ABSTRACT
[Objective] Photographers perform a variety of tasks, including taking photographs for extended periods of time, using personal computers to organize photographic data, and preparing and transporting their equipment. Although photographers may exhibit a variety of symptoms, there have been no reports on investigations of pain or disease in photographers. In this study, we conducted a questionnaire survey on the actual status of work-related pain in photographers. We, then, performed acupuncture and evaluated the effects in subjects for pain or stiffness in the neck and shoulders, which was the most common chief complaint in the questionnaire.[Subjects and Methods] The survey was sent to 138 professional photographers. The survey included seven items, such as symptoms experienced during work activities and the content of the work. Among the respondents who reported chief complaints of pain in the neck and shoulder regions, six (one male and five females) opted to receive acupuncture treatment. We used the visual analog scale (VAS) scores to determine the amount of shoulder stiffness and tenderness in the shoulders and neck, as well as induration, before and immediately after treatment.[Results] Responses were obtained from 60.1% subjects. The most common chief complaint involved the neck and shoulder region in 86% of subjects. In the analysis of sex differences, the most common chief complaint in females was in the neck and shoulder region, whereas the most common chief complaint in males was in the lower back region. In the assessment of effects of acupuncture, the VAS scores for shoulder stiffness decreased after acupuncture (p < 0.05) and tenderness and induration scores decreased after acupuncture (p < 0.05).[Discussion and Conclusion] Low muscle strength may be a contributing factor for a higher complaint of neck and shoulder pain and stiffness in females. A higher complaint of pain and stiffness in the lower back region in males may be attributable to a higher load on the lower back region because they tend to have poor posture owing to height differences with the object being photographed. These results suggest that acupuncture is useful for work-related pain in the neck and shoulder region, which is the most common chief complaint in photographers.
ABSTRACT
[Objectives] In this study, we examined the effects of acupuncture stimulation on short latency reflexes (SLR) and long latency reflexes (LLR) to determine the site of acupuncture stimulation in modulating motor reflexes. Further, we investigated the relationship between changes in LLR and changes in the N20 somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) component induced by acupuncture stimulation and examined changes in central motor conduction time (CMCT).[Subjects and Methods] Sixteen healthy and right-handed adults (11 males and 5 females; 28.9 ± 6.6 years old; upper limb length 54.9 ± 3.2 cm) participated in this study. The experiments were performed under three conditions: (1) control (no acupuncture stimulation), (2) acupuncture stimulation of right-sided Hegu (LI4), and (3) acupuncture stimulation of left-sided LI4. An acupuncture needle (0.18 mm in diameter) was inserted up to a depth of 10 mm at the right- or left-sided LI4. Electrical stimulation was delivered to the median nerve in the right hand joint at a 120% intensity compared with the threshold to produce an M-wave. SLR and LLR were recorded from the opponens pollicis muscle of the right hand. The frequency and amplitude ratio of SLR (latency, approximately 20-30 ms) and LLR (latency, approximately 40-70 ms) were analyzed. SEP was produced by electrical stimulation delivered to the median nerve. The amplitude from baseline and mean latency of N20 waves were measured. F-wave in the evoked electromyography was evoked by electrical stimulation of the median nerve of the right hand at supramaximal intensity to elicit an M-wave and recorded from the opponens pollicis muscle of the same hand. We analyzed the mean latency and calculated the CMCT using the mean latencies of LLR, N20, F-wave, and M-wave.[Results] The frequency and amplitude ratio of SLR were reduced by acupuncture stimulation of left- and right-sided LI4, respectively. LLR frequency and amplitude ratio were reduced by acupuncture stimulations on either side. A correlation was observed between changes in the LLR amplitude ratio and changes in the N20 SEP amplitude ratio induced by acupuncture stimulation. No effect of acupuncture stimulation was observed on CMCT. [Discussion and Conclusion] SLR is the reflex potential of the spinal cord, and LLR is the motor reflex of the central nervous system via supraspinal pathways. These findings suggest that acupuncture stimulation inhibits motor nerve reflexes via both spinal and supraspinal modulation systems.