• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.127-136
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• 2007

Objectives : To review the history, the theoretical basis and the technique of Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS), papers and books on IMS were searched. Methods : 15 papers were searched with the keyword 'Gunn CC' at Pubmed(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=pubmed). Several full texts of them and other papers were found at the internet homepage of The Institute for the Study and Treatment of Pain (http://www.istop.org/). 16 Korean papers on IMS were searched at KoreaMed(http://www.koreamed.org/SearchBasic.php) and Koreanstudies Infomation Service System(http://kiss.kstudy.com/KsiKiss.asp). Results : Dr. Gunn has made unique model which can explain the pathology of chronic pain and the mechanism of acupuncture treatment. In this model, he postulated that most of chronic pain is radiculopathy due to spondylosis and acupuncture treatment to the hyperalgesic muscle can restore the normal function of involved muscles and nerves. Conclusions : IMS is an acupuncture technique in which the muscles under the Ah-shi or tender points in periphery and intrasegmental paravertebral muscles are stimulated with needles.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2000.06e
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• pp.210-213
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• 2000

In this paper, we studied about the effects of EGG to the gastric meridian stimulation based on meridian theory in oriental medicine. We implemented the 4channel EGG system to obtain EGG signal and analyzed EGG signals by using STFA before and after acupuncture stimulation. We han experiment with 7 subjects and compared EGG signal with before and after acupuncture stimulation of Jocsamly hyul(S36) in gastric meridian. As a result of experiment, the center frequency of stimulating EGG power spectrum was upper shifted to 3.8mHz than that of nonstimulation. We can see that the gastric-meridian stimulation enhance gastric motility.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.166-176
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• 2003

Objective : The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of 15Hz electroacupuncture(EA) on carrageenan-injected rats. Inflammation was induced by an intraplantar injection of 1% carrageenan into the right hind paw. Methods : Bilateral EA stimulation with 15 Hz were delivered at those acupoints corresponding to Zusanli and Sanyinjiao in man via the needles for a total of 30 min duration in carrageenan-injected rats. Results: The developing edema was measured 30 minutes interval afer carrageenan injection and 15 Hz EA stimulation presented significant edema inhibition. Three hours after carrageenan injection, prostaglandin $E_2(PGE_2)$ and nitric oxide(NO) levels were measured. The 15Hz EA stimulation significantly inhibited $PGE_2$ and NO production in the right paw. The pro-inflammatory mRNA expression such as cyclooxygenases(COX)-2 and interleukin(IL)-$1{\beta}$ were slightly down-regulated by EA stimulation. The number of COX-2, IL-$1{\beta}$, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ immunoreactive cells were abundantly observed in paw edema. But these cells were decreased in nmber according to anti-edema effect of 15Hz EA. Conclusions: These results indicate that 15Hz EA stimulation have an alleviation action against carrageenan-induced edema and local inflammation.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.130-135
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• 2015

Objectives : This study is to investigate stimulation effects of acupoints at differential meridian along arm and leg on the physiological phenomenon of heartbeats. Methods : 8 subjects were participated in this study. The experiments were performed in Resting session(Rs), Insertion session(Is), Stimulation session1(Ss1), Stimulation session2(Ss2), Stimulation session3(Ss3) sequence. Time of each session and the interval between each session was 30 seconds all. Acupuncture was performed manually on PC3 or LR8 at random with a two-day interval. stand deviation of N-N interval(SDNN) was measured for each session. Results : At PC3, SDNN increased in Ss1, Ss2, and Ss3 compared to Rs but at LR8, there was little change between Ss1, Ss2, Ss3 and Rs. Post-hoc analysis revealed that mean value of SDNN significantly increased in Ss1 compared with Baseline at PC3, while there was little change at LR8. When LR8 and PC3 were compared at each time point, there was a significant difference only in Ss1. Conclusions : Our results indicate that there is a correlation between specific physiological functions and acupoints.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.17-28
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• 1998

The present study was designed to investigate the effect of different stimulation-duration of high frequency electroacupuncturet(EA) treatment on the neuronal activities in the spinal cord and brainstem using Fos immunohistochemical technique. Three different stimulus-duration was used in this experiment : 30minutes, 1 hour and 2 hours. The summerized results were summerized as follow : 1. The number of Fos expression was significantly increased in the spinal cord dorsal horn depending upon the increase of stimulus-duration (P<0.05). Otherwise, there was no significant difference between 30 minutes EA treated group and anesthetic control. 2. High frequency EA biphasic stimulation significantly enhanced the Fos expression in the DR, middle and rostral portion of PAG LD, and caudal PAG LV after 1 hour and 2 hours treatment. The number of Fos immunoreactive neuron in the brainstem was increased accorcting to the length of stimulus-duration. Those results indicate that at least 1 hour EA treatment was necessary to increase the neuronal activities in the spinal cord and brainstem. Those basic data from this study can be applied to establish the effective treatment of EA for pain control in the clinical field.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.634-642
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• 2012

