Journal of Acupuncture Research

Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine Society (대한침구의학회)
권호 표지

Fundamentals and Research Trend of Laser Acupuncture

레이저침의 원리와 연구동향 분석

  • Kim, Hyun-Ho (College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Nam, Dong-Woo (Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University) ;
  • Lee, Sang-Hoon (Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University)
  • 김현호 (경희대학교 한의과대학) ;
  • 남동우 (경희대학교 한의과대학 침구학교실) ;
  • 이상훈 (경희대학교 한의과대학 침구학교실)
  • Received : 2009.09.15
  • Accepted : 2009.11.06
  • Published : 2009.12.20
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Abstract

Objectives : Being introduced in the 1980s, laser acupuncture studies have been steadily carried on such as its thermal effects on human body. However, the mechanisms of effect are not yet clearly explained. Generally, laser acupuncture could be favorable for pediatric patients or people under special conditions (hemophilia, needle-phobia, pathogen-carriers, etc.) because of lower risk of infection, bleeding, pain or fainting. But there are still problems for using laser acupuncture equivalently as the traditional metal needle. The goal of this study is to review the fundamentals, history and present trend of laser acupuncture study, and to suggest how to develop laser acupuncture as an oriental medical device. Method : We performed literature search using PubMed(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed) and Scopus(http://www.scopus.com). Search conditions are laser acupuncture, laser needle, LLLT(as title or abstract) or Litscher G(as author). Main target studies are physical fundamentals, clinical trials, physiological results and device proposals. Results : Many research have shown the similarities of laser acupuncture and traditional metal acupuncture and have reported clinical and physiological effects of laser acupuncture. But, still laser acupuncture is not widely used in Korea due to high-cost of equipments and the lack of clear understanding of laser devices. Additionally, there are still challenges in standardization and device development. Conclusions : Frequencies, laser modes, waveguides, adaptor types, polarization and signal modulations are suggested as future study subjects on laser acupuncture. More various studies and efforts for device development have to be performed to provide oriental medical doctors with evidence based confidence about usage of laser acupuncture.

Keywords

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