ACU-Track: The Acupuncture Research Podcast

In this episode we speak with Sandro Graca from Evidence Based Acupuncture (EBA) about Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and bridging the gap between research and clinical practice.

• What is PCOS? What are the main symptoms and causes?
• The latest research into PCOS. Understanding the broader metabolic and psychological aspects of the condition.
• The roll of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in treating PCOS
• The evidence and research for acupuncture and PCOS
• Bridging the gap between research and clinical practice; how can practitioners get more involved in research?

Acupuncture and PCOS research:

Effects of electro-acupuncture on anovulation in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Acupuncture for ovulation induction in polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomized controlled trial

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Effect and Mechanisms of Acupuncture for Ovulation Induction

Acupuncture in polycystic ovary syndrome: current experimental and clinical evidence

Acupuncture for Infertility in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: What Does It Add?

Electroacupuncture Mimics Exercise-Induced Changes in Skeletal Muscle Gene Expression in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Acupuncture and physical exercise for affective symptoms and health-related quality of life in polycystic ovary syndrome: secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial

Recent research on PCOS including epigenetics and implications for men too:
- Epigenetic inheritance of polycystic ovary syndrome - challenges and opportunities for treatment

Transmission of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome via Epigenetic Inheritance

A Genetically Defined Male Counterpart of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Evidence for Ovarian-Independent Pathogenesis

Complex diseases and co-morbidities: polycystic ovary syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus
- Recommendations from the international evidence-based guideline for the assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome
- Integrated Model of Care for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

A new evidence-based guideline for assessment and management of polycystic ovary syndrome

Acupuncture research in context, guidelines for informing future research to better integrate with practice:
- Paradoxes in acupuncture research: strategies for moving forward

More Than Needles: The Importance of Explanations and Self-Care Advice in Treating Primary Dysmenorrhea with Acupuncture

The Role of Research in Guiding Treatment for Women's Health: A Qualitative Study of Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncturists

In this episode Matthew Bauer, President of the Acupuncture Now Foundation (ANF), interviews us about our new clinical outcomes tracking system ACU-Track and what it could mean for the profession. We discuss how the system works for individual practitioners and clinics, as well as the potential for collecting a large body of evidence for acupuncture and Traditional East Asian Medicine (TEAM).
Learn more about ACU-Track
Learn more about the Acupuncture Now Foundation

We were delighted to welcome Matthew Bauer on the podcast to discuss the evidence base of acupuncture for peripheral neuropathy. Also don't miss Matthew's summary of the most important research ever done on acupuncture!
Matthew Bauer became interested in Chinese Medicine after becoming a student of a 74th generation Taoist Master and traditional Chinese Doctor in 1978. He became licensed as an Acupuncturist in 1986 and opened his Chinese Medicine practice in California that same year.

Matthew developed a passion for educating people about the benefits of acupuncture and became active in acupuncture/Chinese medicine organizations thinking those organizations would have public outreach as a primary goal. When that proved not to be the case, Matthew authored a book for the public exploring the roots and practice of acupuncture titled “The Healing Power of Acupressure and Acupuncture”. He later authored another book for acupuncturists on practice building titled “Making Acupuncture Pay”.

In 2014, while still in full time practice seeing around 20 patients a day, Matthew formed the Acupuncture Now Foundation (the ANF) – a for the public benefit charitable organization with the goal of educating the public, healthcare providers, and health policymakers about the practice of acupuncture. Matthew feels the ANF vision statement sums up his goals best – “Creating a world where the benefits of acupuncture are known and available to all.”
As part of that vision, Matthew became interested in acupuncture research especially the potential for false negatives due to studies using sub-optimal treatment dosages. Matthew has a particular interest in acupuncture dosage and recently co-authored a journal article on the subject “Is Acupuncture Dose Dependent - Ramifications of acupuncture treatment dose within clinical practice and trials”.
Get in Touch
Learn Matthew's Peripheral Neuropathy Protocol
Longhurst research on acupuncture for blood pressure

Richard Clark and the ACU-Track team talk through the challenges with treating plantar heel pain and the state of the current evidence base.
Richard's website is a community resource for those who are suffering from or attempting to treat plantar heel pain. The website has a variety of invaluable information from Richard's methodology, point protocols and research and reference materials: https://podac.info/
Richard refers to various diagrams, articles and his book! Links are below including some interesting further reading ...

