ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the distribution of heat-sensitive acupoints below the elbow and knee joints of the Yangming Meridians in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR)．. METHODS: A total of 27 PAR volunteers 16－55 years in age were recruited in the present study. In a quiet room, the patient was ordered to take a recumbent or sitting position, and the operator held an ignited moxa-stick to make a circling (about 2 min), sparrow-pecking (2 min) and forwards-backwards moving (1 min) moxibustion perpendicularly over the skin (about 3 cm away) along the running course of the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand Yangming below the elbow joints and the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming below the knee joints on both sides. The procedures were repeated again and again until the moxibustion sensation disappeared. The patient was asked to carefully perceive the heat diffusion, diathermic, extending, athermal (cool and itching) feelings, at the heated loci. If one or more of the feelings appeared, it was considered as the thermosensitive phenomenon and that spot was marked as the "thermosensitive spot" or "thermosensitive acupoint"．. RESULTS: In those 27 PAR patients, the thermosensitive response was found at Quchi (LI 11), Shousanli (LI 10), Hegu (LI 4), Sanjian (LI 3), and Zusanli (ST 36), constituting 59.25% (16/27), 85.18% (23/27), 44.44% (12/27), 55.55% (15/27), and 11.11% (3/27), respectively, being 92.59% in total. Of the 27 patients, 2, 2, 9, 8, 5 and 1 cases had 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 thermosenitive acupoints appeared, accounting for 7.41%, 7.41%, 33.33%, 29.63%, 18.52% and 3.70%, respectively. CONCLUSION: There is a certain occurrence rate of the thermosensitive acupoints below the elbow and knee joints of the Yangming Meridians in PAR patients, which may provide a target-point for treating PAR.
ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effect of thumb pressing at Yangming Meridian on the function rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for knee osteoarthritis (KOA).Method Sixty KOA patients after TKA were randomized into a treatment group (thumb pressing at Yangming Meridian plus conventional rehabilitation) and a control group (single conventional rehabilitation),30 cases each.The treatment group was intervened by thumb pressing and kneading manipulation at the acupoints of Foot Yangming Meridian and Foot Taiyin Meridian plus rehabilitation training of passive flexion and extension by CPM machine,while the control group was intervened by rehabilitation training of passive flexion and extension by CPM machine.The American Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) for knee joint,the American Knee Society score (KSS) and the Western Ontario and the McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) of KOA were used to evaluate the function.Result After the treatment,the HSS,KSS and WOMAC scores were changed significantly in both groups (P＜0.05).The improvements of HSS,KSS and WOMAC scores in the treatment group were superior to those in the control group,and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.05).Conclusion The efficacy of thumb pressing at Yangming Meridian plus conventional rehabilitation for post-TKA KOA is superior to single conventional rehabilitation.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical and imaging features of Foot-Yangming meridian-muscle syndrome of knee osteoarthritis(KOA) so as to promote the normalization and standardization of the meridian-muscle therapies. Methods A total of 31 KOA cases (involving 31 knees) of Foot-Yangming meridian-muscle syndrome were included into the study group , and 31 healthy volunteers (involving 31 knees) served as the control group. A retrospective research of patellofemoral relationship was carried out based on the clinical and imaging features. Results The differences of Insall index and patella index between the study group and control group were insignificant(P> 0 . 05), but the differences of patellofemoral index , patellofemoral congruence angle, and external patellar angle between the study group and control group were significant(P<0.01). Conclusion The patellofemoral relationship disorder is one of main lesions in Foot-Yangming meridian-muscle syndrome of KOA.