Pain-Relieving Powers of Acupuncture Unclear

(HealthDay News) -- When used to treat pain, acupuncture offers only limited relief that may not be clinically relevant.

So say Danish researchers who examined data from 13 acupuncture pain studies that included more than 3,000 patients.

The studies compared real acupuncture, placebo acupuncture and no acupuncture for a wide range of painful conditions such as knee osteoarthritis, migraine, low back pain and postoperative pain.

Compared to placebo acupuncture, real acupuncture offered only a small amount of relief (about 4 millimeters on a 100-mm pain scoring scale), according to the review authors. A 10-mm change on this scale is classified as "minimal" or "little change," which means the apparent relief offered by acupuncture seems to be below clinically relevant improvement.

The findings, published online Jan. 28 in the British Medical Journal, support a number of previous reviews that found no clear evidence that acupuncture offers effective pain relief.

Future studies should focus on reducing bias and trying to separate the physiological effect of using a needle and the psychological impact of the treatment ritual, said the researchers at the Nordic Cochrane Center in Copenhagen.

The overall effect of acupuncture in relation to usual care may not be large, but it may be clinically relevant for musculoskeletal conditions due to the limited treatment options and acupuncture's safety record and patient preference, Dr. Adrian White and Dr. Mike Cummings of the British Medical Acupuncture Society wrote in an accompanying editorial.

Future research should focus on a comparison of acupuncture with the best existing treatments for different conditions, they suggested.

More information
The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has more about acupuncture.

Oh-So-Cold Temperatures Plague Older People

(HealthDay News) -- Hypothermia, frostbite, and falls are among the winter-related dangers faced by older adults, warns the American Geriatrics Society's Foundation for Health in Aging.

They're more susceptible to hypothermia, or dangerously low body temperature, in part because older people have a slower metabolism and produce less body heat than younger people, the society said. In addition, it added, body changes can make it harder for older people to tell when the outside temperature is too low.

To prevent hypothermia, older adults should:

• Stay indoors when it's very cold and windy outside. Keep indoor temperatures at about 65 degrees F.
• When going outside, don't stay in the cold or wind for too long. Wear two or three thinner layers of loose-fitting clothing, which provide more warmth than a single layer of thick clothing. Also wear a coat, hat, gloves or mittens, boots and a scarf to cover your nose and mouth and protect your lungs from very cold air.
• Avoid getting wet, which chills the body quickly.
• Go indoors if you start shivering, which might be a warning sign of hypothermia.
• Monitor yourself for warning signs of hypothermia, which include: shivering; cold skin that's pale or ashy; feeling very tired, confused and sleepy; weakness; problems walking; and slowed breathing or heart rate.
• Call 911 if you think you or someone else has hypothermia.

Frostbite is also a danger in extreme cold. It usually affects the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers and toes. People with heart disease and other circulation problems are more likely to get frostbite.

To protect against frostbite, you should:

• Cover all parts of your body when you go outside.
• Go indoors if you skin turns red or dark or starts hurting.
• Know the signs of frostbite, which include: skin that's white, ashy or grayish-yellow; skin that feels hard or waxy; and numbness.
• And again, call 911 if you think you or someone else might have frostbite.

Falls are another danger for older adults that become more of an issue during the winter months.

To reduce the risk of falls:

• Carefully shovel steps and walkways to your home or hire someone to shovel for you.
  Don't walk on icy or snowy sidewalks. Look for walkways that are dry and have been cleared.
• Wear boots with non-skid soles.
• If you use a cane, replace the rubber tip before it's worn smooth. It may be a good idea to use an ice-pick-like attachment that fits on the end of the cane. These are available at medical supply stores.
• The Foundation for Health in Aging also urges older adults to be cautious about shoveling snow. Cold weather puts extra strain on the heart, and the strain of shoveling could be too much for the heart, especially if you have heart disease. Shoveling can also be dangerous for people with osteoporosis.

Older adults should ask their doctor if it's safe for them to shovel or do other hard work in cold weather.

More information
The U.S. National Institute on Aging has more about staying safe in cold weather.

Kidney, Heart Problems May Be Linked

(HealthDay News) -- Damaged kidneys could put older adults at a greater risk of heart failure, stroke and other cardiovascular disease, a new report says.

The University of Glasgow study of adults ages 70 to 82 found that participants whose kidney function was most impaired had a three times greater risk of having non-fatal heart failure or heart disease and were more likely to die from the heart conditions as were those with healthier kidneys. They were also twice as likely to die from any cause as were people with healthier kidneys.

Given the findings, seniors with impaired kidney function should try to control other risk factors, such as high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure, to help prevent cardiovascular issues from arising, according to a news release from PLoS Medicine, which published the study online.

The study, originally started to learn whether the medication pravastatin (Pravachol), a statin, affected the development of cardiovascular disease, also noted that the drug seemed to help reduce the number of heart problems in people with the most kidney damage, but the finding was considered statistically questionable.

More information
The National Kidney Foundation has more about kidney disease.