• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.1 s.29
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• pp.36-50
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• 1995

Acupuncture is so effective and simple to use in the pain and dysfunction syndrome of TMD. Acupuncture treatment is a point-specific. So, the selection of acupuncture point is very important. According to the traditional meridian theory, we select the points; local points around TMJ and mastication muscles(ST6, ST7, GB20, GB21) and remote point(LI4). And if there is another pain, one or two other points are added. Both neural and humoral mechanism play an important role in acupuncture analgesia. The discovery of spinal gate mechanisms shows somatic stimulation can induce pain inhibition. Humoral mechanism has been established from the discovery of opioid receptors and endogenous opioids. Acupuncture induces a relaxation in the patient, which further decreases the muscle tension.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.2335-2342
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• 2007

Laser stimulation has been widely studied and used in clinic. However, electrical response by laser stimulation on meridians has not been investigated. In this study, we compared electric potential of laser and acupuncture stimulation on meridians. We measured electric potential variation at acupoints(Samgan(LI3) and Hapgok(LI4)) on Large Intestine Meridian. In laser stimulation results, average peak electric potential is very low($7.53{\pm}3.44{\mu}V$) for before and after stimulation. However, acupuncture stimulation was performed in ground connection condition and resulted in huge variation of average peak electric potential($2.65{\pm}1.53mV$). That is, the intensity and pattern of electric potential were dependent on the ground connection condition and individual. Also, the electric potential pattern was very similar to the pattern of electric charge and discharge of capacitor. The acupuncture stimulation using a insulating needle resulted in lower average peak electric potential variation($0.25{\pm}0.16mV$) than that of acupuncture stimulation. It might present little electrical response of acupuncture stimulation using insulating needles. In point of electrical response, the laser stimulation was determined to be no acupuncture effect at meridian. Acupuncture stimulation seems to be most effective method to induce electrical response at meridians. The procedure and effect of acupuncture might be considered as energy consensus phenomenon by transportation of bio-ion charge between a practitioner and patient.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.688-698
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• 2020

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the overall effects and the clinical effect of Korean medicine treatment on chronic atypical chest pain. Case Report: A 56-year-old male patient suffering from chronic atypical chest pain was treated with herbal medicine and acupuncture. We used the Baseline Dyspnea Index (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and a verbal numerical rating score (VNRS) to assess the patient's symptoms. The administration of the new herbal medicine and local acupuncture point stimulation improved the chest pain and dyspnea symptoms. No side effects were observed during the treatment. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that Korean medicine treatments, such as herbal medicine and local acupuncture point stimulation, may be effective as treatments for atypical chest pain and secondary symptoms in patients with coronary artery disease.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.133-150
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• 2003

Objective: Recently. many studies have showed the evidences of the effect of the Electro-acupuncture treatment through scientific. Methods : One of these methods is functional MRI. We performed electro-acupuncture on Zusanli(St36) and observed the change of brain activation using fMRI. Zusanli(St36) is located on the lateral side of the lower leg. 3 cun(寸) inferior to the Patella of the lower border. Theoretically and clinically. this point has been considered very important for gynecological disorders. spleen and stomach disorders. and psychological disorders. To see the effects of electro-acupuncture stimulation on Zusanli(St36). the experiment was carried out on twelve healthy volunteers. using the gradient echo sequence with the 3.0T whole-body fMRI system(ISOL). After the needle insertion on right Zusanli(St36). 2 Hz of electric stimulation was given for 30 seconds. repeated five times. with 30 seconds' intervals. The Image analysis including motion correction. talairach transformation, and smoothing was done with SPM99. Results ad conclusion : The electro-acupuncture stimulation on Zusanli(St36) activates Brodmann Area 6, 13, 2, 19, 21, 22, 39, 40, 38, 3which indicates the pathways of the electro-acupuncture stimulation on Zusanli(St36) and the possibility of the relationship of the electro-acupuncture stimulation on Zusanli(St36) with autonomic nervous system, internal organic system.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.95-104
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• 2001

