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Frontiers in Immunology 2021So far, a number of acupuncture studies have shown anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture treatment, mostly known at specific point ST36. However, there is no... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
So far, a number of acupuncture studies have shown anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture treatment, mostly known at specific point ST36. However, there is no literature that oversaw the inflammation-regulatory effects of acupuncture in each tissue. Therefore, we investigated how acupuncture at specific acupoint ST36 regulates inflammation and its underlying mechanisms. We searched literatures on PubMed until July 2021 using the keywords "animal, acupuncture, ST36, inflammation, immune," and 292 literatures were searched. We ultimately selected 69 studies to determine the anti-inflammatory actions of acupuncture at ST36 and classified the changes of inflammatory mediators according to target regions. Forty-three studies were included in body fluids, 27 studies in the digestive system, 17 studies in the nervous system, and 30 studies in other tissues or organs. In this review, we found that acupuncture at ST36 has clinical benefits in relieving inflammation through several mechanisms such as vagus nerve activation, toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NF-κB signaling, macrophage polarization, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. We expect that these data will inform further studies related to ST36 acupuncture on inflammation.
Topics: Acupuncture; Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Animals; Biomarkers; Disease Models, Animal; Gene Expression Regulation; Immunomodulation; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators; Neuroimmunomodulation; Signal Transduction; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35095910
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.813748 -
Current Opinion in Neurobiology Oct 2022Acupuncture has been practiced for more than 2000 years in China and now all over the world. One core idea behind this medical practice is that stimulation at specific... (Review)
Review
Acupuncture has been practiced for more than 2000 years in China and now all over the world. One core idea behind this medical practice is that stimulation at specific body regions (acupoints) can distantly modulate organ physiology, but the underlying scientific basis has been long debated. Here, I summarize evidence supporting that long-distant acupuncture effects operate partly through somato-autonomic reflexes, leading to activation of sympathetic and/or parasympathetic pathways. I then discuss how the patterning of the somatosensory system along the rostro-caudal axis and the cutaneous-deep tissue axis might explain acupoint specificity and selectivity in driving specific autonomic pathways, particularly those modulating gastrointestinal motility and systemic inflammation.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy
PubMed: 35780689
DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2022.102602 -
Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian... Jun 2020Low back pain is a common condition that can be effectively treated by acupuncture. However, several treatment point prescriptions and further electrical needle... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Low back pain is a common condition that can be effectively treated by acupuncture. However, several treatment point prescriptions and further electrical needle stimulation (i.e., local acupoints, distal acupoints, and sensitized acupoints) may be used. There is an implicit yet unexplored assumption about the evidence on manual and electrical stimulation techniques.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aims to identify effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) and manual acupuncture (MA) on pain and disability in patients with chronic nonspecific low back.
METHODS
This study is a randomized controlled clinical trial. Sixty-six patients between 20 and 60 years of age with non-specific chronic low back pain experiencing low back pain lasting for at least the previous three months and ≥3 points on a 10 numerical analogic scale. Patients diagnosed with chronic LBP were assigned to receive either 12 sessions of MA or EA. The primary outcomes measurements were pain intensity on Numeric Rating Scale and disability by Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire.
RESULTS
The participants reported improvements post-treatment to pain intensity and disability respectively; however, no differences between groups were observed. Regarding the secondary outcomes, we observed a between-group difference only for kinesiophobia in favor of the manual acupuncture group (difference = -4.1 points, 95% CI = -7.0 to -1.1). The results were maintained after 3 months of follow-up.
