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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Trigger point--acupuncture point correlations revisited.

UNLABELLED: In 1977, Melzack and colleagues examined the possible correspondence of acupuncture points and trigger points for the treatment of pain. They claimed a 71% correspondence between these two classes of points. Their findings have influenced many researchers and practitioners but have not been examined since 1977. The current study explores the claim of a 71% correspondence between these two classes of points through a more extensive examination of the acupuncture literature. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the claim of a 71% correspondence of acupuncture points and trigger points for the treatment of pain. METHODS: The study involved a review of acupuncture texts published since 1977, focusing on five textbooks for the in-depth analyses and a broader range of texts for the more general analyses. RESULTS: If trigger points correspond to any class of acupuncture points it would have to be to the a shi points rather than the "channel" or "extra" points with which the 1977 study attempted to find correlation. Approximately 35% of recommended acupuncture points in the treatment of pain are distant from the site of the pain, making assumptions about the infrequency of use of distant acupuncture points for pain suspect. Sixty-one percent (61%) of the acupuncture points that the 1977 study examined for the treatment of pain are not recommended at all for the treatment of pain, and 44% are not recommended in the treatment of any problem, while only 19% of the acupuncture points are frequently recommended for pain and 20% for all conditions. For the acupuncture points that corresponded in the 1977 study, the equivalent numbers are: 60% not recommended at all for pain, 47% not recommended for anything, 18% commonly recommended for pain, and 16% commonly recommended for anything. CONCLUSION: The claimed 71% correspondence of trigger points to acupuncture points is conceptually not possible. Furthermore, even putting this conceptual problem aside, no more than 40% of the acupuncture points that the 1977 study examined could correlate for the treatment of pain, and more likely, only approximately 18%-19% correlate rather than the 71% that was claimed. However, this study found a probable correspondence of trigger points to a different class of acupuncture points, the a shi points, which appears to be an important finding. Researchers and clinicians who have assumed the conclusions of the 1977 study to be correct will need to reexamine the impact of the current findings on any claims that are dependent on the conclusions of that study.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed1977

Trigger points and acupuncture points for pain: correlations and implications.

Trigger points associated with myofascial and visceral pains often lie within the areas of referred pain but many are located at a distance from them. Furthermore, brief, intense stimulation of trigger points frequently produces prolonged relief of pain. These properties of trigger points--their widespread distribution and the pain relief produced by stimulating them--resemble those of acupuncture points for the relief of pain. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between trigger points and acupuncture points for pain on the basis of two criteria: spatial distribution and the associated pain pattern. A remarkably high degree (71%) of correspondence was found. This close correlation suggests that trigger points and acupuncture points for pain, though discovered independently and labeled differently, represent the same phenomenon and can be explained in terms of the same underlying neural mechanisms. The mechanisms that play a role in the genesis of trigger points and possible underlying neural processes are discussed.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1994

Absorption of subcutaneous injection of Tc-99m pertechnetate via acupuncture points and non-acupuncture points.

SC-RNV, a new method of radionuclide venography by subcutaneous injection of Tc-99m pertechnetate at acupuncture points K-3 (Taixi), was developed in our laboratory. To further investigate whether K-3 is the best point for SC-RNV, Tc-99m pertechnetate was subcutaneously injected at K-3 on one foot and at one of the 11 other acupuncture points (APs) or 3 nonacupuncture points (NAPs) on the opposite foot, simultaneously, in 157 subjects without evidence of venous disorder. The absorption of radioisotopes from each injection site was evaluated by analyzing the time-activity curve at a region of interest set upon over the lower leg above the injection site. The results revealed that the absorption of radioisotopes via K-3 (Taixi) was better than that via NAPs, evidenced by higher peak activity and greater absorption rate. However, there was no significant difference between K-3 injection and other APs injections except Liv-2 and Liv-3. These results indicate that absorption of radioisotopes via APs is better than via NAPs. This together with the fact that K-3 is easier to detect than other APs in feet, suggests that K-3 is a good point for SC-RNV.

Absorption↗
PubMed1993

Differences in acupuncture point SP-10 and non-acupuncture point following subcutaneous injection of Tc-99m pertechnetate.

A new method of radionuclide venography, namely SC-RNV, by subcutaneous injection of Tc-99m pertechnetate at acupuncture points was recently developed in our laboratory. The time-activity curve of SC-RNV can be divided into 3 phases as: the phase of diffusion of radioisotopes through the subcutaneous space, the phase of entrance of radioisotopes into intravascular space to reach a peak concentration and the phase of equilibrium state of radioisotopes in the intravascular space. In this study, we used the 3 phases of SC-RNV to evaluate the absorption of Tc-99m pertechnetate injected subcutaneously in the acupuncture point SP-10 (Xuehai) and in a non-acupuncture point near SP-10. The results revealed that the absorption of Tc-99m pertechnetate via SP-10 was significantly greater than that of non-acupuncture point, evidenced by shorter phase 1, higher peak activity and greater accelerating rate of phase 2. This suggests that the absorption of radioisotopes from acupuncture point is faster and greater than that of non-acupuncture point.

