ABSTRACT
Even though modern medicine continues to be governed by the morphological point of view, cybernetics and systems theory are beginning to gain in importance. The concept of "Infomedicine" serves as the basis for a discussion of regulation and the information mechanisms necessary for this to occur. Some of the new insights being made in physics, such as the theory of relativity, quantum physics, and chaos theory provide many valuable explanations. Acupuncture represents a regulation and information therapy, and many parallels can be drawn between traditional Chinese medicine and the discoveries being made in today's physics.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Health Education , Acupuncture Points , Cybernetics , Humans , Physical Phenomena , Physics , Systems TheoryABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Evaluation of the incidence of a midline sternal foramen, as a developmental anomaly, in order to avoid fatal complications following sternal puncture of sternal acupuncture treatment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 100 chest computed tomograms were evaluated in reference to the incidence of this anomaly and its various features. RESULTS: The variety of CT aspects ranged from very incomplete types with only sandglass-like retraction of sternal cortex, to a complete foraminal defect. The incidence of midline sternal foramen in a feature bearing a risk of complication, is approximately 6%. CONCLUSION: We conclude that--if sternal acupuncture is planned in the region of corpus--previous radiographs should be done to rule out this anomaly. Furthermore, we strongly recommend the acupuncture technique of the "Wiener Schule", which prescribes a safe superficial-oblique approach to the sternum.
Subject(s)
Sternum/abnormalities , Sternum/diagnostic imaging , Acupuncture Therapy , Classification , Humans , Punctures , Tomography, X-Ray ComputedABSTRACT
Acupuncture has played an important part in pain research. Bischko was the first in the Western hemisphere to undertake surgery using acupuncture analgesia. This tonsillectomy was performed in 1972. Decisive research work has been carried out at the Ludwig Boltzmann Acupuncture Institute in Vienna. We now have far more knowledge about the importance of the basic system. Furthermore, we know that the theories on chaos research, and, especially the fractals play an important role. Various ways of treating pain by means of acupuncture will be discussed: e.g. body acupuncture (with or without supportive transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation); treatment via the so-called somatotopies (ear, oral mucous membrane, scalp acupuncture according to Yamamoto etc.). The Ludwig Boltzmann Acupuncture Institute, in close collaboration with the II. Dept. of Internal Medicine at the Kaiserin-Elisabeth Hospital, Vienna, has been able to demonstrate on inpatients with a variety of conditions, that acupuncture could significantly reduce the quantity of analgesics required.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Analgesia , Pain Management , Acupuncture Analgesia/instrumentation , Acupuncture Analgesia/methods , Acupuncture Points , Humans , Models, Biological , Pain/physiopathologyABSTRACT
Based on a case history the therapeutic value of an iv-chelate therapy in arteriosclerosis is discussed. Ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) is used as a standard regime in the treatment of poisoning with heavy metals. The usefulness of EDTA in arteriosclerosis is doubtful: some authors suppose, that Ca-deposits are removed from arteriosclerotic lesions. This concept has not yet been proven by in-vivo experiments. Severe side effects such as hypocalcemia may cause the death of a patient under treatment. Therefore no real indications exist for treatment of arteriosclerosis with EDTA.
Subject(s)
Arteriosclerosis/drug therapy , Cerebral Infarction/chemically induced , Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy , Edetic Acid/adverse effects , Ischemic Attack, Transient/drug therapy , Aged , Brain Edema/chemically induced , Edetic Acid/therapeutic use , Female , Humans , Hypocalcemia/chemically inducedABSTRACT
The diagnosis of a focal infection in 13 patients (6 men and 7 women, aged 18 to 36) was based on the findings of chronic tonsillitis and general complaints interpreted as focal symptoms. The patients underwent symptom-limited maximal stress-testing before and after tonsillectomy to rule out any impairment of physical performance on the basis of computer-assisted processing of ergospirometric data. It can be concluded that the actual data of maximal oxygen uptake (aerobic power), the phenomenon of adaptation to increasing work loads (derived from rating of the increase in oxygen uptake during rectangular-triangular bicycle ergometry), the on-line processed index of anaerobic power and the anaerobic threshold, as well as heart rate and arterial blood pressure regulation did not differ in these patients from findings in healthy subjects. Nor were these parameters altered by tonsillectomy. Tonsillar focal infection is unlikely to cause any impairment of physical performance with respect to parameters of cardio-respiratory and metabolic function.