CONCLUSION
The study provides evidence that EA is not superior to MA treatment. Both therapies had similar efficacy in reducing pain and disability for chronic nonspecific low back pain.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Adult; Electroacupuncture; Female; Humans; Low Back Pain; Male; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 32224119
DOI: 10.1016/j.jams.2020.03.064 -
Advances in Clinical and Experimental... Sep 2023Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) is an emerging therapeutic approach that combines the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)... (Review)
Review
Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) is an emerging therapeutic approach that combines the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) with acupuncture point stimulation. Due to its noninvasive nature, it possesses relative advantages over traditional acupuncture and needle-based electrostimulation. Despite the large number of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) describing the effectiveness of TEAS in different applications, its role and mechanism are still not fully understood. The aim of this study was to systematically compare and summarize the latest studies examining a variety of TEAS applications in clinical practice. Databases, including Medline (PubMed), Cochrane Library and Google Scholar were searched without any time restrictions (as of March 2021). The analysis was performed according to the Cochrane Collaboration criteria. Out of 637 studies, only 22 RCTs were selected. Nine studies evaluated the impact of TEAS on nausea and vomiting (NV), showing beneficial effects compared to standard therapy. Eight RCTs examined the effectiveness of TEAS in pain management, reporting pain alleviation described using the visual analog scale (VAS) and lowering of total opioid doses. Improvement of postoperative recovery, in vitro fertilization and pregnancy outcomes, as well as display of cardioprotective properties were found to positively correlate with TEAS. As a noninvasive modality with advantages over classical acupuncture and needle-based electrostimulation, TEAS may be a valuable tool in clinical practice, particularly for pain and NV management. However, considering the methodological quality of the RCTs, rigorous large-scale clinical trials are required to evaluate the clinical utility of this method.
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; Acupuncture Points; Pain Management; Vomiting; Nausea; Pain
PubMed: 37026972
DOI: 10.17219/acem/159703 -
Journal of Oral Science Oct 2021The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of laser acupuncture and intravascular laser irradiation of blood (ILIB) for managing anxiety in pediatric... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of laser acupuncture and intravascular laser irradiation of blood (ILIB) for managing anxiety in pediatric dentistry. Eighty-four children recruited at a university dental clinic were randomly assigned to three groups: the Sham group (n = 27) underwent sham laser irradiation of three acupuncture points, the ILIB group (n = 25) underwent 10 min of ILIB, and the laser acupuncture group (LAC, n = 32) underwent 40 s of laser acupuncture over points VG20 (Baihui), PC6 (Neiguan), and the Oppression Point. The results suggest that ILIB and laser acupuncture are feasible alternatives for managing dental anxiety in children.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Child; Dental Anxiety; Humans; Lasers
PubMed: 34408110
DOI: 10.2334/josnusd.21-0025 -
Zhongguo Zhen Jiu = Chinese Acupuncture... Jan 2023point is one of the three major categories of acupoint in acupuncture-moxibustion theory nowadays. It is originally recorded in () as one of the effective folk...
point is one of the three major categories of acupoint in acupuncture-moxibustion theory nowadays. It is originally recorded in () as one of the effective folk methods. The theoretic development of point goes through the innovation period of contemporary and modern acupuncture-moxibustion theory, specifically in three aspects, definition, property and status. Through the analysis of historical data, it is found that the bias of point theory results from the misunderstanding of connotation, the distortion of application techniques, the misinterpretation of semantics and the gradual promotion of status. All of these are generally caused by the reform of acupuncture-moxibustion theory in Japan, which covers the essence of point, limits its connotation and clouds the concept of acupoint. It is necessary to re-understand the literal sense and theoretic construction of point and timely update the knowledge system of acupuncture-moxibustion in association with the results of theoretical researches.
Topics: Acupuncture Therapy; Moxibustion; Acupuncture; Acupuncture Points; Japan
PubMed: 36633246
DOI: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20220618-k0003 -
QJM : Monthly Journal of the... Oct 2016This overview reports the global research advances in acupuncture point injection in the last 5 years. Acupuncture point injection can be applied to a wide range of... (Review)
Review
This overview reports the global research advances in acupuncture point injection in the last 5 years. Acupuncture point injection can be applied to a wide range of curable diseases, predominantly those involving pain, but it has poor clinical evidence. Progress has been attained in the mechanism research on acupuncture point injection, but further studies remain necessary. With the reported adverse effects of acupuncture point injection, the need to standardize its clinical procedure has become urgent.
Topics: Acupuncture Analgesia; Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Biomedical Research; Evidence-Based Medicine; Humans; Injections
PubMed: 27083985
DOI: 10.1093/qjmed/hcw055 -
Applied Optics Oct 2014A novel laser-acupuncture system was developed that can be used to implement the manipulation methods of traditional acupuncture, such as lifting and thrusting. A 780 nm...
