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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of qi-guiding needling plus electroacupuncture in treating intractable low back pain after lumbar disc herniation surgery and the change of infrared thermal image.Method Totally 172 patients with intractable low back pain after lumbar disc herniation surgery were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 86 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by qi-guiding needling plus electroacupuncture, while the control group was by electroacupuncture alone. The infrared thermal image of the affected low back area was observed before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups.Result The change of infrared thermal image of the affected low back area in the treatment group after intervention was significantly different from that in the control group (P<0.01). The total effective rate and the recovery-markedly-effective rate were respectively 87.2% and 66.3% in the treatment group, versus 74.4% and 37.2% in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Qi-guiding needling plus electroacupuncture can mitigate the intractable low back pain after lumbar disc herniation surgery.
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Objective To investigate the effect of Zusanli(ST36) moxibustion on facial infrared thermal images in infantile spasm patients and provide a clinical basis for rehabilitation treatment of infantile spasm.Method Fifteen infantile spasm patients were enrolled. Ten healthy children constituted a normal control group. Facial infrared thermal images were observed in the infantile spasm patients. An auto-control study was also conducted in the infantile spasm patients. The infrared thermal images before and after 15 minutes of a rest state were used as a blank group and those before and after 15 minutes of moxibustion, as a treatment group. Facial infrared thermal images were produce using anATIR-M301 medical far-infrared thermograph. Changes in temperature in facial regions were observed in the control and treatment groups. A statistical analysis was carried out.Result Facial infrared thermal images showed that bilateral temperatures were evenly and symmetrically distributed in the normal group and asymmetrically distributed, with the right side temperature lower than the left side, in the spasm group of patients. There were statistically significant differences in the forehead and inner canthus(P0.05). In the treatment group, facial thermal images tended to be symmetrical after 15 minutes of moxibustion and had a statistically significant difference between before and after the moxibustion (P<0.05).Conclusion Zusanli moxibustion can improve facial blood circulation in infantile spasm patients.
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Objective To investigate the effect of electro-acupuncture stimulation on the temperature over the body surface projection area of intestines in patients with functional constipation. Methods A total of 30 patients with functional constipation were randomly divided into a electro-acupuncture stimulation group and a false stimulation group, with 15 patients in each group. The patients in the electro-acupuncture stimulation recived electro-acupuncture at bilateral points of Tianshu, Fujie and upper Juxu for 8 weeks, a total of 28 times stimulation;the patients in the false stimulation group received false electro-acupuncture at fake bilateral points beside Tianshu, Fujie and upper Juxu for the same stimulation period. Medical infrared thermal imager was adopted to record the temperatures over the body surface projection area of ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and small intestine. Results The temperature over the body surface projection area of of the ascending colon(33.35±0.96 ℃ vs. 34.62±1.15 ℃;t=2.977, P=0.010), transverse colon(33.32±0.97 ℃ vs. 34.60±1.23 ℃; t=2.839, P=0.013), descending colon(33.36±0.98 ℃ vs. 34.64±1.18 ℃; t=2.892, P=0.012), the small intestine(33.31±0.97 ℃ vs. 34.57±1.22 ℃; t=2.763, P=0.015)showed significant lower than those before the stimulation in the electro-acupuncture stimulation group. The temperature over the body surface projection area of of the ascending colon(33.74±1.25 ℃ vs. 34.52±1.64 ℃; t=1.701, P=0.111) transverse colon (33.71±1.27℃vs. 34.47±1.65℃;t=1.643, P=0.123), descending colon(33.72±1.25 ℃vs. 34.52±1.66 ℃; t=1.710, P=0.109), the small intestine(33.70±1.28 ℃ vs. 34.51±1.65 ℃; t=1.744, P=0.103)showed no significant different than those before the stimulation in the false stimulation group. Conclusion Electro-acupuncture stimulation can decrease the temperature over the body surface projection area of the ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, and small intestine.
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Objective To investigate the psycho-physiological characteristics of experimental tonic cold and heat pain in a behavioral study. Methods Sixty healthy subjects went through the tonic cold and tonic heat stimulation in a counter-balanced order. Psychological traits were measured before the experiment. Pain intensity ratings were recorded together with continuous Infrared thermal imaging recording. SF-MPQ was employed to assess pain intensity and affective measures. Results Anxiety and fear were positively correlated with cold pain intensity on SF-MPQ,while GESE was negatively correlated with that of heat pain (r =0.57,P <0.05; r =0.45,P <0.05,respectively). Verbal descriptors chosen from SF-MPQ for cold and heat pain significantly differed(χ2=18.6,P =0.04). Infrared thermal imaging results showed after stimulation,heat pain intensity ratings decreased simultaneously with skin surface temperature recovery to baseline. In contrast,skin surface temperature began to return to baseline well before the cold sensation began to diminish(t =34.57,P <0.05; t =23.66,P <0.05). Conclusion Experimental tonic cold and heat pain are not psychophysically identical,but may be predicted by different psychological traits,and may reside in differential peripheral and central processing in human.