In order to find the best treatment for dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers tried as many choices as possible. And it seems like they found the right answer. A new study shows that acupuncture could be really effective when it comes to memory loss. Of course, it could not heal it, but, at least, it would slow down the process.
- Acupuncture may be a treatment for memory loss, dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease.
- Not all the doctors agree as there is no proof on the long-term effects.
The study about acupuncture was based on five different trials in which researchers compared it with a drug called nimodipine (which also it is expected to improve learning and reduce cognitive effects). The results showed that even if there is no proof that acupuncture can really stop the progression of dementia, the use of alternative medicine could help humans maintain some of their memory functions.
How did the study work? Well, patients received treatment for eight weeks, in four trials, which lasted more than four months. As the results proved, those patients who used acupuncture felt better than those who took only nimodipine. Those people that used acupuncture scored better on a test of memory and picture recognition. There were some who were given both treatments. They also did better than the ones who took nimodipine alone.
The trials had also some side effects, like fasting during treatment or slow bleeding for those who used acupuncture. Nimodipine had also some effects such as a headache or nausea. Although the results were pretty clear, it seems that some doctors were not satisfied with this study. They said that even though it may be effective, the quality of the study was low and there are still some questions unanswered. Of course, risks can be found in all the studies but as this one is regarding alternative medicine, it is possible that the patients had a placebo effect.
Acupuncture may not me the best solution, but that does not mean that it cannot improve. So, who knows, maybe after some more trials, the researchers will really see if it really can help.
As there are not many treatments for memory loss and none of them is really effective, if you know a person who suffers from this, you should recommend her to try acupuncture. Even if this will not help, we are sure that it will not harm you. Alternative medicine has become more and more used as treatments like acupuncture or meditation can really help patients who suffer from memory loss.
Image source: Wikipedia
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