ABSTRACT
[Introduction] We reported that the effects of remote acupuncture point electrical stimulation on the BL 57, BL 58 and BL 60 to the BL 23's response. This study compared the influence of electrical and acupuncture stimulation on BL 40.<BR>[Methods] The effects of acupuncture stimulation of BL 57, BL 58 and BL 60 were examined in 49 healthy volunteers without lumbago and 64 lumbago patients and measured change in the BL 23 response. All subjects gave informed consent prior to examination.<BR>[Results] Pre-acupuncture stimulation of the BL 40 response of male group was significantly lower than female group. Male lumbago group and non-lumbago group of female significantly showed increase (p<0.01) by BL 57 acupuncture stimulation. On the other hand, only lumbago female group showed significantly increased (p<0.05) by BL 60 acupuncture stimulation, while lumbago patients remarkably influence showed that than non-lumbago group for the acupuncture stimulation.<BR>These results indicate that acupuncture stimulation provides a stronger effect than electrical stimulation showed by the responding pattern of BL 23 after BL 57, 58 and 60 stimulation.<BR>[Conclusion] The responsiveness of BL 23 might be variously influenced by the existence of lumbago, and gender difference following BL 57, BL 58 and BL 60 acupuncture stimulus along the BL meridian compared to the effects of electrical stimulation. Furthermore, the roles and mechanisms appeared different.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION : It has been suspected that the BL40 (Weizhong, Ichu) point could be used as a remote acupuncture stimulation point for the effective treatment of lumbago, because traditional remote acupuncture stimulation has shown, on occasion, dramatic effects for relieving chronic pain, especially lumbago, headaches and shoulder pain. We have reported that remote acupuncture point stimulation, such as “BL40-to-BL23 (Shenshu, Jinyu)” might be useful in the treatment of lumbago. An experiment was designed to identify the most effective points on the Bladder Meridian.<BR>METHODS : We tested the electrical stimulation of BL57 (Chengshan, Shozan), BL58 (Feiyang, Hiyo) and BL60 (Kunlun, Konron) as far-points on the BL23 (Shenshu, Jinyu) in patients with slight to mild cases of lumago (24 adults, average age 31.2 y-o), who had given their informed consent beforehand. RESULTS : It was found that the respondent value (96.4 ± 4.8V, n=12) of BL40 on pre- stimulation in the male group was lower than that in the female group (86.1± 4.7V, n=12; p=0.07). When BL57 of lumbago patients was stimulated, the responsiveness of BL23 increased significantly in the male group (y=-0.04x+94.99; r=0.35, p<0.05), but declined in the female group (y=0.07x+102.55; r=0.44, p<0.01). When BL58 was stimulated, it had no apparent effect on the responsiveness of the male group, but that of the female group was reduced (y=-0.13x+99.00; r=0.85, p<0.001). In contrast, the responsiveness of BL23 to BL60 stimulation did not change in the male group but increased in the female group (y=0.12x+100.24; r=0.71, p<0.001). These results indicate that the stimulation on BL57, BL58 and BL60, which are far-points from BL23, had widely different effects on the responding pattern of BL23 in patients with lumbago.<BR>CONCLUSION : The results confirm that remote acupuncture point stimulation might be valuable in the treatment of lumbago.