Absorption↗
PubMed1989

Connections found between each meridian (heart, stomach, triple burner, etc.) & organ representation area of corresponding internal organs in each side of the cerebral cortex; release of common neurotransmitters and hormones unique to each meridian and corresponding acupuncture point & internal organ after acupuncture, electrical stimulation, mechanical stimulation (including shiatsu), soft laser stimulation or QI Gong.

Using the "Bi-Digital O-Ring Test Imaging Technique", the author has been able to accurately localize meridians and acupuncture points that correspond to specific internal organs and has found that most general patterns of meridians and the number of acupuncture points on each of the meridians of specific internal organs of the 12 main internal organs described in the literature of ancient Chinese medicine, are more or less correct, with the exception of some variations and inaccuracies. Each meridian of specific internal organs was found to be connected to the organ representation area in the cerebral cortex of specific internal organs. The acupuncture point has an area and occupies 3-dimensional space. It has a circular or slightly oval boundary with diameter in the range of 3 mm to 2.7 cm, although 6-12 mm are the most common diameters in human adults, with the exception of the area outside the corners of the nailbeds of the fingers and toes. Using the "Bi-Digital O-Ring Test Molecular Identification Method", the author also found that within the boundary of most acupuncture points and meridian lines (including Heart, Stomach, and Triple Burner) were high concentrations of neurotransmitters and hormones, including Acetylcholine, Methionine-Enkephalin, Beta-Endorphin, ACTH, Secretin, Cholecystokinin, Norepinephrine, Serotonin, and GABA. On all these meridian lines, in addition to the above neurotransmitters and hormones, Dopamine, Dynorphin 1-13, Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and VIP were found, but the latter do not usually exist within the boundary of the acupuncture point with the exception of the center midline of the acupuncture point where the meridian line is situated. Serotonin, Norepinephrine, and Cholecystokinin appeared in either one of the above 2 patterns, depending on the individual. Usually, no significant amounts of these neurotransmitters and hormones were found at the surrounding area outside of meridian and acupuncture points. However, the essential amino acid L-Tryptophan (which is a precursor of Serotonin), was usually found outside of the boundary of the acupuncture point and the meridian but not within the boundary of the acupuncture point and the meridian. Wherever Serotonin appeared, L-Tryptophan disappeared significantly and when the Serotonin disappeared, L-Tryptophan reappeared. In addition to the above common neurotransmitters and hormones, the Heart meridian had additional Atrial Natriuretic Peptide in both the meridian and its acupuncture points. Similarly, the Stomach meridian had additional Gastrin in both the meridian and its acupuncture points. Likewise,the Triple Burner meridian had additional Testosterone (in the male) and Estrogen (especially Estriol and Estradiol in the female.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed1989

Singular point, organizing center and acupuncture point.

A hypothesis is proposed on the nature of acupuncture point and organizing center, the role of meridian system in growth regulation, and the mechanism of acupuncture. Both organizing centers and acupuncture points have low electric resistance. The low electric resistance is related to the distribution of gap junction and thus intercellular communication. Some acupuncture points may be organizing centers. The meridian system is important in coordination and regulation of morphogenesis. The properties of organizing centers and acupuncture points can be explained in view of singular point. Coupling and oscillation may underlie the mechanism of acupuncture as well as growth regulation.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed2000

Preliminary results of a new method for locating auricular acupuncture points.

Auricular acupuncture is widely used for the treatment of cocaine addiction, and there is an urgent need to conduct controlled clinical research of this intervention. One impediment to this endeavor is the lack of an objective and reliable method for identifying the hypothesized active and control points. In order to address this issue, we conducted two studies employing a constant current electrical device and a novel probing technique. In the first study, we assessed the reliability of our technique for measuring electrical skin resistance points (acupuncture or non-acupuncture) on the body and auricles. In the second study, we analyzed and compared the measurements of skin resistance of auricular acupuncture and control zones in a group of cocaine abusing patients. Findings suggest that our measurement method produced reliable measurements, and that active acupuncture zones revealed a significantly different pattern of electrical skin resistance readings compared to control zones. This method may be useful for locating active and control points in controlled clinical trials of auricular acupuncture.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed1993

The acupuncture point and its connecting central pathway for producing acupuncture analgesia.