The pain was induced on upper and lower incisor of the rat based on the theory of 'connections of upper incisor pain with stomach meridian and lower incisor pain with large intestine meridian'. Such acupoints as ST36 and LI4 were used for alleviation of upper and lower incisor pain. The digastric myogram (dEMG) was utilized for the pain measurement. The upper incisor pain was gradually decreased during ST36 stimulation and significant differences were observed at 20 and 25 minute point during 60 minutes study. The upper incisor pain was gradually decreased during LI4 acupuncture and 20 minute was the only point that showed a significant difference. The alleviation of lower incisor pain was not obvious during the ST36 acupuncture. The lower incisor pain was gradually decreased during LI4 stimulation with significant differences at 15, 20 and 40 minute point. In conclusion, the upper incisor pain was relieved with ST36 and LI4 acupuncture while LI4 was effective on the lower incisor pain alleviation based on the theory of 'connections of upper incisor pain with stomach meridian and lower incisor pain with large intestine meridian'.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.39-61
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• 2008

Objectives : The present study was performed to investigate whether acupuncture stimulation in the rats affected regeneration properties of the injured sciatic nerve. A differential effect of acupuncture stimulation on the one point near the spinal nerve root controlling sciatic nerve activity and the other point in the peripheral area subordinated by injured nerve was compared. Materials and Methods: Rat sciatic nerves were injured by crush, and the effects on axonal regeneration on injured sciatic nerves were evaluated by acupuncture stimulation at two different regions. In proximal acupuncture stimulation group, acupuncture stimulation was performed on Huatuo Jiaji(EX B2) points located from L5 to S1 vertebral levels to stimulate the nearest spinal nerve root that innervates sciatic nerves. In distal acupuncture stimulation group, acupuncture stimulation was performed on Zusanli(ST 36) and Weizhong(BL 40) points to stimulate at peripheral area dominated by injured sciatic nerves. Acupuncture stimulation was given every other days for 1 or 2 weeks. Sciatic nerve tissues collected from acupuncture stimulation experimental groups, injury control group, and intact animal group were used for protein analysis by Western blotting or Hoechst nuclear staining. To determine axonal regeneration, Dil fluorescence dye was injected into the sciatic nerve 0.5 cm distal to the injury site in individual animal groups and Dil-labeled cells by retrograde tracing were measured in the DRG at lumbar 5 or in the spinal cord. DRG sensory neurons prepared from individual animal groups were used to measure the extent of neurite outgrowth and for immunofluorescence staining with anti-GAP-43 antibody. Results : Animal groups given proximal or distal acupuncture stimulation showed upregulation of GAP-43 and Cdc2 protein levels in the sciatic nerve at 7 days after injury. Cdk2 protein levels were strongly induced by nerve injury, but did not show changes by acupuncture stimulation. Phospho-Erk1/2 protein levels were elevated by acupuncture stimulation above those present in the injury control animals. These increase in regeneration-associated protein levels appeared to be related with increase cell proliferation in the injured sciatic nerves. Hoechst 33258 staining of sciatic nerve tissue to visualize nuclei of individual cells showed increased Schwann cell number in the distal portion of the injured nerve 7 and 14 days after injury and further increases by acupuncture stimulation particularly at the proximal position. Measurement of axonal regeneration by retrograde tracing showed significantly increased Dil-labeled cells in proximal acupuncture stimulation group compared to distal acupuncture stimulation group and injury control group. Finally, an evaluation of axonal regeneration by retrograde tracing showed increased number of Dil labeled cells in the DRG at lumbar 5 or in the ventral horn of the spinal cord at lower thoracic level at 7 days after nerve injury. Conclusions : The present data show that the proximal acupuncture stimulation at Huatuo Jiaji(EX B2) points governing injured sciatic nerves was more effective for axonal regeneration than the distal acupuncture stimulation. Further studies on functional recovery or associated molecular mechanisms should be critical for developing animal models and clinical applications.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.57-71
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• 2004

Objective : Physiological evidence regarding acupuncture's effect in human patients is not yet well established, despite considerable evidence for its therapeutic efficacy. Besides target or disease specificity of acupuncture, acupuncture analgesia (AA) appears to be another large subclass that poses many questions, such as whether there is point specificity with respect to which acupoint is most effective for a particular condition. Methods : We observed brain activation with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a set of stimuli that consist of pain, pain following Meridian acupuncture, and pain following Sham acupuncture. Results : Among the new observations, the most interesting fact is that data sets of both Meridian acupuncture and Sham acupuncture show decreased activation of the same brain areas related to the pain processing signals. Present functional MRI study demonstrate two important biological observations that could elucidate AA mechanism in human participants: the effects of acupuncture occur through mediation of the higher brain areas. Sham acupuncture stimulation appears to be almost as effective as traditional Meridian acupoint stimulation, suggesting that acupuncture is not entirely point specific. Decreased activation in the limbic paleo cortical areas appears to be the probable neurological manifestation of AA and strongly implies that acupuncture stimulation inhibits the transmission of ascending pain signals to the higher cortical areas by the previously known descending pain inhibitory circuit. Conclusion : We, therefore, a hypothesized that this pain inhibitory circuit is initiated and mediated via the broad sense Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal (BS HPA) axis in conjunction to the "sensory stimulation."

