition to its effectiveness as a neuromodulator, acupuncture for sleep is becoming increasingly popular among insomniacs. It is a natural alternative to sedatives, which may cause other side effects, such as dependency or drowsiness the next day. Besides improving sleep quality and length, acupuncture for insomnia is also free of side effects. Compared to prescription sleep medications, acupuncture is much less expensive than a sedative.
Limitations
Many studies have cited the efficacy of acupuncture treatments for insomnia, but few of them have looked at the mechanisms that make acupuncture effective. While these results have been confirmed by clinical trials, further investigation is needed to determine the effectiveness of this treatment for sleep disorders. A number of limitations are evident when evaluating the effectiveness of acupuncture treatments, however. Listed below are some of the limitations of acupuncture as an insomnia treatment.
Insomnia is a common ailment in modern society. People with insomnia struggle to fall asleep and to maintain an effective sleep after waking. This causes patients to awaken early, experience heavy sleeplessness, and often dream, negatively impacting their lives and their ability to function. The consequences of insomnia are widespread, affecting social harmony and family life. But the effectiveness of acupuncture is often overshadowed by its limitations.
A recent study included 160 cancer survivors with insomnia. The subjects were white, black, or other races. The average age was 62, and all had completed their cancer treatment. Researchers randomly assigned patients to one of two groups. One group received a single 60-minute acupuncture treatment while the other received six 30-minute sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The participants were treated for eight weeks. The results were not statistically significant, however.
The study also showed considerable variability in the responders to acupuncture treatments for insomnia. Although some participants reported significant improvement in their stage four sleep, others showed no change at all. These findings are largely attributable to differences in individual responses. One limitation is the lack of a control group. A control group would have helped to determine whether acupuncture was effective or not. Further research is needed to identify how effective the acupuncture treatments are for insomnia.
Clinical trials
The results of clinical trials of acupuncture treatments for insomnia showed that these treatments were effective for treating primary insomnia. The study’s objectives were to determine the efficacy of acupuncture for insomnia and to examine the safety and side effects of the treatments. The study involved 30 healthy individuals who were recruited as controls. All outcome measures were conducted once on the healthy controls. The study results were published in the journal Psychological Medicine.
The objective of the study is to determine the efficacy of acupuncture for insomnia and to identify the neural mechanisms underlying its effects. The study’s design will involve using actigraphy to measure sleep quality and latency, and fMRI to assess functional connectivity in emotion-related brain areas. Patients will also be asked to complete a sleep diary and self-report questionnaires. The study is registered with the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry.
The trial was conducted under the guidance of the Beijing Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Researchers will be blind to the groups, except for the acupuncturists. Participants will complete a consent form prior to their trial participation. It will include a question asking whether participants consent to the use of their data after withdrawal. In addition, the study will ask participants to provide their consent for researchers to use the data collected in the study. Researchers will not collect any biological specimens from the participants, and the procedures will be conducted under strict safety guidelines.
The study aims to compare the efficacy of acupuncture treatments for insomnia with those of other forms of treatment. It aims to find which treatment is more effective than the other in improving the quality of sleep and the psychological health of insomnia patients. To date, the trial has been registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry as ChiCTR1900023787. Further research will be needed to confirm the efficacy of acupuncture treatments for insomnia.