Browsing by Subject "Integrative health"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Acupuncture use for pain after traumatic brain injury: a NIDILRR Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems cohort study
    (Taylor & Francis, 2023) Sodders, Mark D.; Martin, Aaron M.; Coker, Jennifer; Hammond, Flora M.; Hoffman, Jeanne M.; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, School of Medicine
    Background: Pain after traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common and can become chronic. Acupuncture is an increasingly popular non-pharmacologic option in the United States and is commonly used for pain. Objective: We explored demographics, injury characteristics, and pain characteristics of individuals who reported using acupuncture for chronic pain after TBI. Methods: We analyzed a subset of data collected as part of the Pain After Traumatic Brain Injury collaborative study and identified individuals reporting a history of acupuncture as part of management for chronic pain after TBI. We characterized and compared basic demographic data, pain treatment engagements, pain severity, pain interference, functional independence, and pain locations using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Our sample included 1,064 individuals. Acupuncture use (n = 208) was lower proportionally among females, Blacks/African Americans, Asians, less educated, and nonmilitary service members. Insurance type varied between acupuncture and non-acupuncture users. Functional and pain outcomes were similar, but acupuncture users reported a higher number of pain sites. Discussion: Acupuncture is one treatment utilized by individuals with TBI and chronic pain. Further investigation would be helpful to understand the barriers and facilitators of acupuncture use to inform clinical trials to examine the potential benefit of acupuncture on pain outcomes after TBI.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Effects of Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya, a Multicomponent Breath-Based Yogic Practice ( Pranayama), on Perceived Stress and General Well-Being
    (Sage Publications, 2017-10) Peterson, Christine Tara; Bauer, Sarah M.; Chopra, Deepak; Mills, Paul J.; Maturi, Raj K.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Stress-induced disorders such as anxiety represent the leading causes of adult disability worldwide. Previous studies indicate that yoga and other contemplative practices such as pranayama, or controlled yogic breathing techniques, may be effective in the treatment of mood disorders and stress. In this study, 142 individuals (mean age = 43 years; SD = 13.90) participated in a 3-day retreat program during which they learned Shambhavi Mahamudra kriya, which is a yogic practice that includes both deep breathing and meditation techniques. Participants were instructed to practice the kriya each day for 21 minutes. After 6 weeks of daily practice, participants reported subjectively lower levels of perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and higher levels of general well-being (General Well-Being Scale) compared to baseline. These results support the notion that Shambhavi Mahamudra kriya may represent a natural treatment for stress reduction.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The State of 21st Century Acupuncture in the United States
    (Dove Press, 2024-10-10) Smith, Clasina Leslie; Reddy, Bill; Wolf, Charis M.; Schnyer, Rosa N.; St. John, Korina; Conboy, Lisa; Stone, Jen; Lao, Lixing; Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI), School of Medicine
    The term "acupuncture" commonly refers to a non-pharmacologic therapy that is increasingly employed by diverse segments of the population for a wide variety of complaints including pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, frozen shoulder, and other issues. The term is also used as a short-hand for the wider medical system from which the placement of needles into the skin for therapeutic benefit and related techniques evolved. Thus "acupuncture" refers both to the therapeutic technique and the therapeutic system of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (AHM). The other modalities included within AHM include a wide variety of physical and mechanical manipulations, herbal medicines, dietary recommendations, and lifestyle modifications. Clinically, acupuncture is increasingly offered in a variety of conventional medical settings such as hospitals, medical school clinics, veterans' healthcare centers, oncology facilities, and rehabilitation centers, and its safety profile is excellent overall. Barriers to further incorporation of acupuncture into biomedical sites include insurance coverage of acupuncture, education of conventional medical practitioners and other stakeholders about the utility, efficacy, and evidence base of acupuncture. Acupuncturists in the United States are skilled practitioners who are highly educated in the complex therapeutic system from which acupuncture arose and in the technical aspects of its utility as a treatment modality. The training, certification, licensure, and regulation of acupuncturists is similar to that of conventional providers such has physician's assistants, advanced practice nurses, and medical and osteopathic doctors. While clinical use and acceptance of acupuncture continues to grow, there is to date no definitive composite document explaining the utility of acupuncture in various healthcare settings, the current understanding of how acupuncture works, and the training, professional regulation, and certification of acupuncture practitioners. This article will address these topics and strive to create a reference for practitioners, administrators, legislators, insurance providers, patients and their families, and other stakeholders.