AS the world waits on pins and needles for a vaccine, acupuncture could offer relief to those suffering from the coronavirus. A new study out of Harvard Medical School found that acupuncture can help ease inflammation in mice. The traditional Chinese practice influenced rodents’ ability to cope with a cytokine storm — an overly aggressive immune response which has been found to lead to lung inflammation, pneumonia and death in some COVID-19 patients, according to the study published Wednesday in the journal Neuron. A number of drugs are currently being tested to try and quell the sometimes lethal reaction, but the Harvard researchers say this classic Chinese medical practice may be the answer. “This is exciting news,” said New York-based acupuncturist Sara Reznikoff, who was not affiliated with the study. “It’s always nice when Western studies back up the ancient healing medical system of acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine.” The findings, however, don’t surprise her. “Acupuncture is fantastic at triggering the body’s innate healing abilities, helping with inflammation and calming the nervous system. I have seen great results at my practice, treating patients with post-COVID-19 symptoms,” said Reznikoff, who runs her own practice in Brooklyn. In the new study, researchers found that mice experiencing a cytokine storm had a 40 percent greater chance of survival when treated with electro acupuncture. Acupuncture also worked well as a preventative practice. (SD-Agencies) | 