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【Purpose】 To investigate effects of physiotherapy on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), DOMS was induced in the elbow flexors of the non-dominant arm. We selected transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to examine effects of physiotherapy to the recovery process.【Methods】 Fifteen human volunteers were recruited. DOMS was induced by eccentric exercise. Subjects were assigned randomly to one of three groups (Control, 110 Hz TENS, 4 Hz TENS). TENS was applied for 20 min over the biceps brachii on 1 day only after exercise. Measurements of Mechanical Pain Threshold (MPT) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were performed as evaluation of pain. Measurements were taken before and after exercise.【Results】 There was no significant improvement in MPT and VAS among all three groups.【Conclusion】 It was suggested application of TENS on DOMS at the parameters used here had no beneficial effect.
ABSTRACT
[Purpose] Elderly patients with chronic low back pain have often been treated by acupuncture andmoxibustion therapy, using the traditional acupoints for low back pain. But there are some patients who do not get a clinical effect. Therefore, we tried to treat three such patients with three sessions of trigger point acupuncture therapy, instead of using the traditional acupoints for low back pain.<BR>[Methods] The patients were aged 74, 71 and 66, and had low back pain for at least 6 months. They hadround backs, but there were no extraordinary findings in their neurological examinations.<BR>[Results] During and after the previous therapy using the traditional acupoints for low back pain, there wereno remarkable clinical effects on low back pain. But during and after the present therapy using trigger points, there were remarkable clinical effects on low back pain, as evaluated by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and the pain disability assessment scale (PDAS).<BR>[Conclusion] These results suggest that the trigger point acupuncture therapy may be more effective on lowback pain in elderly patients than acupuncture therapy which uses the traditional acupoints.
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Treatment of tender points has widely been used for diagnosis and treatment, but there are few studies elucidating the usefulness of this approach to diagnosing knee pain. This study investigated the diagnostic importance of tender points. The symptoms and the pressure pain threshold (PPT) in osteoarthritis of the knee (pain and motion of knee joint) were measured in 45 patients being treated at the Acupuncture Center of Meiji University of Oriental Medicine. The change in PPT was related to symptoms of knee pain (staircase and flexion pain). It is suggested that changes in PPT around the knee joints are a useful indicator for evaluating knee pain.
ABSTRACT
The tender points treatment has been widely used for both treatment and diagnosis, but there have been very few studies that have examined its diagnostic usefulness. Thus, the purpose of this study was to clarify the diagnostic importance of tender points. The subject was a patient who had osteoarthritis of the knee of Meiji University of Oriental Medicine Hospital. The relationship between pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) and symptoms in osteoarthritis of the knee (painful knee motion) were evaluated with the Japanese Orthopaedic Association scale (JOA scale), a knee scale and the subject's knee pain diary (starting pain, flexion pain, walking pain and total pain Wong-Baker faces pain rating scale). After 40 acupuncture treatments, improvement was noted in the symptoms and PPTs. The changes in PPTs were related to the symptoms of the knee (flexion and walking pain). This suggests that changes in PPTs (around the knee) are a useful indicator for evaluating knee pain.
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[Objective] To compare the effectiveness of electro-acupuncture with that of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in the treatment of lower back pain and to investigate problems with conducting rigorous trials in Japan. [Design] A multi-center, randomized, observer-blinded, controlled trial with two parallel arms. [Setting] Four medical facilities affiliated with universities or colleges in Japan. [Subjects and methods] Low back pain patients without sciatica suffering for at least two weeks were randomly assigned to either an acupuncture with electro stimulation group (Group A) or a TENS group (Group T). Plans called to recruit 80 patients in the protocol. Patients in both groups were treated twice a week for 2 weeks with 1 Hz electro-stimulation for 15 minutes. Visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain relief and the scores recommended by the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA Score) were measured. Primary endpoint was improvement of pain that was assessed from the changes in VAS. [Results] Three patients were withdrawn after one-week run-in period and one patient was withdrawn from Group A during treatment the period. Consequently, 31 in group A and 33 in group T completed the trials and were available for evaluation. There was no difference between the groups in primary endpoint and JOA scores. [Discussion] Problem of patient recruitment should be resolved by strategically selecting facilities or by advertising for participants. Future investigation with attentive trials using adequate intervention is required to conclude whether or not acupuncture exceeds TENS in efficacy. [Conclusion] There was no statistical difference between electro-acupuncture and TENS for lumbago in this study.
