Infrared Thermogram of Yangming Meridian Acupoints in Patients with Idiopathic Facial Paralysis in Acute Stage / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe changes in the infrared thermogram of Yangming meridian acupoints in patients with idiopathic facial paralysis in acute stage. Method High-performance uncooled infrared focal plane array (M7800 Thermal Imager, LumaSense, USA) was used to detect the infrared thermogram of Yangming meridian acupoints[Kouheliao (LI19), Yingxiang (LI20), Hegu (LI4), Shangyang (LI1), Chengqi (ST1), Sibai (ST2), Juliao (ST3), Dicang (ST4), Daying (ST5), Jiache (ST6), Xiaguan (ST7), Tianshu (ST25), and Zusanli (ST36) ]of 80 patients with idiopathic facial paralysis in acute stage and 75 healthy subjects. The temperature data of the meridian acupoints obtained from the analysis software were statistically processed. Result Compared with the healthy subjects, the temperature differences&Delta;T of the Hand Yangming Meridian acupoints including Kouheliao, Yingxiang and Hegu, and Foot Yangming Meridian acupoints including Chengqi, Sibai, Juliao, Dicang, Daying, Jiache and Xiaguan were more significant in the patients with idiopathic facial paralysis in acute stage, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05); the temperature differences &Delta;T of the Hand Yangming Meridian acupoint Shangyang, and the Foot Yangming Meridian acupoints including Tianshu and Zusanli in the facial paralysis patients showed insignificant differences compared with those in the healthy subjects (P>0.05). Conclusion There are changes in the infrared thermogram at Yangming meridian acupoints located on face (Kouheliao, Yingxiang, Shangyang, Chengqi, Sibai, Juliao, Dicang, Daying, Jiache and Xiaguan) and the distant acupoint Hegu in idiopathic facial paralysis patients in acute stage, while Shangyang, Tianshu and Zusanli do not present the above phenomenon, indicating the specificity of acupoint effect from the perspective of infrared.