Characteristics of the acupuncture point in producing acupuncture analgesia (AA) were examined by the inhibition of noxious responses in the brain stem reticular formation, potentials, and neuronal activity in the dorsal periaqueductal central gray (D-PAG), and analgesia caused by low frequency stimulation of the acupuncture point. As a result, stimulation of the muscle beneath the acupuncture point was found to be effective in producing AA. AA measured by tail flick, vocalization, and writhing tests was abolished by hypophysectomy, and by antiserum of beta-endorphin administered into the 3rd ventricle. The pathway from the D-PAG to the anterior hypothalamus (AA-AH) in the AA afferent pathway from the acupuncture point to the pituitary gland was determined. The lateral hypothalamus, lateral septum, cingulate bundle, dorsal-hippocampus, and habenulo-interpeduncular tract were found, in addition to regions previously found, to belong to the AA afferent pathway. A network of divergence and convergence in their rostral and caudal relations was observed. The AA afferent pathway diverges from the D-PAG, converges to the HP, and then projects to the AA-AH.

Acupuncture Analgesia↗
PubMed2002

[Variations of pain in the treatment of one classical acupuncture-point versus one point of Yamamoto's new scalp acupuncture].

INTRODUCTION: In an experimental design the pain reduction effect of acupuncture is studied and compared to the treatment of a classical acupuncture point and a point of the Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture (YNSA). METHODS: Experimental pain stimuli (32 per test person) were set in 42 test persons at the upper calcaneus edge and pain reduction was checked intra-individually by using the following variations of treatment: Acupuncture YNSA basis-point D, Acupuncture at the classical point Xiao Chang Shu = Bl 27, Acupuncture at a placebo point of the head, Acupuncture at a placebo point of the gluteal region. RESULTS: Evaluation of the data as well as a statistical investigation using a bi-factoral variance analysis with repeated measurements of 2 respectively 1 factor yielded following results: There are highly significant differences concerning pain reduction through the stimulation of the YNSA basis-point D and the acupuncture at the classical point Bl 27 (p < 0,0007). There are also highly significant differences concerning the verum and the placebo treatment (p < 0,00006). Further hypothesis of controlling the experimental design were tested. CONCLUSIONS: On the whole, the investigation shows that there is a marked difference between the verum and placebo treatment as well as a difference between the acupuncture of the YNSA basis-point D and the classical acupuncture point Xiao Chang Shu (Bl 27) with regard to pain reduction induced by experimental stimuli at the calcaneus. These differences are significant.

Acupuncture Analgesia↗
PubMed2005

Evaluation of the cun measurement system of acupuncture point location.

Locating acupuncture points reliably and reproducibly is indispensable for the scientific research of acupuncture and for assuring the best care of patients. Unreliable point location can produce confounding results for acupuncture research and clinical practice. Two traditional methods of point location are currently used, directional (F-cun) and proportional (B-cun) methods, which are collectively called the cun measurement system. Reports have been published on the validity of the cun measurement system in Australian subjects; however, as acupuncture originated in ancient East China, it is possible that anthropometric data may differ in Asian people and other races. Therefore, we measured anthropometric data according to the cun measurement system in contemporary Korean patients. The F-cun measurements were significantly different from the B-cun measurements and varied significantly according to the arbitrarily selected F-cun standard. In addition, we observed further differences of F-cun measurements in the extremities of obese subjects. We concluded that the F-cun method is unreliable and that further research should be conducted to determine a more accurate point-locating method primarily based on the B-cun method.

Acupuncture↗
PubMed1985

Differentiation between acupuncture and non-acupuncture points by association with analgesia inhibitory system.

Acupuncture and non-acupuncture points were differentiated by their connection to different pathways in the central nervous system. We have found that the pathway connected to the acupuncture point is different from the pathway connected to the non-acupuncture point. In addition, pathway connected to the non-acupuncture point is inhibited within the lateral periaqueductal gray when the analgesia inhibitory system (AIS) is activated. We have explored these pathways by means of selective lesioning of discrete brain regions, selective stimulation of brain regions, as well as by recording evoked potentials arising from stimulation of acupuncture and non-acupuncture points. It was found that the lateral centromedian nucleus of the thalamus and the posterior hypothalamus are parts of the AIS. The acupuncture (tibialis muscle) and non-acupuncture (abdominal muscle) points are both connected to the AIS. Analgesia caused by stimulation of the acupuncture point is naloxone reversible, while that caused by stimulation of the non-acupuncture point after lesion of AIS is dexamethasone reversible. Stress-induced analgesia caused by low frequency electrical shock is naloxone as well as dexamethasone reversible. All three kinds of analgesia were abolished by hypophysectomy. The features and the degree of analgesia caused by intraperitoneal 0.5 mg/kg morphine were similar to analgesia caused by acupuncture point stimulation. D-phenylalanine acts like a lesion of AIS in analgesia caused by stimulation of acupuncture and non-acupuncture points, and enhances naloxone reversible analgesia. The descending pain inhibitory system plays a role as the common pathway to produce these three kinds of analgesia. This pathway is found in the arcuate nucleus (dopaminergic), ventromedian nucleus of the hypothalamus, raphe nucleus (serotonergic), reticular gigantocellular nucleus (noradrenergic) and reticular paragigantocellular nucleus.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed2003

Electrical stimulation of auricular acupuncture points is more effective than conventional manual auricular acupuncture in chronic cervical pain: a pilot study.

