Liu Guohua (Department of Anesthesia, Wuhan General Hospital of P.L.A.
In this study, we performed a pain test, in which the acupuncture points in one group were selected according to the course of channels and those in another group selected according to the neural segmentation. A comparison of the acupuncture effects on pain threshold was made.
Method:
One hundred normal subjects were divided into two groups, 50 each, with the similar age and sex distribution. The pain test was made with potassium iontophoresis method at four areas on the right side of the body.
1. The frontal angle joining the hair line
2. anterior part of neck
3. the 6th intercostal space along the mid-axillary line
4. McBurney's point of abdomen wall
The areas for pain test in this two groups were the same but acupuncture points selected were different:
1. Group 1: Hegu and Neiguan, selected according to the course of channels.
2. Group 2: Futu, puncture the cervical superficial nerve plexus, or insert the needle from the place near Futu to the cervical rami of the cervical superficial nerve plexus.
After needling sensation was obtained, the needle was connected to acupuncture anesthesia apparatus type G6805 with frequency of 600--700 cycles/min. The out-put current was adjusted to the strength that the subject could tolerate. Before acupuncture anesthesia, pain threshold and pain tolerance threshold were measured as the cardinal number for control. The same procedure is followed after 5 minutes of manual acupuncture. Electric stimulation was then carried on for 30 minutes, pain tests were repeated every 5 minutes for 6 times, then the measurement of pain tolerance threshold was supplemented at the 6th pain test. After cessation of the electric stimulation, three additional pain tests were performed within 15 minutes.
Results were summarized as follows:
1. Pain threshold was gradually increased within 15 minutes after acupuncture and reached its maximum level at 20 minutes, then it started to decrease, but it was still remained at a high level. It was gradually declined 15 minutes after cessation of the stimulation.
2. With few exceptions, pain thresholds were elevated.
3. The elevation of pain threshold and pain tolerance threshold at neck region in group 2 (96%) was more significant than that in group 1 (68%), P<0.01.
The results indicate that the acupuncture points present relative speciality. According to the course of channels both Futu and Hegu points are pertaining to the large intestine channel of Hand-Yangming. Hegu is the original point of this channel, theoretically, it should be more effective then Futu in treatment of disease, however, the effect of Hegu on pain threshold elevation at neck region is poorer than that of Futu. The Futu point is located at the superficial cervical nerve plexus, therefore the above phenomena might be explained by the viewpoint of neurologic mechanism.
The results of the pain tests also show that the analgesic effect of acupuncture is not a local action only. The elevation of pain threshold at many protions of the body can be induced, either Hegu or the cervical superficial nerve plexus is punctured.
In this study, we performed a pain test, in which the acupuncture points in one group were selected according to the course of channels and those in another group selected according to the neural segmentation. A comparison of the acupuncture effects on pain threshold was made.
Method:
One hundred normal subjects were divided into two groups, 50 each, with the similar age and sex distribution. The pain test was made with potassium iontophoresis method at four areas on the right side of the body.
1. The frontal angle joining the hair line
2. anterior part of neck
3. the 6th intercostal space along the mid-axillary line
4. McBurney's point of abdomen wall
The areas for pain test in this two groups were the same but acupuncture points selected were different:
1. Group 1: Hegu and Neiguan, selected according to the course of channels.
2. Group 2: Futu, puncture the cervical superficial nerve plexus, or insert the needle from the place near Futu to the cervical rami of the cervical superficial nerve plexus.
After needling sensation was obtained, the needle was connected to acupuncture anesthesia apparatus type G6805 with frequency of 600--700 cycles/min. The out-put current was adjusted to the strength that the subject could tolerate. Before acupuncture anesthesia, pain threshold and pain tolerance threshold were measured as the cardinal number for control. The same procedure is followed after 5 minutes of manual acupuncture. Electric stimulation was then carried on for 30 minutes, pain tests were repeated every 5 minutes for 6 times, then the measurement of pain tolerance threshold was supplemented at the 6th pain test. After cessation of the electric stimulation, three additional pain tests were performed within 15 minutes.
Results were summarized as follows:
1. Pain threshold was gradually increased within 15 minutes after acupuncture and reached its maximum level at 20 minutes, then it started to decrease, but it was still remained at a high level. It was gradually declined 15 minutes after cessation of the stimulation.
2. With few exceptions, pain thresholds were elevated.
3. The elevation of pain threshold and pain tolerance threshold at neck region in group 2 (96%) was more significant than that in group 1 (68%), P<0.01.
The results indicate that the acupuncture points present relative speciality. According to the course of channels both Futu and Hegu points are pertaining to the large intestine channel of Hand-Yangming. Hegu is the original point of this channel, theoretically, it should be more effective then Futu in treatment of disease, however, the effect of Hegu on pain threshold elevation at neck region is poorer than that of Futu. The Futu point is located at the superficial cervical nerve plexus, therefore the above phenomena might be explained by the viewpoint of neurologic mechanism.
The results of the pain tests also show that the analgesic effect of acupuncture is not a local action only. The elevation of pain threshold at many protions of the body can be induced, either Hegu or the cervical superficial nerve plexus is punctured.
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