• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.117-122
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• 2018

Objectives : Most meridians have each well point located at the distal end of fingers or toes, congruous with their meridian courses. Exceptively, ST45(Yeotae), stomach meridian(ST)'s final point, is located at the lateral side of the tip of the second toe, while the tip of the second toe was not mentioned in the course of ST. So, we studied the course of lower limb region of ST. Methods : Courses of ST in Categorized Collection of Literatures on Chinese Meridians and Collaterals(CCM) was examined. The literatures included in CCM was selected as study subjects to be studied if the meridian route was different from "Youngchu" or more detailed notes were attached. There are 3 branches in lower limb region of ST, we analyzed theories of scholars of all time about the 3 branches of ST. Results and Conclusions : Branch 1 descends along the lateral margin of the fibula to the dorsum of foot, entering into the medial side of the middle toe. Branch 2 leaves ST36 separately, terminating at the lateral side of the middle toe. Branch 3 leaves ST42 and descends to the end of the great toe. The medial side of the middle toe equate to the lateral side of the second toe, and it is connected to ST45. So branch 1 is the main stream of ST. Branch 3 drives to the great toe passing between first and second toe, it goes medial side of LR2.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.19-35
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to review which acupoints and meridians are selected to treat visceral pain in articles published in international journals and to investigate quality of reporting acupuncture intervention according to the STRICTA guidelines. Methods : Electrical and hand search were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library for acupuncture studies on visceral pain in human and animals. Reporting quality of intervention was evaluated using the revised STRICTA guidelines. Results : We included 51 articles (7 clinical studies and 44 animal studies) in this study. The most frequently adopted meridians and acupoints were Stomach meridian, Spleen meridian, Conception Vessel meridian, and ST36, CV4, SP6, LI4, PC6, SP9, ST25, ST37 in clinical studies. In animal studies, Stomach meridian, Conception Vessel meridian, Pericardium meridian and ST36, ST37, CV12, PC6 were most frequently used. Animal studies showed significantly lower quality of reporting compared to clinical studies. According to the analysis on the effect of year of publication of articles, announcement of STRICTA guidelines did not improve the quality of reporting for studies on visceral pain. Conclusions : These results suggest that both proximal and distal acupoints based on meridian theory were used to study the underlying mechanisms of visceral pain both in human and animal studies. Guidelines of acupuncture intervention reporting for animal study is necessary to improve the quality of evidence, and it will also allow us the integrative understanding of the mechanisms and clinical effects of acupuncture treatment in human and animal.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.117-125
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• 2022

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the needling depth of five-phase acupoints by acupuncture and moxibustion literatures. Methods : 7 volumes of acupuncture and moxibustion literatures was used to determine the depth of five-phase acupoints. The depth of needling at 60 five-phase acupoints was compared between well, spring, stream, river, sea acupoints and also yin, yang, hand and foot meridians. Results : The proximal part of the extremities had deeper needling depth than the distal part of the extremities. The order of well, spring, stream, river, sea can be related to the needling depth. Foot meridians had deeper needling depth than hand meridians. Yin meridians had deeper needling depth at Well, spring, stream acupoints and yan meridians had deeper needling depth at river, sea acupoints. Conclusions : The distinct patterns of needling depth of five-phase acupoints is related to which part of the extremities are five-phase acupoints located.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.13-17
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• 2023

