One Medicine, One Acupuncture

Spatial topological analysis of sympathetic neurovascular characteristic of acupoints in Ren meridian using advanced tissue-clearing and near infrared II imaging

Acupuncture has been used for treating various medical conditions in traditional Chinese medicine. Both manual and electro-acupuncture stimulate specific acupoints to obtain local and systemic biological effects, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we used three-dimensional tissue-clearing technology to study acupoints on the Ren meridian of mice to reveal the distribution, density, branching, and relationships between blood vessels and nerves. Using topological Mapper methods, we found that sympathetic neurovascular networks were denser in the CV 4 acupoint compared with surrounding non-acupoints. Furthermore, high resolution in vivo real-time vascular imaging using the near infrared-II probe LZ-1105 demonstrated increased blood flow in the CV 4 acupoint compared with neighboring non-acupoints after manual or electro-acupuncture. Consistent with earlier findings, our research indicated that acupuncture could enhance local blood flow, and our high-resolution 3D images show for the first time the important role of sympathetic neurovascular networks in the CV 4 acupoint.

Guidance for Acupuncture Robot with Potentially Utilizing Medical Robotic Technologies

Acupuncture is gaining increasing attention and recognition all over the world. However, a lot of physical labor is paid by acupuncturists. It is natural to resort to a robot which can improve the accuracy as well as the efficacy of therapy. Several teams have separately developed real acupuncture robots or related technologies and even went to the stage of clinical trial and then achieved success commercially. A completed clinical practical acupuncture robot is not far from reach with the combination of existing mature medical robotic technologies. A hand-eye-brain coordination framework is proposed in this review to integrate the potential utilizing technologies including force feedback, binocular vision, and automatic prescription. We should take acupuncture prescription with artificial intelligence and future development trends into account and make a feasible choice in development of modern acupuncture.

Veterinary acutherapy in management of musculoskeletal disorders: An eye-opener to the developing countries' veterinarians

Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners believed that the maintenance of the health status of any individual or animal is by the harmonious flow of Chi (life force) along a pathway known as the meridian. Interruption or blockage of Chi brings about disorders, pain, and diseases. Acutherapy, therefore, aims at correcting the interruption or blockage of the harmonious flow of Chi along the meridian to restore the healthy condition of the body system. This correction could be accomplished by either acupuncture or acupressure, and are both collectively referred to as acutherapy. This form of therapy has been used in both humans and animals for several decades. It is, however, just gaining popularity in the treatment of humans and is still not yet in practice among veterinarians for animal patients in most developing countries like Nigeria. This review, therefore, is aimed at exposing veterinarians from the developing countries to the general application of acutherapy with emphasis on the musculoskeletal system and associated pain where it is most applied. It is highly recommended that the universities, where Veterinary Medicine is studied in developing countries, should endeavor to train their veterinary surgeons in this area and see to how acutherapy can be included in the curriculum.

The Emperor's New Clothes-An Epistemological Critique of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Acupuncture

Simple Summary

Complementary and alternative medicines have gained increased popularity in the veterinary field. Among them, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, including acupuncture, has emerged as one of the main alternatives to conventional veterinary medicine. This paper relies upon an epistemological approach to investigate conceptual, historical and scientific assertions about veterinary acupuncture made by their advocates. Argument by analogy is used to demonstrate that Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine is based on pre-scientific principles, similar to those of humoral medicine and bloodletting, and that acupuncture is, in effect, a placebo. The paper concludes with recommendations for veterinary regulators and colleagues.

Abstract

Within the last few decades, complementary and alternative medicines have gained increased popularity in the veterinary field. Although many authors have exposed the scientific fallacies and historical misconceptions used to justify such therapies, those efforts have not succeeded in detracting veterinary practitioners from embracing them. Notably, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM), including acupuncture, has emerged as one of the main alternatives to conventional veterinary medicine. In this paper, analogical reasoning is used to investigate conceptual, historical and scientific assertions made by the advocates of TCVM. The paper is divided into two parts: The first aims to appraise conceptual and historical claims made by veterinary acupuncturists. I defend that TCVM is a pre-scientific construct, similar to humoral doctrine, and that acupuncture is analogous to bloodletting. The second part is focused on scientific evidence of clinical application of acupuncture in the dog, showing how science is yet to validate veterinary acupuncture and defending that claims of efficacy are due to placebo effect. It is suggested that veterinary acupuncture needs to abandon Traditional Chinese Medicine and embrace science-based medicine tout court. On the other hand, high quality scientific studies, including randomized controlled trials, need to be presented. Veterinary regulators must bring the issue of non-conventional therapies into their agendas.

Spotlight on acupuncture in laboratory animal medicine

Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years, although it is only in the past century that science has worked to unravel the mechanisms behind its use. Literature supporting the efficacious use of acupuncture to treat a variety of conditions has been and continues to be published, including the randomized controlled studies we all appreciate when practicing evidence-based medicine. The use of acupuncture in veterinary medicine has paralleled the trends observed in people, with an increasingly common use to remedy specific medical conditions. These conditions are commonly related to neurological dysfunction or orthopedic pain. Although pain relief is the most common use of acupuncture, numerous other conditions have been shown to improve with this therapy. Laboratory animals are also benefiting from acupuncture. Its use is starting to be incorporated into research settings, although there is still further progress to be made in this field. Acupuncture has been shown to improve clinical conditions and quality of life in laboratory animals, and should be considered as a tool to treat laboratory animals with conditions known to benefit from therapy. Here we review the history, mechanisms of action, and use of acupuncture to treat veterinary patients and laboratory animals.