Richard's article discussing medical acupuncture short courses
James, R, 1998, There is more to acupuncture than the weekend course. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 6 (4),203-207.
http://www.integrativehealthcare.co.uk/timtatwc%200709.pdf
Systematic Review
Clark, RJ & Tighe, M, 2012, “The effectiveness of acupuncture for plantar heel pain: a systematic review” Acupunct Med 30: 298-306 published online doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2012-010183.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1136/acupmed-2012-010183
Critical Interpretive Synthesis
Clark MT, Clark RJ, Toohey S, et al.(2016) “Rationales and treatment approaches underpinning the use of acupuncture and related techniques for plantar heel pain - a critical interpretive synthesis”. Acupuncture in Medicine. Published Online First:9/7/16. doi:10.1136/acupmed-2015-011042.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1136/acupmed-2015-011042
Richard's book
Advances in acupuncture for heel pain: towards integrative practice and research
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Advances-acupuncture-heel-pain-integrative/dp/B08PJK8WXN

Richard's Blog page that refers to multiple uses of KI3
https://podac.info/the-many-facets-of-taixi-ki3
Images
DO points https://podac.info/the-do-points
Patchwork model https://podac.info/elementor-768
Space-Time image (scroll down) https://podac.info/elementor-768
Further reading
Maura Flannery’s article giving the feminist perspective Flannery, M. C. (2001). Quilting: A Feminist Metaphor for Scientific Inquiry. Qualitative Inquiry, 7(5), 628–645. https://doi.org/10.1177/107780040100700507
Richard's article elaborating on Refractive Practice
Clark, RJ. Reflective and Refractive Practice: Lessons from Reviewing Acupuncture for Plantar Heel Pain. Journal of Chinese Medicine 2022 130 17-28.
https://www.jcm.co.uk/reflective-and-refractive-practice-lessons-from-reviewing-acupuncture-for-plantar-heel-pain.html
Full text versions of the SR and CIS, plus a list of Richard's other publications are available on his ResearchGate page
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard-Clark-5

In this episode we are delighted to be joined by Dr Lisa J. Taylor-Swanson to discuss our new ACUAWARE Study which asks; does acupuncture improve interoceptive awareness in people with chronic pain? We discuss what interoceptive awareness is and why its relevant to acupuncture.
Interested in taking part in the ACUAWARE Study?
If you are a US-based licensed acupuncturist, you may be eligible for taking part in this study! Please visit the Study Page for more information.
About Lisa
Lisa J. Taylor-Swanson, PhD, MAcOM, LAc is A Nursing Scientist and Licensed Acupuncturist at the University of Utah, a native of Salt Lake City, she completed her Honors BS in Psychology with a minor in Women’s Studies at University of Utah. She relocated to the Pacific Northwest and completed a Master’s degree in Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine - SIEAM) and a PhD in Nursing Science (University of Washington).

Dr. Taylor-Swanson has provided acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine in private practice for over 21 years with an emphasis on women’s health. Most recently, Dr. Taylor-Swanson transitioned from full-time private practice to a full-time, tenure-line academic position at Utah. Dr. Taylor-Swanson previously taught at University of Washington and served as Academic Dean at SIEAM. Dr. Taylor-Swanson leads national and international collaborations on the topic of interoceptive awareness, menopause, and pain with colleagues in the United Kingdom and Australia, and serves on the Board of Directors of Society of Acupuncture Research.