Objectives : Our goals were to examine how the well points in the fingers came to be and how their placements have changed, as well as to determine how they relate to the EX-UE11 points. Methods : We reviewed the classic textbooks to understand the origin and the changes of locations of the well points in the fingers. We also compared the location and indications between well points in the fingers and EX-UE11 points. Results : At first, the tips of the fingers, which are now thought to be the locations of EX-UE11 points, were once described as containing well points. Currently, well points are positioned 0.1 F cun distal-medial (or lateral) to the medial (or lateral) corner of the nail. In addition to the locational commonality, we found similarities between the well points in the fingers and the EX-UE11 points in terms of their indications; for example, bloodletting at these places is frequently utilized to treat emergencies, including acute stroke and fever. Conclusions : We suggest that it is highly likely that well points in the fingers and EX-UE11 points were initially the same acupuncture point and later classified into two different acupuncture points, given their identical locations and indications. If the clinical relevance between the change process of the well points' locations in the fingers and the EX-UE11 is studied in the historical literature, it is anticipated that the significance and clinical application of well points can be expanded.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.519-536
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to figure out which acupoints are selected to treat low back pain and attempt to analyze the effectiveness of those acupoints in current clinical trials. Methods : We searched the three electronic databases(PUBMED, RISS, KISS) and manually checked related Korean journals and reference lists up to April 2012. We included randomized controlled trials, clinical controlled trials, and case reports/series using needle type acupuncture( manual acupuncture, electronic acupuncture) to treat low back pain in English and Korean. We investigated the frequency of selected acupoints, change of visual analogue scale of low back pain and statistical significance in each study among trials. Results : We included 37 articles(Domestic 17, International 20) 53 studies(Domestic 28, International 25) in this study. The most frequently adopted acupoints were BL23, BL24, BL25, GB30, BL26, BL60, BL32, BL40, KI3, GV3, ST36 in domestic studies and BL23, BL25, BL40, BL60, GB30, GB34, BL32, BL26 in international studies. There were differential effectiveness of acupoints between domestic and the international studies using statistical significance of visual analog scale for low back pain. Conclusions : These results suggest that both proximal and distal acupoints based on meridian theory were used in clinical trials to treat low back pain. It would be helpful to provide clinical guideline, evaluate the results of clinical trials appropriately, and reveal the effectiveness of acupoints.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.14-25
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• 2012

Objectives : To observe physiological changes during clinical acupuncture treatment. Methods : We recruited 40 healthy volunteers who had experienced an acupuncture treatment at least once within the past three years. The experimental group was divided into four groups according to the needling site and frequency of electrical stimulation. Sites consisted of abdomen and legs. Frequencies consisted of 100 Hz and 2 Hz. The procedures of experimental treatment consisted of seven phases, Resting I phase (Resting I), Needle insertion phase (Insertion), Maintenance of needle insertion I phase (Maintain I), Electrical stimulation phase (ES), Maintenance of needle insertion II phase (Maintain II), Needle removal phase (Removal) and Resting II phase (Resting II). We measured the surface electromygraphy (SEMG) through an electrode on the frontalis muscle during all phases consecutively. Results : When SEMGs of all seven phases were analyzed, they significantly increased or decreased according to phases. SEMGs of Insertion, Maintain I, ES and Maintain II phase significantly increased more than RestingI in abdomen and legs groups. SEMGs of the abdomen group were measured as being $4.78{\pm}0.74{\mu}V$ on Resting I, $16.48{\pm}3.97{\mu}V$ on Insertion, $46.31{\pm}10.56{\mu}V$ on Maintain I, $45.88{\pm}9.72{\mu}V$ on ES, $45.56{\pm}9.69{\mu}V$ on Maintain II, $18.76{\pm}3.05{\mu}V$ on Removal, and $3.75{\pm}0.65{\mu}V$ on Resting II. SEMGs of the legs group were measured as being $3.34{\pm}0.35{\mu}V$ on Resting I, $12.11{\pm}1.76{\mu}V$ on Insertion, $36.74{\pm}6.99{\mu}V$ on Maintain I, $33.57{\pm}6.30{\mu}V$ on ES, $32.66{\pm}6.03{\mu}V$ on Maintain II, $14.08{\pm}2.15{\mu}V$ on Removal, and $2.88{\pm}0.32{\mu}V$ on Resting II. Conclusions : SEMG changed differently according to processes of acupuncture. Electrical stimulation showed different change of SEMG. Thus, acupuncture treatment may change the status of the autonomic nervous system.