<b>A Study on the Association Between Skin Color and Health Condition</b> / 日本東洋医学雑誌

In Japanese traditional medicine, “<i>ganmenshin</i>” (facial diagnosis), which means assessment of a patient's health based on the color of his/her face, is frequently used in a clinical setting. However, little scientific evidence is available to substantiate such diagnoses. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between skin color and patient's health status to ascertain the clinical usefulness of the “<i>ganmenshin</i>” technique. We evaluated the color of the cheeks and forearms of 30 healthy study participants and also administered questionnaires to determine their health. A correlation was observed between skin color and work efficiency and the <i>inkyo </i>(yin-fluid deficiency) scores in all subjects. In male subjects, skin color was correlated with their bodymass index (BMI), self-rated health status, work efficiency, and <i>suitai </i>(fluid stagnation) scores. In female subjects, skin color was correlated with the patient's age, work efficiency, and <i>inkyo </i>scores. These results suggest that “<i>ganmenshin</i>” may be clinically useful because of the correlation between skin color and the health of patients.

Considering what we can do for Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

Sports Acupuncture is used for alleviating physical disorders of athletes and it helps them to keep up the quality of their performance. Acupuncture has been used for sports injuries to relieve the pain, and lately, is also applied for preventing injuries, conditioning, or health maintenance. However, the definition of "Sports Acupuncture"is still unclear and there is no guideline to apply acupuncture for athletes.<BR>As Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic will be held in Tokyo in 2020, we decided to review past researches related with sports acupuncture. These researches examine the effects of acupuncture for muscle pain, muscle fatigue, muscle atrophy, and sports injuries. Moreover, we invite one former athlete and she speaks how she used acupuncture when she was a player. After this panel discussion we will be able to make a step to next level, so that we re-create "Sports Acupuncture"on athletes'demand.

Effects of electroacupuncture stimulation on repetitive exercise-induced oxidative stress / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

[Objective]Daily repetitive exercise is known to be necessary for players in sports. In this study, to further explore the potential functions of acupuncture, we studied whether electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation has efficacy for repetitive exercise-induced oxidative stress.<BR>[Methods]Six healthy male volunteers participated in both the non-treatment control group and the EA group in a crossover design. EA stimulation was applied to both the medial vastus muscles at 2 Hz and optimum intensity for each subject during ten min just before each exercise period. The subject performed ergometer exercise for 20 min with 75%of maximal oxygen uptake each day. This exercise period was performed once a day for three consecutive days. Blood lactate level (BLL) and plasma lipid peroxide (LP) concentration were measured as the markers for metabolism and oxidative stress, respectively. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the individual level of fatigue due to exercise.<BR>[Results]During and just after the exercise period, each value of BLL in the EA group was lower than the same points in the control group. Whereas LP concentrations before the exercise period on the first day in the control group was higher than the values in the same points on the second and third days. LP concentrations before the exercise period in the EA group were almost the same levels for three days. Furthermore, after the exercise period for the three consecutive days, LP concentrations and VAS in the EA group were lower than each value of the same points in the control group, and especially, the alteration of VAS showed a significant difference. <BR>[Conclusion]The increased tendency of LP concentrations before the exercise period for three days in the control group indicated that repetitive exercise induced the accumulation of excess lipid peroxide. It might be suggested that EA stimulation suppressed subjective fatigue by an enhanced energy metabolic rate and decreased production of lipid peroxide. Hence the evidence strongly supported that EA stimulation might be useful for sports conditioning.

Effect of electroacupuncture on exercise-induced oxidative stress / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

Objective:It is very important that oxidative stress is estimated for us to understand a player's condition in the field of sports. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether electroacupuncture has an effect on exercise-induced oxidative stress.<BR>Methods:Ten healthy male volunteers participated in both the electroacupuncture (EA) group and the control group in a crossover design. EA at a frequency of 2 Hz and optimum intensity was performed in the subjects for 10 minutes in both the medial vastus muscles. During ergometer exercise by ramp load, respiratory metabolism including the RC point was recorded as the indication of energy metabolism. Blood was collected from the fingertips of the subjects, and then their levels of oxidative stress (d-ROMs test) and antioxidative (BAP test) were determined by using a Free Radical Analytical System (FRAS4, Wismell Instruments). Six measurements were taken;at rest, immediately after EA and following exercise, and at 20, 40, and 60 minutes following exercise.<BR>Results:The RC point was significantly prolonged in the EA group compared with the control group. The level of oxidative stress (d-ROMs test) in the control group increased significantly at 20 minutes following exercise compared with rest (before exercise) and this increase was sustained until 60 minutes after exercise. In contrast, it did not significantly change in the EA group. Whereas the antioxidative level (BAP test) in the EA group significantly increased immediately following exercise compared with rest (before exercise), it did not increase in the control group.<BR>Conclusion:These results suggest that electroacupuncture might enhance the antioxidative level (BAP test) and inhibit the level of oxidative stress (d-ROMs test) by effecting a change in respiratory metabolism. We propose that electroacupuncture might be useful for sports conditioning.

