Is there a difference between the effects of single and triple indirect moxibustion stimulations on skin temperature changes of the posterior trunk surface?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether any difference exists in responses to indirect moxibustion (IM) relative to thermal stimulation duration. METHODS: In experiment 1, 9 subjects attended two experimental sessions consisting of single stimulation with IM or triple stimulation with IM, using a crossover design. A K-type thermocouple temperature probe was fixed on the skin surface at the GV14 acupuncture point. IM stimulation was administered to the top of the probe in order to measure the temperature curve. In addition, each subject evaluated his or her subjective feeling of heat on a visual analogue scale after each stimulation. Experiment 2 was conducted on 42 participants, divided into three groups according to the envelope allocation method: single stimulation with IM (n=20), triple stimulation with IM (n=11) and a control group (n=11). A thermograph was used to obtain the skin temperature on the posterior trunk of the participant. To analyse skin temperature, four arbitrary frames (the scapular, interscapular, lumbar and vertebral regions) were made on the posterior trunk. RESULT: In experiment 1, no significant difference in maximum temperature was found in IM and subjective feeling of heat intensity between single and triple stimulation with IM. In experiment 2, increases in skin temperature occurred on the posterior trunk, but no differences in skin temperature occurred between the groups receiving single and triple stimulation with IM. CONCLUSION: No difference exists in the skin temperature response to moxibustion between the single and triple stimulation with IM.

Neural mechanism of localized changes in skeletal muscle blood flow caused by moxibustion-like thermal stimulation of anesthetized rats.

Moxibustion-like thermal stimulation (MTS) was applied to the gastrocnemius muscle to measure local muscle blood flow (MBF) in the stimulated region and the change in the MBF in the region, and its mechanism was examined. In the experiment, we used urethane-anesthetized rats under artificial respiration and observed the change caused by gastrocnemius MTS using a laser Doppler blood-flow meter. MTS applied to the gastrocnemius muscle caused a two-phase response in blood flow that showed a transient decrease followed by an increase without blood pressure change. It is suggested that the increase in response occurs because of an axon reflex that has a reflex arc below the spinal cord, and the decrease in response is caused by direct stimulation of postganglionic muscle sympathetic fibers.

Neural mechanism of bradycardiac responses elicited by acupuncture-like stimulation to a hind limb in anesthetized rats.

The effects of acupuncture-like stimulation of a hind limb on heart rate were examined in anesthetized rats. An acupuncture needle, having a diameter of either 160 or 340 microm, was inserted into the skin and underlying muscles at a depth of about 5 mm and twisted right and left twice every second for 1 min. Stimulation by a needle with a diameter of either 160 or 340 microm produced a decrease in heart rate. Severance of the femoral and sciatic nerves ipsilateral to the hind-limb stimulation completely abolished the bradycardiac response. Also, heart rate was significantly decreased by acupuncture-like stimulation of the hind-limb muscles alone, but was not significantly influenced by the stimulation of the hind-limb skin alone. The bradycardiac response induced by acupuncture-like stimulation was not influenced by bilateral severance of the vagal nerves at the cervical level, but was abolished by bilateral stellectomy. Acupuncture-like stimulation of the hind limb induced a decrease in the activity of the cardiac sympathetic efferent nerve as well as a decrease in heart rate. These results indicate that the decrease in heart rate induced by acupuncture-like stimulation of a hind limb is a reflex response. The afferent pathway is composed of hind-limb muscle afferents, and the efferent pathway is composed of cardiac sympathetic nerves.

Effect of massage on blood flow and muscle fatigue following isometric lumbar exercise.

BACKGROUND: This study attempted to investigate the influence of massage on the skin and the intramuscular circulatory changes associated with localized muscle fatigue. MATERIAL/METHODS: Twenty-nine healthy male subjects participated in two experimental sessions (massage and rest conditions). Subjects lay prone on the table and were instructed to extend their trunks until the inferior portion of their rib cage no longer rested on the table. Subjects held this position for 90 seconds (Load I). Subjects then either received massage on the lumbar region or rested for 5 minutes, then repeated the same load (Load II). Skin blood flow (SBF), muscle blood volume (MBV), skin temperature (ST), and subjects' subjective feelings of fatigue were evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). RESULTS: An increase of MBV between pre- and post-load II periods was higher after massage than after rest (p<0.05). An increase of SBF at pre- and post-load II was observed only under massage condition. An increase of SBF between post-load I and pre-load II periods was higher after massage than after rest (p<0.05). An increase of ST between post-load I and post-load II periods was greater after massage than after rest (p<0.05). The VAS score was lower with massage than with rest in the post-treatment period (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A significant difference was observed between massage and rest condition on VAS for muscle fatigue. Lumbar massage administration also appeared to have some effect on increasing skin temperature and enhancement of blood flow in local regions.

Electro-acupuncture stimulation effects on duodenal motility in anesthetized rats.

The effect of electro-acupuncture stimulation (EAS) on duodenal motility was examined in anesthetized, artificially ventilated rats. EAS was applied to the abdominal area or to a hindpaw for 30 s at stimulus intensities of 0.1-10.0 mA with a stimulus frequency of 20 Hz. The duodenal motility was measured using the balloon method at a position about 1.5 cm caudal from the pylorus. Duodenal motility was inhibited by EAS at intensities of more than 5.0 mA (suprathreshold of group IV afferent excitation) when applied to the abdominal area. The duodenal inhibitory response existed after bilateral vagotomy or spinal transection, but was abolished by sectioning bilateral splanchnic nerves. Duodenal motility was facilitated by EAS at intensities of more than 2.0 mA (subthreshold of group IV, and suprathreshold for groups II+III afferent excitation) when applied to a hindpaw. The duodenal facilitatory response by EAS to a hindpaw existed after sectioning the splanchnic nerves, but disappeared after bilateral vagotomy or spinal transection. Furthermore, repetitive electrical stimulation of vagal efferent nerves enhanced duodenal motility, while repetitive electrical stimulation of the splanchnic efferent nerves inhibited the motility. It was concluded that the inhibitory response of duodenal motility elicited by EAS to the abdominal area is a spinal reflex response involving splanchnic inhibitory efferent nerves, and the enhanced response of duodenal motility by EAS to a hindpaw is a supraspinal reflex response involving vagal excitatory nerves.