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.245-251
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• 2006

We examined the radioprotection effects of acupoint (acupuncture point) stimulation during organogenesis stages of ICR mice. Pregnant mice received 1.5 Gy whole body X-irradiation on day 8 of gestation, which is the early stage of organogenesis. The embryonic death rate and teratogenesis rate by radiation were examined. Electroacupuncture to the leg acupoints and/ or transcutaneous stimulation to the back acupoints on the pregnant mice showed no protective effect against irradiation on embryonic or fetal death rate. On the contrary, the strong stimulation resulted in increase in the mortality after irradiation rather than protection. However acupoint stimulation to the pregnant mice never showed harmful effects by itself on embryos. It tended to reduce the skeletal malformations induced by X-ray irradiation. We suspect that acupoint stimulation removed the cells injured by irradiation during embryonic development, resulting in an increase in embryonic death rate and reduction in skeletal anomalies.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.29-35
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to compare acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(ALTENS) with conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(C-TENS) for crossover effect in healthy subjects. Forty subjects recieved ALTENS(20 persons), C-TENS(20 persons) to one upper extremity. Each technic was applied to the motor point of the wrist extensor muscle group for twenty-minutes. With the subject placed in supine the technics were applied at 80 Hz, 2-10 mA(ALTENS) and 10 Hz, 4-12 mA(C-TENS). Results revealed: (1) a significant difference between the pretreatment and posttreatment in each group(p<.05) (2) no significant difference between ALTENS and C-TENS(p>.05). In conclusion, there was no difference between ALTENS and C-TENS for crossover effect.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.226-239
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• 2004

Objective: Purpose of this study was to examine the effect of electroacupuncture(EA) at Xingjian(LR2) as 'Fire(火)' point of The Leg Absolute Um Liver Meridan(足厥陰肝經 : Chok-Kworum-Kan-Kyong) on the facial thermal change. Methods: Subjects of this study were 15 patients with upperpart(includes head and facial part) fever of human body and two examinations were carried out in each other day. We divided cases of two examinations into two groups. One is experimental group(N=15) that was carried out electroacupuncture stimulation at Xingjian(LR2), the other is control group(N=15) which was carried out electroacupuncture stimulation at optional point(in space between 1st and 2nd fingers) except acupuncture points of 12 meridians. We took the temperature of fixed areas on face by digital infrared thermal image(D.I.T.I.) before and after electroacupuncture stimulation. Those fixed areas on face that was taken temperature are Jingming(BL1), Sibai(ST2), Dicang(ST4), Indang, Shuigou(GV26), Chengjiang(CV24) areas. In cases of temperature of Jingming(BL1), Sibai(ST2), Dicang(ST4) areas, we applied each mean of left and right temperature to statical analysis. Results: In the group of electroacupuncture stimulation at Xingjian(LR2), temperature of every fixed areas on face fell: Jingming(BL1) area's ${\Delta}T=-0.7007{\pm}0.78642$, Sibai(ST2) area's ${\Delta}T=-0.6280{\pm}0.56439$, Dicang(ST4) area's ${\Delta}T=-0.5940{\pm}0.60179$, Indang area's ${\Delta}T=-0.7200{\pm}0.64515$, Shuigou(GV26) area's ${\Delta}T=-0.6160{\pm}0.80487$, Chengjiang(CV24) area's ${\Delta}T=-0.5627{\pm}0.72615$. In Xingjian(LR2) electroacupuncture group, each temperature of Jingming(BL1), Sibai(ST2), Indang areas showed a drop significantly in comparison with control group (p<0.05). But each temperature of Dicang(ST4), Shuigou(GV26), Chengjiang(CV24) areas did not showed a drop significantly in comparison with control group(p>0.05). Conclusions: The results mentioned above showed that electroacupuncture stimulation at Xingjian(LR2) significantly decreased the temperature on face of patients with upperpart fever of human body. In Xingjian(LR2) electroacupuncture group, especially temperature of upper part of face includes eye, cheekbone, forehead regions showed a drop significantly in comparison with control group.