Objectives : The aim of the study is to find out whether effect of acupuncture is depending on the diameter of needle, which is a possible component of dose of acupuncture needling. Methods : To compare acupuncture effects in different diameters of needle, we measured the changes in muscle fatigue recovery using surface electromyogram(sEMG) in healthy 8 volunteers. Muscle fatigue was induced by 20 times sit-up for 1 min. Immediately after induction of muscle fatigue, acupuncture needle was inserted into ST36 or ST25 for 10 min by diameters of 0.20 mm, 0.30 mm, or 0.40 mm needles. The sEMG recording was followed by acupuncture for 30 min. As a control group, sEMG was recorded for the same period at rest after muscle fatigue induction. Results : In both of ST 36 and ST 25, stimulation with 0.4 mm diameter needle showed significant rapid recovery followed by short period of muscle fatigue increase. Stimulation with 0.2 mm diameter significantly suppressed the increase of muscle fatigue. Conclusions : These data suggest that acupuncture effect is, at least in part, dependent on diameter of needle. Therefore, diameter of needle is also considered to achieve effective outcome of acupuncture.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.241-249
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• 2009

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to report the patients with compressive neuropathy of the radial nerve(Saturday Night Palsy), who was improved by acupuncture and Sweet Bee Venom(SBV) treatment. Methods & Results : The patients were hospitalized or outpatient in Dept. of Acupuncture & Moxibustion, traditional korean medical hospital, Sangji University from 1st, Dec. 2008 to 30th June 2009, and treated with acupuncture, SBV, electrical stimulation therapy and herbal medication therapy. To evaluate the wrist drop and numbness of fingers, coding result(Arbitrary values used to evaluate result) and digital infrared thermal image, which was well defined diagnostic tool estimating skin surface temperature difference, were used. As a result, patient symptoms were improved remarkably. Conclusions : Patients were treated during 6 weeks in average. 2 cases were excellent and 1 case was evaluated good result by the acupuncture, Sweet Bee Venom, electrical stimulation therapy.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.147-158
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• 2002

Objective : The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of stimulation on different sites of the body on MBP(mean blood pressure) and HR(heart rate). Methods : Six healthy men have participated in this study. Before and after 10 min, exercise on a running machine of l0km/hr, acupressure, plain acupuncture and electroacupuncture(50Hz) stimulation was practiced on GV20, LI4, ST36, BL40 and non-acupoints on T4 and T10 respectively for 20 min. and in a control group without any treatment. The changes of MBP and HR after exercise have been observed for 20 min. at 5 minute intervals. Results : Compared with control, no significant difference was observed in research of the blood pressure measurement regardless of methods nor sites of stimulation. But there were trends of reduction in the heart rates in all experimental groups. Especially, in the group of acupressure on T10 before exercise, GV20, T10 after exercise and electroacupuncture on GV20, LI4, BL40 after exercise there was statistically significant decreases in heart rates. Conclusion : From the present experiment, it is concluded that somatic stimulation has effect on the heart rates but not on the blood pressures, and the presence of effective sites on the decreases of heart rates suggest that this effect may depend on sites of stimulation.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.113-126
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• 2011

Objectives : We have examined and analyzed patents regarding acupuncture point stimulating methods in order to understand the stimulation technology and research trends of acupuncture points. Methods : We searched and analyzed the total of 135 on-line DB based patents under time limit of Dec, 2010. Results : According to the analyzed results, non-invasive method is used more than invasive method. Electric stimulation is used more than any other method, such as magnetic, ionic, laser, light, ultrasonic, water, Far IR and thermal stimulation. There are numbers of cases such as rejected during screening procedure, waived before the screening, of failed to renew its registrational status which outnumber those patents registered and maintained. Conclusions : These data suggest that we need to move away from using one side method such as non-invasive and electrical method. Thus follow-up service is recommended.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-14
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• 1998

This study was conducted to examine the increasing effects of Ga-As-Al laser Koryo-hand acupuncture on experimental pressure threshold. Forty healthy subjects (female=20. male=20) aged 21 to 30 years were randomly assigned to two treatment groups with same ratio in sex. The subjects in the experimental group (n=20) received Ga-As-Al laser stimulation, and those in the control group (n=20) received sham stimulation on appropriate Koryo-hand acupuncture points M10 on the left hand which is reflex point of upper trapezius portion. Experimental pressure threshold at the contralateral upper trapezius was determined with a pressure algometer and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) before and after treatment. The change of pressure threshold between pretreatment and posttreatment in the experimental group was greater than that in the control group (p<0.05). The result indicates that Ga-As-Al laser Koryo-hand acupuncture increases experimental pressure threshold and suggests that it is an effective noninvasive pain management technique.