UNLABELLED: In this prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study, we tested the hypothesis that auricular electroacupuncture relieves pain more effectively than conventional manual auricular acupuncture. We studied 21 chronic cervical pain patients without radicular symptoms with insufficient pain relief (visual analogue scale >5) treated with standardized analgesic therapy. All patients received disposable acupuncture needles on the dominant side on the following acupuncture points: cervical spine, shen men, and cushion. In 10 patients, needles were continuously stimulated (2-mA constant current, 1 Hz monophasic) by using the electrical point stimulation device P-STIM. In 11 control patients, no electrical stimulation was administered. All needles were withdrawn 48 h after insertion. Acupuncture was performed once a week for 6 wk. Patients had to complete a questionnaire assessing pain intensity, psychological well-being, activity, sleep, and demand for rescue medication (lornoxicam and tramadol). The reduction in pain scores was significant in the electrical acupuncture group. Similarly, psychological well-being, activity, and sleep were significantly improved in patients receiving electrical acupuncture, and consumption of rescue medication was significantly less. These results demonstrate that continuous electrical stimulation of auricular acupuncture points by using the new point stimulation device P-STIM improves the treatment of chronic cervical pain in an outpatient population. IMPLICATIONS: Continuous electrical stimulation of auricular acupuncture points by using the new point stimulation device P-STIM significantly decreases pain intensity and significantly improves psychological well-being, activity, and sleep in chronic cervical pain patients.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Relationship of acupuncture points and meridians to connective tissue planes.

Acupuncture meridians traditionally are believed to constitute channels connecting the surface of the body to internal organs. We hypothesize that the network of acupuncture points and meridians can be viewed as a representation of the network formed by interstitial connective tissue. This hypothesis is supported by ultrasound images showing connective tissue cleavage planes at acupuncture points in normal human subjects. To test this hypothesis, we mapped acupuncture points in serial gross anatomical sections through the human arm. We found an 80% correspondence between the sites of acupuncture points and the location of intermuscular or intramuscular connective tissue planes in postmortem tissue sections. We propose that the anatomical relationship of acupuncture points and meridians to connective tissue planes is relevant to acupuncture's mechanism of action and suggests a potentially important integrative role for interstitial connective tissue.

Acupuncture↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of substance P concentration in acupuncture points in different tissues in dogs.

Histologically, acupuncture points show neuronal innervation. One hundred seventy-seven tissue samples of acupuncture points and control points from 4 dogs were collected. Concentrations of substance P, a neurotransmitter, in the skin, muscle and subcutis of acupuncture points and control points were measured by means of enzyme immunoassay. The determined tissue concentrations of substance P (mean +/- SEM) in acupuncture points and control points were 1.81 +/- 0.13 and 1.51 +/- 0.1 ng/g in the muscle, 3.33 +/- 0.29 and 2.63 +/- 0.28 ng/g in the skin and 1.59 +/- 0.22 and 1.32 +/- 0.16 ng/g in the subcutis, respectively. The results indicate that there is a difference in the neurochemical profile between acupuncture points and control points.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed1990

Subcutaneous injection of 99mTc pertechnetate at acupuncture points K-3 and B-60.

The acupuncture points are known to be morphologically related to the nerves and vessels. Yet the physiological role of blood vessels in the formation of acupuncture points remains unknown. With subcutaneous injection of 99mTc pertechnetate at the acupuncture points K-3 and B-60 and with intra-acupuncture point injection of 99mTc pertechnetate at K-3 and B-60, a lower-limb venography like what was obtained by intravenous injection of 99mTc macroaggregated albumin was demonstrated in the present study. It seems that some acupuncture points do play a role in drainage of tissue fluid from soft tissue into the veins.

Acupuncture Points↗
PubMed1984

Acupuncture points of the cervical plexus.

Acupuncture points in the neck region are basically distributed along the terminal branches of the cervical plexus. There are two components of the plexus, cutaneous and muscular. The cutaneous component of the cervical plexus consists of four major branches which are the lesser occipital, great auricular, transverse cervical, and supraclavicular nerves. Practically all of the acupuncture points in the neck are found along the routes of these cutaneous nerves. It is suggested that acupuncture points in this region be names according to the anatomical designation of these nerves.

Accessory Nerve↗