Effect of acupuncture stimulus on the deep pain threshold and deep tissue temperature of the favorite site of shin-splints / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

[Objective]As fundamental research on the acupuncture treatment to shin-splints, we studied what kind of acupuncture stimulus raises the pain threshold and deep tissue temperature of the periosteal part of the tibia.<BR>[Methods]Twelve healthy subjects (Age: 22 ± 2years old) participated in this study. We recorded how the pain threshold of the periosteum would change under the influence of the kind of stimulus of leaving a needle, sparrow pecking a needle and no stimulation. Simultaneously, we measured the deep tissue temperature near the measured part of pain threshold with a deep tissue thermometer.<BR>[Results]The pain threshold of leaving a needle group rose significantly (p < 0.05) as compared with the control group. The sparrow pecking group showed an upward tendency. There was no significant difference in the deep tissue temperature between each group at all times.<BR>[Conclusion]The leaving the needle technique is suitable for needle stimulus to shin-splints. It was suggested that pain control was expected with a leaving needle stimulus. The needle stimulus did not show a remarkable effect on the reaction of regional circulation.

Moxibustion Treatment Effect for Pain Caused by Hallux Valgus during Activities / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

[Objective] To examine the effect of moxibustion treatment for reducedpain during activity due to hallux valgus.<BR>[Methods] The subjects were five young females with pain due to hallux valgus. Indirect moxibustion treat-ment was carried out on the region of maximum pain to relieve pain. Moxibustion was performed once per day for 2 weeks, for a total of 14 times. Evaluation used the number of side steps performed and the pain (Numerical Rating Scale) at the time of a side step.<BR>[Results] After moxibustion treatment, pain improvement was observed in all subjects at the time of a side step. At the same time, the number of side steps increased. Repeated measurements before and after moxibustion indicated that there was no significant learning effect.<BR>[Discussion and Conclusion] It became clear that the pain due to hallux valgus is mitigated by moxibustion over a fixed period, while athletic ability with respect to side steps is also improved. These results suggested the pain during activity due to hallux valgus is controllable with moxibustion treatment. By controlling pain, moxibustion treatment also temporarily improves athletic ability.

The Effects of Electrical Acupuncture to Patellar Tendon and Electrical Stimulation to Femoral Nerve on the Blood Flow of the Patellar Tendon in Rat / 体力科学

The effects of electrical acupuncture at the patellar tendon and electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve on patellar tendon blood flow were evaluated using laser Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized rats. In most subjects the blood flow in the patellar tendon rapidly decreased for 30 seconds after the start of local electrical acupuncture and then increased above baseline. Changes in blood flow did not necessarily follow changes in arterial blood pressure. Changes in tendon blood flow induced by electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve were similar to those induced by electrical acupuncture at the patellar tendon. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate were not affected by electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve. Phentolamine administration abolished the decreased patellar tendon blood flow seen after initiating electrical acupuncture at the patellar tendon, whereas atropine abolished the increased patellar tendon blood flow seen after terminating electrical acupuncture at the patellar tendon. Furthermore, atropine did not evoke increased blood flow following electrical stimulation of the femoral nerve. These results suggest that the decrease of blood flow seen after initiating electrical acupuncture may be controlled by sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerves and the increase of blood flow following electrical acupuncture may be controlled by cholinergic vasodilator nerves.

The Effect of the Electrical Aoupuncture at Pudendal Nerve for Intermittent Claudioation of the Lumbar Spinal Canal Stenosis / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

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.

Effects of Acupuncture on Spondylosis Deformans of Lumbar Spine / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

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.

Effects of Acupuncture with SSP Therapy and Streching on Epicondylitis Humeri Lateralis / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

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.

Acupuncture with therapeutic exercise for the osteoarthritis of the knee joint / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

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.