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Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian... Feb 2018Robustness, an ability of biological networks to uphold their functionalities in the face of perturbations, is a key characteristic of all living systems. Acupuncture is... (Review)
Review
Robustness, an ability of biological networks to uphold their functionalities in the face of perturbations, is a key characteristic of all living systems. Acupuncture is a procedure in which fine needles are inserted into an individual at discrete points and then manipulated, with the intent of preventing and curing diseases. Acupuncture does not directly eliminate pathogenic factors or pathological tissue; rather, acupuncture enhances the ability of the human body to self-medicate itself by activating complex regulatory systems and by maintaining physiological homeostasis to prevent or treat diseases. From this point of view, the effect of acupuncture on the human body is more likely a kind of regulation to promote robustness. That is to say, acupuncture has the ability to promote robustness. In this article, we review the properties and functions of acupuncture in preventing and treating diseases and in maintaining health by enhancing robustness.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Animals; Humans; Needles
PubMed: 29482800
DOI: 10.1016/j.jams.2017.11.004 -
Scanning 2022In order to explore the clinical point selection rules of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of infantile enuresis based on data mining technology, first, it...
In order to explore the clinical point selection rules of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of infantile enuresis based on data mining technology, first, it introduces the principle of data mining technology, the global optimization strategy of information extraction + genetic search. In China Biomedical Literature Database, CNKI, Weipu, Wanfang. Use "enuresis," "enuresis," "leathering," "urinary discharge," "drowning," "bedwetting," "nocturia," "drowning," "moxibustion," "moxibustion," and "moxibustion" as search terms, take (enuresis + enuresis + urination + urination + addiction + bedwetting), (moxibustion + moxibustion + moxibustion)" as the retrieval style. The analysis of the use of moxibustion, the law of acupoint selection by different moxibustion methods, and the frequency analysis of meridian use show that most of the moxibustion methods are used (62 articles, of which 3 articles use 2 moxibustion methods), including non-suppurative moxibustion, ginger moxibustion, medicinal cake moxibustion, salt moxibustion, mild moxibustion, warm acupuncture moxibustion, bird pecking moxibustion, circling moxibustion, and warm moxibustion; among them, mild moxibustion has the highest frequency of use 24 and non-suppurative moxibustion and salt-separated moxibustion have the lowest frequency of use1; there are 4 non-moxibustion methods, which are medicated thread moxibustion methods. Different moxibustion methods for acupoint selection have their own emphasis. The 63 included literatures included 63 prescriptions for moxibustion, 11 prescriptions for acupoints. Analyzing the frequency of acupoint selection, a total of 18 ear acupoints are involved, and the total frequency of auricular acupoints is 54 times; 44 points are involved (including 1 odd point outside the meridian), the total frequency of acupoints is 300 times, and the total frequency of meridian points is 298, and the total frequency of Jingwaiqi acupoints (Sishencong) is 2. The results can provide great help for the clinical selection of acupuncture points for the treatment of infantile enuresis.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Data Mining; Drowning; Female; Humans; Male; Moxibustion; Nocturnal Enuresis; Technology
PubMed: 35571572
DOI: 10.1155/2022/7928052 -
Minerva Gastroenterology Dec 2022
Topics: Humans; Acupuncture Points; Moxibustion; Orthopedic Procedures; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 35762090
DOI: 10.23736/S2724-5985.22.03218-1 -
Acupuncture in Medicine : Journal of... Jun 2013To investigate the dynamics underlying the sustained effect of acupuncture as a possible explanation of earlier findings that acupuncture stimulation at the...
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the dynamics underlying the sustained effect of acupuncture as a possible explanation of earlier findings that acupuncture stimulation at the vision-related acupuncture point, GB37, cannot specifically change the functional MRI (fMRI) signals of the visual cortex compared with stimulation at an adjacent non-meridian point.
METHODS
The 'on-off' experimental design was separated into four series conditions: 1 min of baseline scanning at the beginning, then two stimulation epochs separated by a 50 s 'rest' period, and then a 1 min 'rest' epoch. The standard General Linear Model (GLM) approach and multi-conditions analysis were used.
RESULTS
Results from the multi-conditions analysis were different from those from the standard GLM analysis. We found that the neural signal of the limbic-paralimbic-neocortical system after acupuncture stimulus lasted longer than the putative period. Furthermore, the fMRI signal changes in the occipital cortex showed different temporal patterns between GB37 and the non-meridian point.
CONCLUSIONS
Owing to the sustained effect of acupuncture, standard GLM analysis may be unsuitable for 'on-off' design acupuncture studies and lead to uncertain and contradictory results. The findings from this study suggest that acupuncture at GB37 can induce complex brain activity in the vision cortex. The state-related neural signal may reflect one of the significant characteristics underlying acupuncture.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Evoked Potentials, Visual; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Neural Pathways; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Somatosensory Cortex; Vision, Ocular; Visual Cortex
PubMed: 23369811
DOI: 10.1136/acupmed-2012-010251 -
Acupuncture in Medicine : Journal of... Mar 2008There is evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture treatment in knee osteoarthritis, but it remains unclear which acupuncture modes are most effective. We evaluated the... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
There is evidence for the efficacy of acupuncture treatment in knee osteoarthritis, but it remains unclear which acupuncture modes are most effective. We evaluated the effects of trigger point acupuncture on pain and quality of life in knee osteoarthritis patients, compared with acupuncture at standard points, and sham acupuncture.