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We studied the clincal effect of the electrical acupuncture at pudendal nerve in four cases of lumbar spinal canal stenosis. The experimental effect of the direct electrical stimulation to the pudendal nerve on the blood flow of the sciatic nerve evaluated by Laser-Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized rats. Electrical acupuncture at pudendal nerve resulted in the improvement of the gait distance of all four cases. The specific effect of the electrical acupuncture at pudendal nerve was found in one case who did not show any improvement by the acupuncture at the intervertebral joint points. On one hand, the direct electrical stimulation to rats pudendal nerve resulted in the increase of the sciatic nerve blood flow, which were not evoked by administration of atropine. These results suggest that the electrical acupuncture at the pudensal nerve may be effective for the intermittent claudication of the lumbar spinal canal stenosis. The increased blood flow of the sciatic nerve may play one of the important roles in the effect via autonomic nervous system.
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The patients with the spondylosis deformans of the lumbar spine are often treated by acupuncture therapy. Forty patients (male 28, female 12, mean age 61.2 years old) with spondylosis deformans of lumbar spine were treated by the acupuncture therapy with therapeutic exercise and silver spike point (SSP) therapy in Meiji College of Oriental Medicine Hospital. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical effect of our therapy using our painscale score. In our therapy, acupuncture points (Dachangshu-BL25, Shenshu-BL23, Ciliao-BL32, Baohuang-BL53 etc.) and SSP points on erector spinae muscle and gluteal muscle were used. As the result of this study, 22.5 % had excellent effect and 55.0 % had good effect by our therapy. It was concluded that our therapy is one of considerably effective therapy for the spondylosis deformans of the lumbar spine.
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Epicodylitis humeri lateralis is common in indivisuals whose occupations require frequent rotatory motion of the forearm. An ache appears over the outer aspect of the elbow and is reffered into the forearm. The patients with epicodylitis humeri lateralis were often treated by acupuncture therapy. We treated the patients by means of acupuncture therapy with silver spike point therapy and streching of the extensors of the forearm, in Meiji College of Oriental Medicine Hospital. In order to clarify the effect of our therapy, we valuated clinical results by using pain scale score. We treated 13 patients (male 4, female 9, mean age 49.2 years). In our therpy, acupuncture points and SSP points, which were on the area from the lateral epicondyle to the extensors of the forearm, were used. And we made the patients to do streching of extensors of the forearm. The pain scale scale score improved from 10 points to 3.8 points after the treatments, 15% were excellent, 77% were good, and 8% fair. The results suggested that our therapy improves the symptoms of epicodylitis humeri lateralis.
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To determine the effect of moxibustion on blood flow in the gastric wall, gastric blood flow was measured seven times by H<sup>2</sup> clearance method at 30 minute intervals in 14 anesthetized female rabbits. Moxibustion stimulation was performed 3 times at one acupuncture point on the left hindleg (S 36 zusanli) just before the third measurement.<br>The level of gastric blood flow was high during the initial measurement after induction of anesthesia, and then gradually decreased in both groups. In the control group (without moxibustion: n=6) the blood flow showed a continuous decrease, but in the stimulation group (n=8) it tended to increase momentarily by about 1.5ml·min<sup>-1</sup>·100g<sup>-1</sup> at the third measurement (just after moxibustion) and 2.0ml·min<sup>-1</sup>·100g<sup>-1</sup> at the fourth measurement, amounting to 22.7±2.4ml·min<sup>-1</sup>·100g<sup>-1</sup> at the third measurement (control group: 18.9±1.9) and 23.2±2.9ml·min<sup>-1</sup>·100g<sup>-1</sup> at the fourth measurement (control group: 18.0±2.2). The increase in the blood flow was observed in 5 of 8 cases in the stimulation group. However, there was no increase observed in the control group. The increased blood flow in the stimulation group began to gradually decrease, but the values remained higher than the values in the control group until the last measurement. Significant difference, p<0.05, was found between the changes in the blood flow in the two groups.<br>Since the increment of the blood flow after moxibustion was supposed to be due to the vasodilation, it is suggested that moxibustion may cause the dilation of the gastric blood vessels owing to excitation of the vagal nerve and/or inhibition of the splanchnic nerve.
