Comparative study on curative effects of stroke treated with acupuncture by NIRS / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the intracephalic imaging differences of stroke treated with combined therapy of scalp and body acupuncture and body acupuncture only, in order to apply the image basis for the differences of clinical curative effects.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty cases of stroke were randomized into a body acupuncture group (group A) and a scalp and body acupuncture group (group B), ten cases in each group respectively. In group A, body acupuncture was applied simply, and different acupoints were selected according to the symptoms: Shousanli (LI 10), Jianliao (TE 14), Huantiao (GB 30) and Jiaji (EX-B 2) etc. were selected for hemiplegia, Fengchi (GB 20), Xiaguan (ST 7) and Quanliao (SI 18) etc. were for facial paralysis, Fengfu (GV 16) and Lianquan (CV 23) etc. were for aphasia. In group B, combined therapy were applied, the body acupoints selection was same as above; for scalp acupoints, corresponding motor area, sensory area and foot motor sensory area were selected. Instant changes of local cerebral blood flow before and after treatment were examined and evaluated by NIRS and the curative effects of both groups were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total therapeutic effective rate was 90.0% (9/10) and the basically cured rate was 30.0% (3/10) in group A; and 100.0% (10/10) and 50.0% (5/10) respectively in group B, indicating that the clinical curative effect in group B was superior to that in group A at 20, 30 min of acupuncture treatment (P < 0.05). Both imaging results showed that blood flows of prefrontal cortex in both groups were increased with varying degrees after treatment (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); the cerebral blood flow in group B was much more improved than that in group A at 20, 30 min of acupuncture treatment (all P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Acupuncture can significantly increase blood flow and oxygen saturation in brain cortex, and the effect with combined therapy of scalp and body acupuncture is superior to that with body acupuncture.</p>

Effects of electric-moxibustion on brain mantle accessed with near-infrared imaging / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the influence of electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) or Shenque (CV 8) on the cerebral blood flow.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty healthy volunteer were treated by electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) or Shenque (CV 8) with multi-functional electric-moxibustion instrument. The changes of the forehead cortex blood flow during moxibustion were detected by dynamic continuous spectrum near-infrared imaging.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were significant differences as the forehead cortex blood flow after electric-moxibustion at Baihui (GV 20) for 20 and 30 minutes compared with their initial data (P < 0.05, P < 0.01); and as the forehead cortex blood flow after electric-moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) for 10, 20 and 30 minutes compared with their initial data (P<0. 05, P<0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Electric-moxibustion at both Baihui (GV 20) and Shenque (CV 8) can improve the volume of brain cortex blood flow and electric-moxibustion at Shenque (CV 8) has rapid effect.</p>

Study on original meaning and application of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru" / 中国针灸

To probe into the original meaning and clinical application of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru" in Miraculous Pivot * Genjie, based on Huangdi's Internal Classic and other opinions of annotation experts of successive dynasties, deeply analyze and study. The results indicate that two characteristics of "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru": similar to Maikou (the position to feel pulse in ancient Chinese medical classics); closely related to blood collaterals. It is suggested that "Gen, Liu, Zhu, Ru" can be used to diagnose disorder of meridians, and to treat the excess syndrome of meridians and collaterals with reducing method, including bleeding method.

Clinical observation on needle-sticking method for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis of wind-cold-damp retention type / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe clinical therapeutic effect of needle-sticking method on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of wind-cold-damp retention type.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty cases of such disease were divided into 2 groups in order of visiting. The treatment group (n = 30) were treated with needle-sticking method, and the control group (n = 20) with routine filiform needle therapy for 2 therapeutic courses. Total cumulative scores, numbers of both the pressure-pain joint and the swollen-distention joint, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C reaction protein (CRP) before and after treatment were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both the needle-sticking method and the filiform needle therapy had an apparent therapeutic effect on RA of wind-cold-damp retention type, and the therapeutic effect for the clinical indexes in the treatment group was better than the control group, with a very significant difference in improvement of RF, the number of pressure-pain joints and the total cumulative scores as the treatment group compared with the control group (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Needle-sticking method has definite therapeutic effect on RA of wind-cold-damp retention type with obvious superiority.</p>