What Pro2 is Up2

People suffering from COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) may not normally look to acupuncture to help ease their symptoms. But a study published this past June by the Archives of Internal Medicine may cause COPD patients to think otherwise.

This study, conducted over the course of almost three years, divided patients into two groups: those who received actual acupuncture, and those who received placebo (fake) acupuncture. Both groups received their treatments once a week over the course of twelve weeks and in the same body locations.

After the twelve-week treatment sessions were complete, patients underwent a 6-minute walk test. They were then rated according to a modified 10-point Borg scale which measures breathlessness from 0 to 10 where 0 equals "breathing very well" and 10 equals "severely breathless."

Patients who had received real acupuncture scored markedly better on the Borg scale versus the placebo group. They also showed better exercise tolerance overall, showing that acupuncture can be a useful therapy for those suffering from COPD.

Those that are interested can read the full study here.