• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.17-26
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• 2005

Objectives : The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of Shinmun-acupuncture stimulation on the relationship of change in electrocardiopgraphy (ECG). Methods : For this purpose, 11 healthy volunteers were acupunctured at Shinmun acupoint using the reinforcing or reducing by inserting the needle in the same direction as the channel runs or in the opposite direction (迎隨補瀉). Then, we measured and observed the change of standard leads I, II and III in ECG. Results : In lead I , acupuncture treated groups were increased the activity of PR interval and PR segment compared to the control group. In lead II, during the acupuncture treated group by inserting the needle in the opposite direction as the channel runs was increased the activity of T wave duration, and after the acupuncture group by inserting the needle in the same direction as the channel runs was increased the activity of PR interval. In lead III, acupuncture treated groups were increased the activity of ST duration, PR interval and QT interval. Conclusions : These results suggested that Shinmun acupuncture stimulation plays an important role on the activities of ECG.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.71-78
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• 2010

Objectives : The warm needling technique is a combination of acupuncture and moxibustion. The purpose of this study was to find the physical and thermal characteristics in order to identify the effects and mechanisms of the warm needling technique. Methods : In this study, the thermal changes were observed with a testo 845 device, which is an infra-red thermometer specifically designed for measuring a combustion of corn shaped moxibustion(moxa-corn). The thermal changes at the apex of the moxa-corn placed on the top of the an acupuncture were observed at the level of 1 cm and 2 cm from the apex to understand heat conduction through acupuncture needle for combustion of moxa-corn. Results and Conclusions : The thermal conduction through acupuncture needle from the moxa-corn was relative to the weight of moxa-corn and was inversely relative to the distance of the moxa-corn and acupuncture needle length. And the value of thermal conduction to the apex of the acupuncture needle from the moxa-corn was about $3{\sim}5^{\circ}C$. The above results suggest that the present study may be useful in finding the mechanism and effects of the warming needling technique.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1261-1266
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• 2009

The wrinkle is a typical sign showing aging. These days lots of people want to have a young and healthy appearance and many medical doctors are studying about wrinkle cure. In fact a young face without wrinkle looks more healthy and energetic. Therefore the wrinkle cure is important at the point of medical view. This research is an investigation of several studies about wrinkle cure using acupuncture needle. We have to consider the problem of the whole body which is related 12 meridians and meridian muscles as well as topical skin and tissues. There are three parts affecting wrinkle formation and cure. The first is a meridian and meridian muscle, the second is a local muscle and fascia on the head and neck, the third is a local skin structure. There are three kinds of method to cure the wrinkle locally. The first one is the perpendicular treatment of acupuncture, called the microneedle therapy, the process of this method is that lots of microneedles stab in the skin to dermis. The second one is the transverse treatment of acupuncture. The process of this method is that an acupuncture needle inserts just under the wrinkle skin. The third one is the incision treatment of acupuncture, called subcision, the process of this method is to cut the fibrous band which connect from the facial muscle to SMS(superficial musculoaponeurotic system) using cuttable needle. The hematoma after treatment let a collagen increase.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.117-126
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of needle retention(NR) and electro-acupuncture of low(EA(L)) and high(EA(H)) frequencies at Haegye($ST_{41}$) on intestinal hypermotility induced with carbachol in rats Methods : We made over-activated state of intestinal motility with carbachol in rats and caried out needle retention acupuncture, low frequency electro-acupuncture and high frequency electro-acupuncture at Haegye($ST_{41}$) or sham point in rat devided into pre-treatment group and post-treatment group. And we resulted as followings from measuring charcoal travel rate with observation of intestinal motility. Results : 1. None of acupuncture, low frequency electro-acupuncture and high frequency electro-acupuncture at $ST_{41}$ had significant influences on intestinal motility of rat in normal state. 2. Pre-treated with acupuncture, low frequency electro-acupuncture and high frequency electro-acupuncture and post-treated with acupuncture and low frequency electro-acupuncture at $ST_{41}$ didn't significantly influences intestinal motility in rat which over-activated with carbachol. 3. Post-treated with high frequency electro-acupuncture at $ST_{41}$ suppressed intestinal motility in rat which over-activated with carbachol. Conclusions : These results suggest that treatment high frequency electro-acupuncture at ST41 may be effective on gastric disorders such as intestinal hypermotility and its effect had more cure than prevention.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.133-144
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• 2004

