Insights & Discussion
Tai Chi could be an effective alternative and/or complementary approach to existing therapies for people with fatigue.
The overall aggregated result showed that Tai Chi achieved better gains in relieving fatigue compared to the control interventions. For the subgroup analysis, Tai Chi was more beneficial for cancer-related fatigue. However, for multiple sclerosis-related fatigue, age-related fatigue, there were no significant difference between two groups. Tai Chi improved fatigue greater than conventional treatment and low-impact exercise control, while no difference was observed comparing with health education control. The length between ≤ 3 months and > 3 months and the frequency between < 5 times a week and ≥ 5 times a week, the pooled results indicated that they all have significant difference. However, in the duration≤ 60 minutes, Tai Chi was improved fatigue greater. In the duration > 60 minutes, there were no difference between two groups. So, the duration≤ 60 minutes may be better than > 60 minutes.
Discover Related Insights
All schools of Tai Chi chuan can improve the mental health of the elderly.
2021 Physical Activity and Health Effects of Tai Chi Chuan on the Physical and Mental Health of the Elderly: A Systematic Review Xianjian C, Datao X
Systematic Review
Tai Chi's potential mechanisms include reducing anxiety, relieving depression and stress, enhancing pulmonary and cardiovascular function, enhancing immunity and improving quality of life.
Acupuncture on treating chronic fatigue syndrome has the advantage for efficacy and safety compared to conventional treatments such as drugs, counselling psychology and physical therapy.
2020 Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: An Overview of Systematic Reviews Yin ZH, Wang LJ, Cheng Y, Chen J, Hong XJ, Zhao L, et al.
Systematic Review Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
We found that acupuncture on treating Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has the advantage for efficacy and safety compared to conventional treatments such as drugs, counseling psychology and physical therapy. Acupuncture has shown to have less side effects and drug resistance. A combined therapy of Western medicine and Chinese medicine has proven to be most effective for patients.
Treatments according to traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation can provide patients with individualized treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome.
2020 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Advances in Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Zhang X, Wang M, Zhou S
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Syndrome Differentiation
Currently, there are many methods for treating CFS with TCM, showing its advantages. On one hand, treatments according to syndrome differentiation are diverse and involve herbal decoctions and proprietary Chinese medicines. External treatments include moxibustion, acupuncture, tuina, cupping, and other treatments. Combination therapies include two or more external treatments combined and internal and external treatments combined, which are often better than monotherapies and can remedy deficiencies. However, the clinical manifestations of CFS are different. Although fatigue is the main manifestation, there are individual differences in the appearance of insomnia or muscle pain in some patients. Treatments according to syndrome differentiation can provide patients with individualized treatments. On the other hand, TCM often has the advantages of simplicity, effectiveness, convenience, and a lower cost.
Xiao Yao San and its modifications were effective for the improvement of general symptoms and fatigue severity in chronic fatigue syndrome post-treatment.
2020 Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine Effectiveness of Soyo-san (Xiaoyao-san) and its Modifications on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Kim J, Song J, Nam D
Systematic Review Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Xiao Yao San
We performed selection/exclusion process from the found studies to conform with prespecified criteria, and assessed the final included trials according to the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The included studies were classified based on the interventions in experimental and control group.
Eight randomized controlled trials and one controlled clinical trial (total 921 participants) were eligible and their results were synthesized in the meta analysis. The synthesis showed a considerable effect of Soyo-san and its modifications on improvement of general symptoms and fatigue severity in CFS patients, while effect on depression and anxiety were inconclusive.
Acupuncture appeared to significantly reduce fatigue severity measured by Chalder's Fatigue Scale and the Fatigue Severity Scale compared with other types of control.
2019 Acupuncture in Medicine Acupuncture for chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis Zhang Q, Gong J, Dong H, Xu S, Wang W, Huang G
Systematic Review Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Sixteen studies with 1346 subjects were included. Most studies had low methodological quality. Meta-analyses showed a favourable effect of acupuncture on overall response rate compared with sham acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Acupuncture also appeared to significantly reduce fatigue severity measured by Chalder’s Fatigue Scale and the Fatigue Severity Scale compared with other types of control.
Our review indicated that acupuncture was more effective than sham acupuncture and other interventions (Chinese herbal medicine, mainly), but no firm conclusion could be reached owing to limited data, poor quality and potentially exaggerated effect size evaluation. Further large, rigorously designed and reported RCTs are required.
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