Baby colic or infantile colic is the term used for any healthy, well-fed infant who cries more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week, for more than 3 weeks. Colic is harmless, but for parents or for people looking after a baby, it can be frustrating. A new study from Sweden reveals acupuncture can be used to reduce colic.
Babies Who Were Given Acupuncture Showed Reduced Crying At A Slightly Faster Rate
According to BBC, researchers from Lund University separated the babies with colic into three groups - two of which received two different types of minimal acupuncture, while the other received no acupuncture at all. A needle was inserted with a a depth of 3mm for a few seconds in the first acupuncture group, and the second group got up to five needles for up to 30 seconds. This was done twice a week for two weeks.
The researchers found that the two groups who were given acupuncture showed reduced crying at a slightly faster rate. The study involved 147 babies aged two to eight weeks, and the result was published in the BMJ journal, Acupuncture in Medicine.
Study author, Dr Kajsa Landgren, said during more than half of the treatments, the babies did not cry at all, and only cried for more than one minute during 31 out of 380 sessions. She added that before looking at other options like acupuncture, parents of the babies with colic should try removing cow's milk from their feeds.
Some Experts Say That Therapeutic Effects Of Acupuncture Could Not Be Drawn From The Study
However, some experts do not agree that acupuncture help ease infantile colic. Prof Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at the University of Exeter, said any conclusions about the therapeutic effects of acupuncture could not be drawn from the study. "We know that colicky babies respond even to minimal attention, and this trial confirms that a little additional TLC will generate an effect," Ernst said. He added that the observed outcome is "not necessarily related" to acupuncture.