METHODS
Thirty patients (27 women, 3 men; aged 61-82 years) with non-radiating knee osteoarthritis pain for at least six months and normal neurological examination were randomised to one of three groups for the study period of 21 weeks. Each group received five acupuncture treatment sessions. The standard acupuncture point group (n=10) received treatment at traditional acupuncture points for knee pain; the trigger point acupuncture group (n=10) received treatment at trigger points; and the third group (n=10) received sham acupuncture treatment at the trigger points. Outcome measures were pain intensity (visual analogue scale, VAS) and WOMAC index (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index). The groups were compared by the area under the curve method.
RESULTS
Five patients dropped out of the study because of lack of improvement, and one patient (in the trigger point acupuncture group) dropped out because of deterioration of symptoms; the remaining 24 patients were included in the analysis. After treatment, the trigger point acupuncture group reported less pain intensity on VAS than the standard acupuncture or sham treatment group, but both the trigger point acupuncture and standard acupuncture groups reported improvement of function of knee. There was a significant reduction in pain intensity between pre-treatment and five weeks after treatment for the trigger point acupuncture (P<0.01) and standard acupuncture groups (P<0.01) included in the analysis, but not for the sham treatment group. Group comparison using the area under the curves demonstrated a significant difference only between trigger point acupuncture and sham treatment groups analysed (P<0.025 for VAS, and P<0.031 for WOMAC).
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that trigger point acupuncture therapy may be more effective for osteoarthritis of the knee in some elderly patients than standard acupuncture therapy.
Topics: Acupuncture Analgesia; Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis, Knee; Pain; Pain Management; Pain Measurement; Placebos; Severity of Illness Index; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 18356795
DOI: 10.1136/aim.26.1.17 -
Zhen Ci Yan Jiu = Acupuncture Research Jan 2022It has been the consensus of the academic community that the doctor DOU Han-qing in Jin-Yuan Dynasty was the pioneer of point to point penetration acupuncture method.The...
It has been the consensus of the academic community that the doctor DOU Han-qing in Jin-Yuan Dynasty was the pioneer of point to point penetration acupuncture method.The contents of several texts in Yuan-Ming-Qing Dynasties were combed on the basis of (《》).The paradigm,the acupoints,basic elements and the characteristics of the main treatment of diseases were discussed,and the relationship between the point to point penetration acupuncture method with the penetration acupuncture method has been tried to distinguish from the perspective of technical philosophy. It was found that the specifications and quantity of the 28 "penetration and to" cases in (《》)were sufficiently exemplary for future generations, and were the source documents of Yuan-Ming-Qing's texts,which basically followed its specifications and content and developed.For example,the (《》)in the books of Bianque (《》),(《》),(《》).The 37 cases in (《》) were the most in several texts.The 31 cases in (《》)had the characteristics of DOU Han-qing, YANG Ji-zhou and LING Yun, who developed the opposite direction penetration method with two or more needles on DOU Han-qing's one needle.There were five basic elements in the point to point penetration acupuncture method:the needle pri-cking inch(depth), the needle pricking angle, the needle pricking direction, the starting acupoint, the end acupoint.This method in (《》)mostly treated local diseases and symptoms,some acupoints below the elbows and knees also treated far-end diseases.The point to point penetration acupuncture method has a specific intention structure, which cannot be confused with the penetration acupuncture method.
Topics: Acupuncture; Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; China; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Moxibustion
PubMed: 35128874
DOI: 10.13702/j.1000-0607.201210 -
BMC Complementary and Alternative... Mar 2017Fainting is one of the major adverse events that can occur as a result of acupuncture treatment. However, the observation of changes in biological parameters is rarely...
BACKGROUND
Fainting is one of the major adverse events that can occur as a result of acupuncture treatment. However, the observation of changes in biological parameters is rarely available when fainting occurs. In this case report, we could observe changes in the electroencephalogram (EEG) in a participant who fainted while participating in a clinical trial aiming to observe a relationship between acupuncture stimulation at LI4 acupuncture point and EEG in healthy adults.
CASE PRESENTATION
The EEG pattern of participant changed twice. The first change was in response to the acupuncture needle insertion, and the second change occurred during fainting. Both changes consisted of a burst in EEG amplitude, but the pattern of details was different. Multiple areas of the cortex were activated, and the increased ratio of the γ wave was not observed during fainting. While acupuncture needle insertion, only the sensory cortex were activated and increased the ratio of the γ wave.
