ABSTRACT
A double blind randomized control trial was performed to clarify the effects of acupuncture using a press needle on muscle pain, serum creatine kinase (CK) activity and muscle stiffness that resulted from running a marathon race. Sham press needles (placebo needles), which have the same package but without a needle tip, were developed by the acupuncture study authors. The subjects were 15 university students who participated in a marathon for the first time. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: the real acupuncture group and the placebo acupuncture group.<br>Both the real and the sham needles were applied to eight traditional Chinese acupoints in the lower limbs. They were applied before the start of the race and removed five days after the race.<br>Physical and biochemical examinations to determine the degree of muscle pain, CK activity, LDH isozyme, body flexion in standing position and muscle hardness were evaluated three times-before the start, after the finish, and five days after the finish.<br>Result: 1) The real acupuncture group showed less muscle pain than the placebo acupuncture group. 2) CK activity and LDH4-5 showed higher levels after the finish than before the start, but no significant difference was obtained among the groups. 3) No significant difference in time course change of the body flexion was obtained among the groups. 4) Hardness of vastus lateralis and vastus medialis showed higher levels after the finish than before the start, but no significant difference was obtained among the groups.
ABSTRACT
We have developed a new educational program directed at young people who have never undergone acupuncture therapy. The objective of this program is to provide them with useful information related to acupuncture therapy. We examined whether this program had managed to motivate participants to receive therapy and whether or not it had caused a change in their attitude toward it. Forty-four young people participated in the program. We divided them into two main groups; one whose members knew someone close to them who had received acupuncture therapy, and one whose members did not, in consideration of the images that each might have of therapy. In addition, some members of these were selected at random of receive visual aids, making a total of four groups. In order to investigate the efficacy of the program with regard to each group, we compared the average of each evaluation at before and after the program. All groups showed an increase in scores in all criteria after the implementation of the program. These results indicate that the educational program used in this study was effective.
ABSTRACT
Although it has 100 years since the massage techniques developed by John Harvey Kellogg, an American, were introduced to Japan, not much of them are known today. This paper clarifies the characteristics of his theory and techniques as a method of physical therapy so they can be applied to clinical practices.<br>Our study mainly consists of the review of J. H. Kellogg's “The Art of Massage” (4<sup>th</sup>ed. 1923). These massage techniques, a combination of massage techniques developed in Europe and osteopathy, an original idea developed in the United States, were systematized through his clinical experience at sanitariums over a period of 50 years or more.<br>Always based on strict physiological principles, Kellogg cited three types of comprehensive effects: direct “Mechanical”, indirect “Reflex”, and general “Metabolic” effects. He advocates that external manipulations are effective for building strength in the whole body and activating living power because they not only influence deep tissues of the body by improving general circulation and reactions of the nervous system but also on the metabolic renewal processes of the various parts of the body. He emphasizes these phenomena as the sources of large therapeutic effects.<br>Kellogg's massage techniques consist of seven types of basic manipulations (touch, stroking, friction, kneading, vibration, percussion, and joint movements), each of which is divided into several sub-types of manipulations, which are unique to Kellogg, according to his theory.<br>To improve the usefulness of current medical massage therapy, it is essential to review these unique techniques and apply them to clinical practices.
ABSTRACT
[Objective and Design] We have encountered various patients with hypertension who showed a tendency of declining blood pressure after the start of acupuncture therapy based on the traditional theory. This report presents one typical case of hypertension for which there are data on daily measurements of blood pressure for four years and data on lower stable blood pressure for more than one year since the beginning of traditional acupuncture.<BR>[Methods] Acupuncture therapy based on the traditional theory consists of selecting two groups of acupuncture points : one group for general effects contains four points in the extremities according to the pulse examination of the classic “Nan Jing”, and Ren 12 (Zhongwan) and Ren 6 (Qihai) in the abdomen, the other group for symptoms contains eight back Shu points. For acupuncture therapy, silver needles of diameter 180 p m were inserted as far as the muscles.<BR>[Result] It was clearly observed that hypertensive blood pressure of this case was decreased to lower stable levels by traditional acupuncture therapy within three or four weeks after the start of the therapy.<BR>[Conclusion] Especially in the typical case above, as we could not find any factors influencing the change of his hypertensive state such as changes of administered drugs, climate or social environment, it was conceivable that this decrease of blood pressure was caused by the acupuncture.
ABSTRACT
This paper is an effort to identify the benefits of Anma therapy's theory and technique from the ancient literature of Chinese medicine as having significance for modem medical manipulation. Our study is based on “The Yellow Emperor's Manual of Corporeal Medicine; Questions about Living Matter, and the Vital Axis (edited in the Sung Period).” The conclusions drawn from the results are as follows:<br>(1) The name of Anma appears in four parts of the literature. It may be said that there was already a manipulation called Anma in the Han Period.<br>(2) Generally the term ‘an’ means that sensations are sent downwards in the tonic or syndromic direction, while ‘ma’ means that they are sent upwards in the sedative or antidromic direction, According to the previous two books, however, both ‘an’ and ‘ma’ both have upwards and downwards effects.<br>(3) It is clearly indicated that applications of Anma therapy are available for paralysis, feeling of cold, stiffness, etc. These conditions are caused by poor circulation of chi (Chinese) and blood. The effect of Anma therapy is to improve such circulation.<br>(4) Anma therapy was the one original method in the Han Period. In these classical texts, we found that it was highly advantageous to apply other methods with Anma therapy. In order to advance the usefulness of current Anma therapy, it is essential to re-evaluate classical techniques with regard to the fundamental facts and principles of medical science.