Acupuncture as An Injury Stimulation. A histopathological study of acupuncture stimulation / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

Despite the recent progress in physiological studies of acupuncture, few morphological studies from the viewpoint that acupuncture stimulation produces with a small tissue injury have been reported. In this study, we evaluated the mechanism of acupuncture stimulation by a histopathological approach. First, we confirmed the tissue structure from the skin to the muscle layer in a corpse. In the human body, free terminals (endings) of unmyelinated nerve fibers (1.5μmin diameter, Group III or Group IV) were present subcutaneously or in the endomysium of muscle tissues. Next, the extent of tissue injury caused by insertion of needles 0.20-0.95mm in diameter evaluated in human and animal tissues. The extent of the injury was in proportional to the diameter of the needle. These confirmed that acupuncture stimulation is clearly a small tissue injury. Also, the free terminals (endings) of unmyelinated nerves similar to those observe in the human tissue were obsurved in the endmysium near the injury site. These morphological findings suggest that acupuncture stimulation is related to Group III or Group IV fibers.