CONCLUSIONS
This single case is presented to improve the understanding of fainting during acupuncture as an adverse event and to explore the mechanism of acupuncture treatment, despite the absence of statistics and repeatability. This information can provide a new viewpoint about the mechanism of acupuncture treatment and the possibility of new techniques based on acupuncture.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Adult; Electroencephalography; Female; Humans; Syncope; Young Adult
PubMed: 28274225
DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1656-9 -
Acupuncture in Medicine : Journal of... Apr 2014Ondansetron, sometimes combined with acustimulation at PC6 (Neiguan), is commonly used for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting, but PC6 is not the only point... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Ondansetron, sometimes combined with acustimulation at PC6 (Neiguan), is commonly used for preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting, but PC6 is not the only point that can be used for this purpose.
OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the combined effects of ondansetron and ST36 (Zusanli) acupuncture point injection on postoperative vomiting (POV) after laparoscopic surgery.
METHODS
A randomised, patient and assessor-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study was conducted. One hundred and sixty patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (1) group P (placebo-control): intravenous normal saline+bilateral non-acupuncture point injection of vitamin B1 (n=40); (2) group O (ondansetron): intravenous ondansetron+bilateral ST36 sham injection (n=40); (3) group A (acupuncture point injection): intravenous normal saline+bilateral acupuncture point injection at ST36 of vitamin B1 (n=40); (4) group C (combination): intravenous ondansetron+bilateral acupuncture point injection at ST36 of vitamin B1 (n=40). Interventions were made on arrival at the postanaesthesia care unit. The primary outcome was the incidence of POV within 24 h after the operation. Secondary outcomes included severity of vomiting, incidence of rescue treatment, patients' satisfaction and the first anal exsufflation time 24 h after the operation.
RESULTS
The incidence of POV within 24 h postoperative period in each group was P 33%; O 11%, A 9% and C 6%. Outcomes for all intervention groups were significantly better than that for placebo (p<0.01). For the three interventions compared with placebo, the numbers needed to treat (NNTs) were O, NNT=5; A, NNT=5 and C, NNT=4. The secondary outcomes also demonstrated greater benefits of the combined regimen, with improvement seen in all the measures.
CONCLUSIONS
Ondansetron, acupuncture, and ondansetron and acupuncture combined are effective prophylaxis for POV.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Adolescent; Adult; Antiemetics; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Ondansetron; Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult
PubMed: 24440809
DOI: 10.1136/acupmed-2013-010340 -
Complementary Therapies in Medicine Jan 2011This study was conducted to examine the possibility of Carthami-Semen (CS, Safflower seed) acupuncture point injection as a new promising treatment for chronic daily... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to examine the possibility of Carthami-Semen (CS, Safflower seed) acupuncture point injection as a new promising treatment for chronic daily headache (CDH).
METHODS
A total of 40 subjects with CDH were recruited and randomised to a CS acupuncture point injection group or a normal saline (NS) acupuncture point injection group. Acupuncture point injections were applied twice a week during 4 weeks to the bilateral Fengchi (GB20), Jianjing (GB21) and Taiyang (EX-HN5) acupoints with CS extract or NS.
OUTCOME MEASURES
The primary outcome measure was headache-related quality of life (QoL), assessed using the Headache Impact Test (HIT). Secondary outcome measures were the changes in the number of headache-free days and health status as assessed with the Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36).
RESULTS
HIT scores decreased by 14.9 points in the CS acupuncture point injection group compared with 7.9 points in the NS acupuncture point injection group (p=0.013). Headache-free days increased by 32.6% in the CS acupuncture point injection group compared with 17.4% in the NS acupuncture point injection group (p=0.045). There were significant increases in SF-36 scores compared with baseline in both groups, but the mean improvement was greater in the CS acupuncture point injection group. No serious adverse events (AEs) were reported.
CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that the CS acupuncture point injection could be a new safe and promising treatment for CDH. A larger and long-term follow-up trial is needed to determine more definitely the efficacy of CS acupuncture point injection and to elucidate how long the effect lasts.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Acupuncture Therapy; Adult; Carthamus tinctorius; Double-Blind Method; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Female; Headache Disorders; Health Status; Humans; Injections; Male; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Quality of Life; Seeds; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 21195291
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2010.09.004 -
Journal of Healthcare Engineering 2021A low-power stable wideband current source for acupuncture point skin impedance measurements has been designed employing a differential architecture and negative...
A low-power stable wideband current source for acupuncture point skin impedance measurements has been designed employing a differential architecture and negative feedback. The circuits extend bandwidth to 1 MHz, reducing harmonic distortion to 0.24% at 1 MHz. The output impedance is 37 MΩ at 100 kHz and 11 MΩ at 1 MHz. The stability of the output current of the current source when connected to different loads is below 0.1% at frequencies up to 500 kHz and increases to 0.74% at 1 MHz. The circuit was manufactured in a 0.13-m CMOS technology and measured results are presented. The area of the current source is 0.09 mm and its consumption is 1.2 mW. It is intended for low-power acupuncture point skin impedance measurements.
Topics: Acupuncture Points; Electric Impedance; Electric Power Supplies; Feedback; Humans
PubMed: 33505642
DOI: 10.1155/2021/6650651