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In order to clarify whether the difference in the appearance rate of tenderness exist between the patients with abnormal neurological findings and the patients without them, the tenderness were examined in 81 patients with low back pain.<br>In the measurements, the pressure of 5-6kg/cm<sup>2</sup> was given on each points by fingertip. The compression were made in turn from proximal points to distal points. The appearance of the tenderness were significantly greater in the group with abnormal neurological findings than in the group without them (P<0.01-0.05). The marked tenderness appeared along the posterior branches of lumbar and sacral nerves and sciatic nerve.<br>It was suggested that the tenderness would be one of the important index reflecting well the condition of the disease.
ABSTRACT
In order to clarify the clinical significance of tenderness in the patients with low back pain, the tendernesses were measured on 32 points in 81 patients and 40 healthy volunteers.<br>The points which are well used in acupuncture and moxibustion treatments, were chosen as points for measurement, and are situated on the surface area in the low back and the lower limb.<br>In the measurements, the pressure of 5-6kg/cm<sup>2</sup> was given on each points by fingertip. The compression were made in turn from proximal points to distal points.<br>It was found that in the patients with low back pain, tendernesses appeared more significantly than in the healthy volunteers, and these points accorded with the tissues which were easy to accept the load in daily living and were along the nervetrunks. “Sharp tendernesses” appeared only in the patients.<br>It was suggested that tendernesses would be one of a consultation to know the condition of disease.
ABSTRACT
The osteoarthritis of knee joints in early stage were treated with acupuncture, SSP and therapeutic exercise. The clinical effect of this treatment was evaluated by the our original score methoed for osteoarthritis of knee joints, and the muscle strength of extensors of knee joint were measured. Symptoms of the osteoarthritis of knee joints were improved significantly and the power of the extensors increased by these treatments.
ABSTRACT
With the advancement and complexity on present society it has been called the “age of depression”. One gets the feeling that depression, following a singular path of increase in recent years is one sort of “sickness of the era”. This time we conducted a screening test for masked depression, selected those showing such a tendency, and here report the remarkable improvement in a short period of time the condition of depression using acupuncture.<br>Method: Nakajima's test for masked depression (abbr MD test) was carried out on students from Meiji special school of Oriental Medicine and Meiji Junior College of Acupuncture and Moxibustion and screened 65 subjects with depression tendencies. Twenty-seven of these 65 subjects were randomly selected and divided into two groups of 16 in “actual group” and 11 in “placebo group”. Acupuncture method: In the actual group six acupoints that commonly applied on the psychic disease were used as follows; HYAKUE (GV 20), SHINCHU (GV 12), SHIN-YU (BL 15), KOKETSU (CV 14), SHINMON (HT 7) and SAN-INKO (SP 6) and the other hand in the placebo group five acupoints close to these in the former group but which are not directly related to psychic disease were applied as follows; TOH-DO (GV 13), FU-MON (BL 12), SUIBUN (CV 9), GEREN (LI 8) and KENSYO (GB 39). Acupuncture was performed for 10 minutes stationally by using gold needle (0.20mm wide, 40mm length) and was undertaken three times in a week for four weeks. Its clinical effect was evaluated by the MD test and the CMI test every two weeks.<br>Results: 1) In the actual group the score on the MD test averaged out to a return to normal range within two weeks whereas in the placebo group even after four weeks the score still remained in the sphere of depression.<br>2) In the actual group a 80% of the subjects showed in area IV (the sphere of neurosis) on the CMI test was resistant to the therapy. Even they did not relieve into the sphere of normality.<br>3) The acupuncture therapy indicated a tendency to the improvement of both physical and psychic symptoms in the actual group.<br>Conclusion: It was demonstrated that the acupuncture therapy applying acupoints suitable for psychic disease brought rappydly improvement of not only psychic symptoms but also physical symptoms and then gave a relief from the condition of depression.
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In China, for years they have been studying the PSC to investigate scientifically the substance of traditional meridians. As we had been to there, we learned how to investigate it. According to their method we did it in Japan.<br>Objects were 340 healthy youths. The stimulated points were the well points in each meridian. The low frequency electroacupuncture (5-20Hz) was given to these points 30 minutes. Objects showed us their sensation or orally or by gesture.<br>We divided the result into 4 stages according to the chinese method;<br>salient…5 (1.5%)<br>comparatively salient…3 (0.9%)<br>slightly salient…7 (2.0%)<br>Non-salient…325 (95.6%)<br>In China, by the way, objects were 1, 000 people and it was 1.3%, 1.8%, 15.2% and 81.7%.<br>In this study, though it showed a low incidence of about 4.4% (about 18% in China), it was found that there was a phenomenon of the PSC.
