| A recent study suggests that auricular acupressure may be beneficial for patients with glaucoma.Auricular acupressure is based on the idea that certain areas of the ear (called acupoints) correspond to other areas of the body. When stimulated, the acupoints are thought to have beneficial effects on certain organs. Auricular acupressure is most commonly used to treat addiction, although scientific evidence is lacking.
In the recent study, 33 patients with glaucoma were randomly assigned to receive auricular acupressure or sham acupressure twice daily for four weeks. In the acupressure group, the practitioner stimulated acupoints that are thought to affect the kidneys, liver and eyes. In the sham group, the practitioner stimulated acupoints that are thought to affect the wrists, shoulders and jaw. The researchers then evaluated the patients’ visual acuity. They also measured intraocular pressure, or pressure within the eye, which is increased in many glaucoma patients. After therapy, intraocular pressure improved significantly in the acupressure group. The most significant intraocular effects were observed after about 3-4 weeks of acupressure. However, four weeks after treatment ended, the intraocular pressure returned to the initial level. Visual acuity improved significantly in both the acupressure and sham groups. Reference: Republished with permission of Natural Standards Research Collaboration ©2011. |