• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.206-211
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• 2023

Objectives : Needle sickness is one of the adverse events of acupuncture, although substantial adverse effects during a routine acupuncture treatment seem to be highly unusual. In this work, we propose that an acupuncture-related vasovagal response resembles needle sickness during acupuncture therapy. Methods : In this article, we discussed the general characteristics of vasovagal syncope and went into more detail on vasovagal syncope in people who have a fear of blood injection and injury. We also offer a recommendation for the prevention and management of vasovagal syncope brought on by acupuncture. Results : The vasovagal reaction related to acupuncture is closely associated with needle sickness. The prevention can be done using PEACHES (position, experience, anxiety, constitution, hydration, environment, symptom recognition) principles. The management should be conducted using the RIPCORD (recognize, initiate, position, communicate, order treatments, reassess, document) techniques. Conclusions : It is important to comprehend the characteristics of needle sickness as a vasovagal reaction related to acupuncture. According to the recommendation, practitioners should effectively prevent and manage needle sickness.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.35-47
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• 2010

Objectives : To characterize the thermal properties of traditional warm needle and new warm needle with various air flows as an important environmental factor and to suggest the necessity of maintaining suitable environment of clinics to maximize their efficacy. Methods : We measured the temperature characteristics of traditional moxa warm needle and new moxa charcoal warm needle by applying an automatic temperature acquisition system with thermocouples while external various air flows were supplied. Temperatures of two positions at the needle body were measured while a moxa cone burned. Typical temperature characteristics like peak temperature, duration, curve shape and the efficiency of the heat stimuli by heat amount analysis were executed. Results : Both warm needles showed similar temperature curve with an increase in the air flow. Peak temperature and duration of effective heat decreased with the air flow, as shown in indirect moxibustion on garlic. The temperature change pattern by the air flow became more apparent when the total combustion heat was compared with the effective heat. The values from two positions on the needle body were significantly different, showing a distance dependency from the heat source of warm needle acupuncture. Conclusions : Thermal properties of warm needle acupuncture was observed variously with surrounding air flow of 0.0 - 0.7 m/s. It emphasized the importance of environmental control as well as the warm needle itself such as heat source and needle. The latter has already been known to deliver designated heat to subjects. It also indicated the importance of education and skill of the practitioners of warm needle acupuncture.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.93-103
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• 2011

Objectives : The aim of this study was to observe the effect of Needle-embedding therapy on sequelae of peripheral facial palsy. Methods : 27 patients with sequelae of peripheral facial palsy were treated with Needle-embedding therapy. Yanagihara score, number of symptoms, symptoms score were compared between before and after treatment to evaluate the effect of Needle-embedding therapy. Results : After treatment, Yanagihara score, number of symptoms, symptom score were significantly decreased(p<0.05). Conclusions : Needle-embedding therapy could be effective to improve symptoms of sequelae of peripheral facial palsy patients.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.247-259
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• 2000

Objective : The mechanism of acupuncture to increase cerebral blood flow is still uncertain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the neural basis of acupuncture by comparing the cerebral regions activated by the stimulation of two different methods of acupunctures at the same acupoint which was suggested by oriental medicine to increase rCBF. Materials and Methods : Thirty-nine healthy volunteers(26 males, 13 females, age $31{\pm}11$ years) were studies by rest/acupuncture Tc-99m ECD brain SPECT using a subtraction method. SPECTs using two methods(needle retention and heated needle with 90% alcohol) at two acupoints (right LI. 4 and ST. 36) were peformed at an interval of three days. For the needle retention method, acupuncture needle was inserted to a depth of about 2 cm into each acupoint 8 minutes after the lst acquisition and continued to retain, and the second injection of Tc-99m ECD was done 15 minutes after the insertion of needle. For the heated acupuncture method, heated needle was inserted in a twinkle within several msec 20 second after the second injection of Tc-99m ECD. The differences of between rest and acupuncture activation state were statistically analyzed using a statistical parametric mapping software. Result : Acupunctures of both methods reveal similar patterns of increase in rCBF. Acupuncture at ST.36 increase rGBF in left anterior temporal, right inferior frontal lobes, and left cerebellum. Acupuncture at LI. 4 increase rCBF in the left frontal cortex, right temporal pole, both inferior frontal cortices and right cerebellum. Conclusion : The effects of two different acupunctures to the same acupoints on rCBF were similar. Therefore, this result suggests Chat the mechanism of acupuncture in the increase of cerebral blood flow have a neural basis.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.175-185
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• 2008

Objective : Acupuncture (from the Latin acus, "needle," and pungere, "to prick") is a technique of inserting and manipulating fine needles at specific points on the body. As a placebo acupuncture needle device was developed based on the visual impact of needling, it has been raised that it is useful only when acupuncture points and needling are visible to subjects. To examine the visual factor of the placebo acupuncture, the present study was aimed to compare the blinding index of the verum and placebo acupuncture between masked and unmasked situation. Methods : Thirty-six patients were randomly alloted to be stimulated with a verum or placebo acupuncture in a cross-over design. They were asked to guess a right answer whether they were stimulated with the verum or placebo acupuncture at LI4 in an unmasked or masked situation. The penetrating, pain, and deqi sensations were also measured after the stimulation using modified visual analogue scale. Results : The correct answer rate of the placebo acupuncture was 22.2% and 16.7% in an unmasked and masked situation, respectively (P>0.767). The blinding index of the placebo acupuncture was -0.56 (95%CI -0.84 to -0.27) and -0.67 (95%CI -0.91 to -0.42) in an unmasked and masked situation, respectively. The penetrating and deqi sensation of the verum acupuncture were significantly higher than those of the placebo acupuncture in both unmasked and masked situation. The pain sensation of the verum acupuncture was significantly higher than that of the placebo acupuncture in masked situation, but not in unmasked situation. Conclusion : Blinding of the placebo acupuncture was successful both in the unmasked and masked situation. These finding indicate that visual factor might not play a critical role in blinding of the placebo needle. We suggest that placebo needle would be also useful in a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan even when the subject could not see the placebo needle.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.43-51
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• 2004

