Analgesic Effect of Sinew Acupuncture for Patients with Soft-Tissue Injuries: A Pilot Trial / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the immediate analgesic effect of sinew acupuncture for patients with soft-tissue injuries (STIs).@*METHODS@#Two hundreds eligible adult patients suffering from STIs were recruited and received sinew acupuncture with flexible treatment schedules. The number of treatment sessions was pragmatically decided by each patient on the basis of their pain relief. The outcome measurement was the change of pain rating in the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) during the first 5 sessions. The adverse effect was also observed.@*RESULTS@#Of the 200 patients recruited, 7 were excluded due to incomplete data. In total, 888 sinew acupuncture treatments were administered to patients at 14 injury sites (including head, neck, shoulder, arm, chest, elbow, wrist, hand, waist and hip, knee, thigh, calf, ankle, and foot) where pain was felt. Compared with the baseline, the VAS rating after the first and last treatments were both significantly reduced at all the injury sites (P<0.01). The VAS rating was also significantly reduced after each session of treatment in the first five sessions (P<0.01). No serious adverse effect was observed.@*CONCLUSION@#Sinew acupuncture had not only an immediate analgesic effect for STIs, but also an accumulated analgesic effect during the first 5 treatment sessions.

Getting qi and arrival of qi / 中国针灸

In order to clarify the inter-relationship between getting qi and arrival of qi, the relevant theory in the Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor is re-considered, and then the relationship of the two concepts by combining with some opinions from scholars is compared and analyzed. Getting qi is the signal of acupuncture at an acupoint; also it is a sign of arrival of qi at an acupoint; what's more, it is the premise for reinforcing or reducing manipulation. The sensation of arrival of qi comes from both doctors and patients, characterized with explicit symptoms including "tight and swift", "sunken, sticky and tight", "light, loose and slow", "warm at the acupoint" or "cold at the acupoint" as well as implicit symptom including "qi moving along the meridians"; also there is the condition of qi regulation that is characterized with "paced and harmony" stomach qi. The arrival of qi could be divided into "qi moving to the needles" and "qi traveling to the diseases". The "qi moving to the needles" has similar meaning to getting qi. The "qi traveling to the diseases" is reflected as "qi arrival with efficacy" and characterized as an immediate effect or a delayed effect. There are differences between the concepts of getting qi and arrival of qi. Getting qi focuses on the importance of the doctor during acupuncture processes (differentiate the nature of qi, guard qi, manipulate qi), which also suggests the clinical significance of implicit getting qi. "Arrival of qi" emphasizes "qi arrival with efficacy", and indicates that during treatment the differences of the exterior or interior and deficit or surplus should be distinguished. For external and shallow diseases involving myofascia-related diseases, miu needling and shallow needling can achieve an immediate treatment effect; for deep, internal and deficient diseases, reinforcing or reducing manipulation should be used to achieve stomach qi, which has delayed effects but can be used as an indicator. It is believed that pulse diagnosis shall not be neglected in clinical treatment of acupuncture.

Acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation: a systematic review / 中国针灸

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation, providing the basis for future research strategies. Randomized control trials. (RCT) of acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumber disc herniation at home and abroad from 2000 to 2013 were searched, analysis and evaluation of literature and strength of evidence were based on the principles and methods of Evidence-based Medicine. The total effective rate and curative rate were considered as primary outcome measures; pain improvement, quality of life, relapse rate and adverse effects were considered as secondary outcome measures. Seventeen RCTs were identified, Meta-analysis showed that (1) total effective rate and curative rate: acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than single therapy (acupuncture or traction); (2) pain improvement: acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than traction therapy; (3) relapse rate: current evidence could not support the conclusion that acupuncture combined with traction therapy was better than traction therapy. Acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation was effective. However, the included studies were with high risk of bias, important outcome measures such as quality of life, relapse rate and adverse effects were not found in most of the studies. Current evidence has not yet been able to fully reflect acupuncture combined with traction therapy for lumbar disc herniation is better than single therapy, so more RCTs of higher quality are needed to further confirm its efficacy and safety.