A novel laser-acupuncture system was developed that can be used to implement the manipulation methods of traditional acupuncture, such as lifting and thrusting. A 780 nm laser diode with a maximum power of 90 mW was used as the light source. The focus point of the laser beam was adjustable by changing the position of the lens, facilitating the implementation of the lifting and thrusting methods of traditional Chinese medicine and achieving various stimulation depths at the acupuncture point. The images for the light spots from the outlet of the emulated laser acupuncture were captured at various distances and their sizes were calculated. The result showed that the diameter of the focused light spot (i.e., at the focus point) was 0.11 mm, which is close to the diameter of commonly used needles (with diameters of approximately 0.22 mm). The area of the light spot 1 cm from the focus point was approximately 50 times larger, indicating that the unit power might be 1/50 of the power of the focus point. To study the effect of emulated laser acupuncture on human meridians, after stimulating the Shenmen point (HT7) of five subjects and obtaining their Ryodoraku values of the heart meridian and the small-intestine meridian, a paired t test showed that the laser stimulation incorporating lifting and thrusting was significantly higher than the laser stimulation without lifting and thrusting (p<0.05). The result is consistent with traditional acupuncture in that acupuncture incorporating lift and thrust is more effective than that without lift and thrust.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Equipment Design; Equipment Failure Analysis; Female; Humans; Lasers, Semiconductor; Male; Miniaturization; Photic Stimulation
PubMed: 25322416
DOI: 10.1364/AO.53.00H170 -
Acupuncture in Medicine : Journal of... Aug 2022People have been teaching self-acupuncture (SA) in the United Kingdom since 1977. More recently, a small body of research has been conducted on SA. However, detailed...
BACKGROUND
People have been teaching self-acupuncture (SA) in the United Kingdom since 1977. More recently, a small body of research has been conducted on SA. However, detailed guidelines on teaching and delivery of SA have so far, to our knowledge, not been developed.
METHODS
Acupuncturists were invited to participate in an online survey about their experiences of teaching SA. Data from the survey were extracted, analysed using descriptive statistics and translated into SA teaching guidelines.
RESULTS
One hundred thirty-eight acupuncturists completed the survey. Nineteen percent of participants had taught SA. The most common symptoms for which acupuncturists taught SA were pain, nausea, anxiety, hot flushes, headaches/migraines and breathlessness. The six most commonly taught traditional acupuncture point locations were LI4, ST36, SP6, PC6, LR3 and TE5. No participants had received reports of adverse effects from their patients.
CONCLUSION
Acupuncturists who teach SA find it to be an acceptable and safe option for patients. The presented data have important implications for guiding the practice of SA.
Topics: Acupuncture; Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Hot Flashes; Humans; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34892982
DOI: 10.1177/09645284211056658 -
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine... Jun 2024Acupuncture is a typical example of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been used in China for hundreds of years to treat a wide range of illnesses. However, in the... (Review)
Review
Acupuncture is a typical example of Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been used in China for hundreds of years to treat a wide range of illnesses. However, in the clinic, issues and deficiencies were primarily seen in four areas: loss of accuracy in the operation process; difficulty understanding the depth of acupuncture; difficulty using reinforcing and reducing techniques; and lack of a clear dynamic effect of acupuncture points following acupuncture. Musculoskeletal ultrasonography may quantitatively evaluate the acupuncture location and display the distribution of small nerves near and within the fascia of the acupuncture point in real time. The subjects were asked how they felt about receiving when the needle body reached different depths and different tissues. The obtained from an acupuncture point and the connective tissue of the fascia can be further understood by combining the physiological response of the acupuncture point with the anatomical structure, which offers a new method for defining the nature of the acupuncture point and standardizing the acupuncture point.
Topics: Humans; Acupuncture Therapy; Ultrasonography; Acupuncture Points; Musculoskeletal System
PubMed: 38767648
DOI: 10.19852/j.cnki.jtcm.20240322.001