Analysis on the distribution of pressure- and heat-sensitive acupoints in patients with allergic rhinitis / 针刺研究

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To explore the distribution of pressure- and heat-sensitive acupoints of the Large Intestine of Hand-Yangming, Stomach Meridian of Foot-Yangming and the Lung Meridian of Hand-Taiyin below the elbow and knee joints in patients with allergic rhinitis, so as to explore the positive reaction points at the body surface of allergic rhinitis. METHODS: Thirty variant rhinitis volunteer subjects and 30 healthy subjects were recruited in the present study. The subcutaneous induration, reaction points of emptiness-like feeling or pressing pain below the elbow- and knee-joints along the Large Intestine Meridian, Stomach Meridian and the Lung Meridian were inspected first, then re-examined by using heat-sensitized moxibustion method and a hand-held pain threshold tester (mechanical pressure), respectively. The frequency and coincidence rate of pressing-pain sensitive and heat-sensitive points were analyzed. RESULTS: In the 30 patients with allergic rhinitis, 10 positive reaction points as Kongzui (LU6), Chize (LU5), Hegu (LI4), Quchi (LI11), Shousanli(LI10), Zusanli (ST36), Shangjuxu (ST37), Fenglong (ST40), Xiajuxu (ST39), and non-acupoint of the Lung Meridian were found. Among them, the duration of heat-sensitive reaction in the LU6, LI10, ST37, ST40, and ST39 regions was obviously shorter in patients than in healthy subjects (P0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a high overlap in the distribution of pressure- and heat-sensitive acupoints of the Lung, Large Intestine and Stomach meridians below the elbow and knee joints in patients with allergic rhinitis, and there is an imbalance between the left and right limbs in the mechanical pain threshold of the pressure- and heat-sensitive acupoints, but needing being further confirmed.