In a post this month on HealthCMi.com entitled, Acupuncture and Herb Force Expulsion of Kidney Stones, the role of acupuncture and herbal medicine combined in expelling kidney stones is explored.

The article explains that researchers at Jiangxi Jiujiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine recently made two important findings, that one – a combination of herbs and Flomax (a prescription drug) “enable the passage of kidney stones.” And second, that, “adding acupuncture to the herbal medicine and drug protocol significantly increases positive patient outcome rates.”

The author cites a study in which 106 patients with ureteric calculi, a type of kidney stone, were randomly divided into two groups, one that received abdominal acupuncture and drugs, and the other that received drugs and herbal medicine. While a control group received only herbs and drug therapy, the treatment group received acupuncture, herbs and drug therapy,” for two weeks.

The results? The group that received acupuncture had a total effective rate of 88.7, while the group receiving only the herbs and drugs had an effective rate of 73.6.

The article cites that the researchers noted, “‘While effective, the downside of the medication is that it is slow to act, with many adverse effects, higher medical costs and even drug dependence. By comparison, acupuncture is instant, sustainable, green, and convenient.’ The research team concludes that acupuncture significantly increases the positive patient outcome rates for patient taking medications with herbs.

With strategically placed acupuncture treatment, patients may also feel relief from the pain associated with kidney stones, too. Restoring the flow of qi and as a result, blood flow, acupuncture helps to promote healing and reduce inflammation.

The article concludes, “Research now confirms that acupuncture and herbal medicine play an important role in the alleviation or elimination of endogenous and exogenous disorders, including kidney and urination bladder disorders. Based on the data, integration of acupuncture and herbal medicine into standard protocols of care improves patient outcomes and best serves the needs of individuals and communities.”