Using near-infrared spectroscopy to investigate the effects of pressures and durations of cupping therapy on muscle blood volume and oxygenation

Effect of negative pressure therapy on the treatment response to scar thickness and viscoelasticity

Patients with scars face a grave threat to their mental and physical health. Negative pressure has been used for scar therapy in medical care and provides a microenvironment conducive to scar healing while stimulating cell regeneration. Negative pressure may disrupt scar tissue regeneration when the pressure is too high or too low, so finding a suitable negative pressure is important. We hypothesized that different negative pressure magnitudes would affect scar tissue properties differently. This research aimed to provide practical recommendations for scar therapy. This study used three negative pressures (-105 mmHg, -125 mmHg, and -145 mmHg) to compare scar material properties. We measured scar tissue thickness and viscoelasticity with a motor-driven ultrasound indentation system. According to the results of this study, scar thickness is most effectively reduced at a negative pressure of -105 mmHg. In comparison, scar viscoelasticity continuously increases at a negative pressure of -125 mmHg. Negative pressure therapy can be recommended to scar care clinics based on the results of this study.

Trends in Acupuncture Therapy for Microcirculation and Hemorheology from 1998 to 2023: A Bibliometric and Visualized Study

Background

The aim of this study is to explore and illustrate the focal points concerning acupuncture's impact on microcirculation and hemorheology over the past 26 years, and to identify future directions in this field.

Methods

Data in this area were gathered from the Web of Science Core Collection database. Employing CiteSpace, VOSviewer, Scimago Graphica, and Microsoft Excel software, we analyzed authors, institutions, and countries to evaluate scientific collaboration. Moreover, we carried out an analysis of keyword clustering, references, and burst detection to examine the prominent research areas and emerging trends in this domain.

Results

The study analyzed 706 documents, 471 institutions, 632 journals, 40 countries, 581 keywords, and 3289 authors related to acupuncture for microcirculation and hemorheology. Data revealed a consistent increase in research output over 26 years. China, with the most publications and citations, significantly contributed to the field, often collaborating with the United States. Elisabet Stener-Victorin and the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences were the most productive author and institution, respectively. The journal Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine held the most influence. Common keywords included "vasoactive substances", "neurotransmitters", "signaling pathways", and "oxidative stress", among others. Research topics focused on female infertility, ischemic stroke, and pain syndromes, with treatment approaches such as electroacupuncture, manual acupuncture, auricular acupuncture, and cupping therapy.

Conclusion

Women's infertility, ischemic stroke, and pain syndromes have emerged as hotspots in research. Future directions may include comparative studies of traditional and modern acupuncture techniques to evaluate their respective therapeutic effects. There is potential for in-depth research in these areas and the discovery of new intervention strategies as well as mechanisms.

Using multi-channel near-infrared spectroscopy to assess the effect of cupping therapy on the spatial hemodynamic response of the biceps muscle: A preliminary study

BACKGROUND

The local hemodynamic response after cupping therapy has been considered as a contributing factor for improving muscle tissue health; however, the effects of cupping pressure and duration on the spatial hemodynamic response have not been investigated.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the hemodynamic response inside and outside the cupping cup under various pressures and durations of cupping therapy.

METHODS

A 3-way factorial design with repeated measures was used to investigate the main and interaction effects of the location (areas inside and outside the cup), pressure (-225 and -300 mmHg) and duration (5 and 10 min) on the hemodynamic response of the biceps muscle. A functional near-infrared spectroscopy was used to assess hemodynamic changes in 18 participants.

RESULTS

A significant three-way interaction of the location, pressure, and duration factors was observed in oxyhemoglobin (p= 0.023), deoxy-hemoglobin (p= 0.013), and blood volume (p= 0.013). A significant increase was observed in oxyhemoglobin, blood volume, and oxygenation compared to pre-cupping (p< 0.05) in the area outside the cup.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that an appropriate combination of cupping pressure and duration can effectively affect the spatial hemodynamic response of the biceps.

Using cross-correlation analysis of multi-channel near infrared spectroscopy to assess the hemodynamic response to cupping therapy

Cupping therapy is a common intervention for the management of musculoskeletal impairment. Previous studies have demonstrated that cupping therapy can improve muscle hemodynamic responses using single-channel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). However, the effects of cupping therapy on spatial hemodynamic responses as well as the correlation between oxyhemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin are largely unknown. The cross-correlation function (CCF) algorithm was used to determine the correlation between time-series NIRS signals from inside and outside the cup as well as time-series oxyhemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin under 4 cupping intensities, including -225 and -300 mmHg for 5 and 10 min. The main finding was that the maximum CCF values of oxyhemoglobin was significantly higher than those in deoxy-hemoglobin (p < 0.05). Furthermore, it was found that there was a correlation between deoxy-hemoglobin with a longer duration and a larger magnitude of negative pressure. This is the first study investigating time-series hemodynamic responses after cupping therapy using cross-correlation function analysis of multi-channel NIRS signals.