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Objective: By observing the body surface temperature changes of different meridian acupoints located at the same or adjacent spinal segments of the uterus during the whole storing and releasing process of the uterus under normal physiological condition by the infrared thermal imaging technology, to explore the specific patterns that the functions of Zang-fu organs are reflected on the biophysical characteristics of acupoints, and to enrich the functional specificity theory of the meridian acupoints, thus to provide a reference for discussing the biophysical characteristics of meridian acupoints associated with the menstrual cycle in healthy female college students. Methods: Ninety healthy subjects were included. Infrared thermal imaging device was used to detect the body surface temperature of the Yuan-Primary points, the Xi-Cleft points, the crossing points, the non-specific points, the unrelated meridian acupoints and the non-meridian non-acupoint points of the three yin meridians of foot located at the same or adjacent spinal cord segment with uterus, during the menstrual phase, the follicular phase, the ovulation phase and the luteal phase. The absolute skin temperature difference between the left and right acupoints with the same name was used as the main outcome indicator. Results: The temperature difference between left and right Diji (SP 8, the Xi-Cleft point of the Spleen Meridian) during the ovulation phase was significantly higher than that during the other 3 phases (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the temperature difference between the other meridian acupoints and non-meridian non-acupoint points during the 4 phases (all P>0.05); the absolute temperature difference value of each meridian acupoint was not statistically different from each other in the same phase (all P>0.05). Conclusion: The temperature of Diji (SP 8) specifically reflected the onset of ovulation, and the thermal characteristics of Diji (SP 8) specifically reflected the physiological changes of uterus. The meridian acupoints reflecting the performance of Zang-fu function is not only associated with the spinal cord segment innervating the acupoints, but also associated with the characteristics of the acupoints and the meridians to which the acupoints belong.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) and Diji (SP8) in easing pain after Caesarean section (C-section) and the safety of the treatment. Method Sixty patients going to receive lower-uterine-segment C-section were enrolled and randomized into two groups. The control group was intervened by patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with Sufentanil after the surgery, while the treatment group was intervened by 30-minute electroacupuncture (EA) after the surgery. The contents of blood β-endorphin (β-EP), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were evaluated at several time points: prior to EA (T1), 2 h after the surgery (T2), 12 h after the surgery (T3), 24 h after the surgery (T4) and 48 h after the surgery (T5). Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was adopted to measure pain intensity at T2, T3, T4 and T5. The therapeutic efficacy, safety level and adverse reactions were recorded at each time point. Result The VAS score was significantly lower in the treatment group than in the control group at T2, T3 and T4 (P0.05). Regarding the efficacy evaluation, the excellent rate was 86.7% in the treatment group 2 h after the surgery, significantly higher than 60.0% in the control group (P<0.05). The security level in the treatment group was markedly higher than that in the control group (P< 0.05). Conclusion EA can provide a safe and effective post-operation analgesia for C-section, and the possible mechanism is that EA at Zusanli and Diji increases the secretion of β-EP and inhibits the release of inflammatory mediators 5-HT and PGE2.
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ObjectiveTo compare the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture at Diji (SP8) versus acupuncture at Dijiand Guanyuan (CV4) in treating primary dysmenorrhea, for exploring the combination relation of the commonly-used acupoints in acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea.MethodForty patients with primary dysmenorrhea were randomized into a single acupoint group and a double acupoint group, 20 in each group. The single acupoint group was intervened by acupuncture at Diji, while the double acupoint group was by acupuncture at Diji and Guanyuan. The change of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was observed and compared between the two groups.ResultThe changes of VAS score in the double acupoint group were more significant than that in the single acupoint group at each different time point.ConclusionAcupuncture at Diji alone and acupuncture at Diji and Guanyuan both can effectively treat primary dysmenorrhea; however, acupuncture at Diji and Guanyuan tends to produce a more significant effect than acupuncture at Diji alone; Diji and Guanyuan may work synergistically in acupuncture treatment for primary dysmenorrhea.
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Objective: To observe the clinical effects of acupoint injection therapy plus massage on primary dysmenorrhea (PD). Methods: Ninety patients with PD were randomly divided into a treatment group or a control group, 45 cases in each group. The treatment group was treated by injection of Vitamin K3into Sanyinjiao (SP 6) plus massage on Diji (SP 8). The control group was treated by oral administration of Ibuprofen sustained-release capsule. Before and after the treatment, visual analogue scale (VAS) was adopted to assess pain degree of the patients. The therapeutic effects were observed after continuous treatment of three cycles of menstruation. Results: After treatment, VAS scores were obviously decreased in both groups and the differences were statistically significant (allP Conclusion: Acupoint injection therapy plus massage for PD is effective and better than simple oral administration of Ibuprofen sustained-release capsule.