Background and Objective : Twirling is one of the needling methods, which is frequently used for acupuncture in oriental medicine. Some thesis about needle manipulation has been reported that needle manipulation is more effective than plain acupuncture. So we have developed the auto-controlled twirling needle(ACTN) system which is most simple style of needle manipulation. The present study was conducted to see if ACTN can enhance the antinociceptive effect of acupuncture. Methods : To investigate the analgesic effect of acupuncture we used two pain model. One is acute pain model using tail flick latency(TFL), the other is neuropathic pain model using mechanical allodynia. For TFL test, rats were lightly anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium(40 mg/kg, i.p). To produce mechanical allodynia in the rat tail, the right superior caudal trunk was resected between the S1 and S2 spinal nerves. For plain acupuncture(PA), a needle was inserted into a Zusanli(ST36) for 15min. In combining ACTN with PA, twirling needle was performed once in a second. We measured the difference of analgesic effect of only PA and ACTN on two different kinds of pain. Results and conclusion : ACTN increased TFL more than PA. (15min P<0.001, 25min P<0.01). And ACTN also reduced neuropathic pain (15min P<0.01, 25min<0.05). But PA alone can't reduce the neuropathic pain. These results indicate that ACRN had more analgesic effect than PA. The mechanism that play a key role, and the condition which produce best analgesic effect of ACTN are to be studied further.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.35-44
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was designed to compare the effect between needle-embedding therapy and sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy on early stage of peripheral facial paralysis. Methods : We investigated 60 patients with peripheral facial paralysis. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups and dropped out 20 patients. : needle-embedding therapy group(group A, n=20, dropped out 9 cases among 29 cases) and sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy group(group B, n=20, dropped out 11 cases among 31 cases). needle-embedding therapy was performed for group A three times a week dividing face into three areas during 4 weeks and Sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy was performed for group B two or three times a week during 4 weeks. To evaluate the effect of treatment applied for two groups, we used Yanagihara's unweighed grading system and House-Brachmann grading system at before treatment, after one week from visit, two weeks from visit, three weeks from visit, and four weeks from visit. Results : After treatment, Yanagihara's score and House-Brachmann grading system were improved in each group except during first week. But there was no significant difference in improvement between group A and group B. Conclusions : Needle-embedding therapy would be as effective to improve symptoms of early stage of peripheral facial paralysis as sweet bee venom pharmacopuncture therapy.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.21-30
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• 2014

Objectives : Manufacturing and manipulation techniques of acupuncture can be interpreted as an induced electromagnetic viewpoint, as proposed in previous study. Considering from this point of view, the magnetization of needles should be essential to enhance the electromagnetic effects during the behavior of the acupuncture needling. Methods : The current disposable needles are made of non-magnetic stainless steels, so ferromagnetic materials were searched as suitable substitutes. Meanwhile, at the practical view, stainless steels are very available for the several superior properties like as corrosion resistance, strength, etc., magnetic stainless steels were first investigated. Some types of them still preserved the ferromagnetic properties of iron, so trial needles were made with them. And then magnetization of them were followed. Results : Among the hundreds types of stainless steels, martensitic or ferritic ones are ferromagnetic. The needles made with these ferromagnetic wires were magnetized, and polarized by magnetizer, and their magnetic properties were improved. Moreover, in addition to the superiority of the magnetism, the electrical and thermal conductivities of them were even better than those of the current austenitic stainless steels. Conclusions : Through the developmental study based on the electromagnetic viewpoint, the magnetized and polarized acupuncture needles were completed. This means that these needles having improved magnetism can be used to improve the electromagnetic needling effects, and moreover, their superiorities in the electrical and thermal conductivities can also give another benefits in treatments of electrical or warm needling.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.168-175
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• 2004

Objective: This report was designed to investigate characteristic of ankle sprain due to cause, degree of injury, treatment process, sex, age etc Methods: We selected 36 patients who visited our clinic at last over two times complaining of ankle-sprain since 8th, March, 2002. Results: The results were summarized as follows. 1. The major cause of ankle-sprain was injury of lateral collateral ligament. 2. Ankle-sprain was distinguished three degree, and generally presented pain, regional tenderness, swelling, limited movement, muscle spasm, redness, deformity. 3. In early stage of ankle-sprain, ice massage, compression, elevation, rest were very important. 4. In oriental medicine, the principle of treatment were promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, relaxing muscles and tendons and activating the flow of Gi and blood in the channels and collaterals, reducing edema or swelling, and alleviating pain. 5. There were more effective result to using three-edged needle with acupuncture. Conclusions: Ankle-sprain were treated successfully using acupuncture and three-edged needle.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.71 no.6
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• pp.450-453
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• 2011

We report the case of a 32-year-old woman presenting with intermittent chest pain resulted from a migratory acupuncture needle. The patient received acupuncture treatment approximately 3 years prior to this presentation, for the treatment of chronic left shoulder and lumbar pain after delivery. Chest radiography revealed a retained needle in the lingular segmental area. Video-assisted thoracoscopy was then used to remove the migratory acupuncture needle attached between the lingular segmental lobe and the pericardial fat. The patient recovered without complications and was discharged home.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.149-162
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• 2004

Quality assurance with high safety profile is one of the most critical issues to medical device manufacturing. In general, this issue was not paid proper attention with respect to acupuncture needle and its related devices. Acupuncture needles are manufactured through various standards ranging from purely hand-made, partially hand-made and partially machine-made, to fully machine-made mainly in China, Korea, and Japan. There is a large difference in quality between needles from different manufacturers. In order to provide a standard manufacturing guideline, it seems necessary to make a Korean Industrial standard (KS). The authors review this topic from an historical view point, investigate the current situation of the standardization of acupuncture needles in other developed countries, and inspect the general procedure to establish a KS in Korea in order to suggest a KS for acupuncture needles.