ABSTRACT
From ancient times the oriental medicine has applied the acupuncture therapy, choosing various meridian points, to the diseases of the digestive system.<br>Against the gastric diseases meridian points Tsusanli (S36), Yangling-chuan (G34) etc. are usually used. However, it is traditionally handed down that the puncture to Tsusanli tends to increase gastric secretion, therefore the puncture to Yanglingchuan is better for gastric hyperacidity than that to Tsusanli.<br>On these meridian points, its pathophysiological mechanism for the diseases of the digestive system of these meridian points still remains unknown.<br>In these paper, an evaluation on the change of pH value of gastric juice was carried out by using Telemeter for gastroenteric pH value, concerning Tsusanli, Yanglingchuan, Liangchiu (S34), and Waichiu (G36).<br>It was obtained that the tendency to increase the secretion of HCI in gastric juice in the group stimulated to Tsusanli and the group to Lingchiu, and the tendency to inhibit the secretion in the group to Yanglingchuan.
ABSTRACT
Although there are many unclear points concerning the functional mechanism of the head meridian points, clinically they are used in the treatment of almost every disease.<br>Using the visual evoked potential (VEP) as an index we used the points said to effective in the treatment of optical disease, the meridian points on the frontal and posterior head areas, and examined to see whether or not there is any relationship with the VEP.<br>As points of study we used:<br>1. Poists such as GB-15, GB-16, GB-16, BL-6, etc., the Chinese names of which make it possible to assume some relationship with the eyes.<br>2. BL-10, GB-20, etc. points generally used in the treatment of eye disease.<br>3. BL-8, BL-9, GV-18, points on the aspect of the head located in the periphery of the visual areas.<br>We classified our selection of points according to these three areas.<br>For the stimulation of the eyes we used the light stimulation apparatus attached to the encephelograph, set such that 1 stimulation per second was administered according to the signal of the electrical acupuncture apparatus. Records were made using a single induction electrode and double induction electrodes at me ridian points on the scalp.<br>In the results it was observed that compared with the meridian points in the periphery of the visual areas on the back of the head, (Group 3) the vibration amplitude was less with Group 1 and 2 meridian points however the wave pattern composition, etc., was very similar.<br>Concerning the appearance of VEP at the anterior head meridian points, from the fact that the latent period of the components was fast it can be thought that this has some relationship with the retina potential. We plan to supply further infomration and report on these facts.
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<b>Introduction:</b><br>There are two types of phenylalanine, one of the essential amino acids, D-Type and L-type. Phenylalanine in itself has shown no clear analgesic effect in human beings, however, as we reported previously, D-type phenylalanine (DPA) when administered prior to acupuncture analgesia in human beings lengthens the analgesic effects of acupuncture. At this time then, using volunteers in whom acupuncture analgesia failed to raise the pain threshold (PT) we experimentally studied whether or not DPA has any influence.<br><b>Methods:</b><br>Subjects were divided into an acupuncture anesthesia effective group (a rise in PT was observed due to acupuncture) and an acpuncture anesthesia ineffective group (no rise in PT). 4.0g. DPA was administered orally in both groups 30 minutes prior to acupuncture anesthesia. For acupuncture anesthesia right and left LI-4 and right and left ST-36 were used with low frequency electric current administered for 50 minutes. For the determination of PT a radiant heat pain meter was used. The PT was measured when DPA was administered, during acupuncture anesthesia and at every 30 minutes for 3 hours after the needles were withdrawn.<br><b>Results:</b><br>In the acupuncture anesthesia effective group, a rise in the PT was observed in 4 of the 5 cases and, the rise was much faster than when acupuncture anesthesia was used alone. In the acupuncture anethesia ineffective group, there were cases in which a remarkable rise in PT was observed or in which no rise in the PT occured during acupuncture stimulation but occured after the discontinuation of the acupuncture and some cases in which no rise occured during or after anesthesia.<br><b>Discussion:</b><br>1. In the acupuncture anesthesia effective group due to DPA pre-medication, the rate of PT rise quickened.<br>2. After operations the PT rise was lengthened.<br>3. The individuality of the acupuncture effectiveness in human beings was partially eliminated.