Analysis of Meridian Flow Direction by Electrical Stimulation Method

Effect of moxibustion on meridian in a warm needling model: A protocol for a prospective observational study

BACKGROUND

Warm needling is a type of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which uses burned moxa to generate warmth and exerts a therapeutic effect on human skin. Additionally, based on TCM theory, warm needling could improve deficiency-cold syndrome. Research has found that warm needling has analgesic effects as well as effects on the immune system, endocrine system, nervous system, and lower urinary tract symptoms. However, the mechanism of warm needling on the meridians is not fully understood. In modern studies, the electric characteristics of the meridians have been discovered and the combination of semiconductor and TCM theory could explain the meridian phenomena through physics. However, there is no known research exploring the relationship between thermal effect and electric property on the meridians.

METHODS

A total of 30 healthy participants older than 20 years of age will be recruited for this study. The participants would first be administered acupuncture, following which the electric characteristics will be measured using the semiconductor analyzer Agilent B1500A/Agilent 4156C. The visual analog score (VAS) will also be rated. Thereafter, a burned moxa will be added to the acupuncture needles as a method for warm needling. The electric characteristics and VAS will be measured again. We will use the paired t-test and repeated measure two-way ANOVA to compare the electric characteristics and VAS before and after warm needling in each participant.

OBJECTIVES

This protocol aims to explore the thermal effect on the electric characteristics of meridians in a warm needling model and provide a scientific explanation of TCM through the aspect of physics.

Meridian study on the response current affected by acupuncture needling direction

Acupuncture manipulation with needling direction is important for the therapeutic effect based on traditional Chinese medicine theory. However, there is controversy over directional manipulation and therapeutic effect, despite some research showing that acupuncture manipulations may have something to do with therapeutic effect. Moreover, research usually focuses on the therapeutic effects on the acupoints and acupuncture time rather than exploring the manipulation method. This study applies a semiconductor analyzer to investigate the effects of acupuncture manipulation. 10 healthy participants were recruited for the study. We used a cross-over design to compare the effect of different manipulation on individuals. This study employed an Agilent B1500A semiconductor analyzer to investigate the electric characteristics of meridians under directional supplementation and draining manipulation. We measured the electric current of meridians under different manipulation, and compared the difference between supplementation and draining manipulation in healthy individuals. The electric current was significantly larger in supplementation manipulation compared to draining manipulation in the meridians (P < .001). The measured electric current in the same manipulation methods did not show a statistical difference between meridians (P = .094). The different directional manipulation result in different electric currents in humans. Our finding implies that the supplementation and draining manipulation may result in different therapeutic effects clinically as the description of traditional Chinese medicine theory. Therefore, directional manipulation may need to be taken into consideration in future acupuncture studies and clinical management.