Objectives : In order to ensure safe acupuncture treatment, the quality of the needle tip is essential. But, there have not been so many studies about the quality of the acupuncture needle tip. For this reason we have been already reported about the quality of acupuncture needle tip in Korea using scanning electron microscope(SEM) in 2002, 2003. In order to compare than other society, we investigated the current condition of the tips of the acupuncture needles sold in Europe. Methods : We obtained the needles made by 7 companies, which are sold currently in Europe, and selected 50 pieces out of 100 pieces from each company by randomized methods. And then we observed the tip of each needle using a scanning electron microscope at ${\times}800$ magnification. Results and Discussion : We found that needles had several defects such as scratch marks on the surface, metallic scuff, lumps and irregularities of the needle tips, stubbed or malformed tips, tips of point off-center, peeled off coated tips, same as Korean needles. There was much difference on the quality of needles among the manufacturers, and some needles seem to need thorough quality control. Allowing for the high price, the quality of some needle in Europe generally are better than that of Korean needles. But some Korean needles hold a top position than European ones in quality. We want a good industrial standard to be made in acupuncture manufacturing fields in the near future, because the safety is not less valuable than the efficacy in medicine.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.95-105
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine the preparing methods of the traditional acupuncture needle and to interpret the electromagnetic meaning intervened in them. Methods : The overall manufacturing processes of the acupuncture needles in ancient books were surveyed. And the facts that special functional activities were carried out in common in the preparing processes were detected. The reproduction tests for the detected former functional activities were followed. Results : According to the ancient medical books, the traditional acupuncture needles were treated with the magnet through the preparing processes. The reproduction tests provided the fact that the ferromagnetic iron needles treated with the magnet were enhanced their magnetisms. And major techniques of the ancient supplementation and draining can be interpreted as magnetic or induced electromagnetic actions. Conclusions : Considering the electromagnetic characteristics of human body, the magnet treated ferromagnetic iron needles of ancient era and magnetic or induced electromagnetic interpretable manipulation techniques are the historical evidences of magnetic activities of acupuncture. So modern acupuncture therapy should be understood, studied, and reinterpreted as an electromagnetic viewpoint.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.97-102
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• 2011

Meridian Research Center, Division of Standard Research, Keora Institute of Oriental Medicine Objectives : Ear acupuncture needle is used to treat smoking, drug abusing, alcoholism frequently over time stability of ear acupuncture needle is important factor for safe acupuncture treatment. In spite of the importance, there has been few study about the quality of disposable acupuncture needle tip - using scanning electron microscope (SEM) in 2002, 2003. Moreover, there was no study about ear acupuncture needle. Methods : The three ear acupuncture needle, made in China, Japan, Korea was chosen. We used Hank's solution at the 38$^{\circ}C$ as a phantom tissue liquid. Except for the control group, five groups of needles are soused one to five days. Surface corrosion was observed using the SEM compared with control group. Results : There was no particular corrosion in all groups of ear acupuncture needles compared with the control group. Conclusions : All of the ear acupunctures used in this study are stable in body fluids at least 5 days.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.11-29
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of acupuncture and electro-acupuncture at $LI_4$ on intestinal motility in rat. Methods : We made over-activated state of intestinal motility with carbachol and suppressed state of intestinal motility with loperamide in rat and carried out needle retention acupuncture, low frequency electro-acupuncture and high frequency electro-acupuncture at $LI_4$ or sham point in rat devided into pre-treatment group and post-treatment group. and we resulted as follow for measuring charcoal travel rate to observe intestinal motility. Results : 1. Any of needle retention acupuncture, low frequency electro-acupuncture and high frequency electro-acupuncture at $LI_4$ have no significant influences on intestinal motility of rat in normal state. 2. All of the pre-treatment and post-treatment of needle retention acupuncture, low frequency electro-acupuncture and high frequency electro-acupuncture didn't significantly decrease intestinal motility in rat which over-activated with carbachol. 3. Pre-treatment of needle retention acupuncture and high frequency electro-acupuncture significantly increased intestinal motility in rat which suppressed with loperamide. 4. Post-treatment of needle retention acupuncture, low frequency electro-acupuncture and high frequency electro-acupuncture significantly increased intestinal motility in rat which suppressed with loperamide. Conclusions : These results suggest that acupuncture on $LI_4$ have preventive effect and therapeutic effect on suppressed intestinal motility, and especially high frequency electro-acupuncture is more effective.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.163-171
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• 2014

Objectives : The aim of this study was to observe the effect of needle-embedding combined with oriental medical treatment therapy on hemifacial spasm. Methods : 2 patients were treated with needle-embedding therapy with oriental medical treatment. After treatment, we evaluated the effect by Scott's scale. And we checked the satisfaction degree and side effect. Results : After treatment, the grade of spasm classified by Scott's scale was decreased and hemifacial spasm was visibly improved. Conclusions : This study showed that needle-embedding therapy with oriental medical treatment was effective to improve hemifacial spasm.