Abstract
In the classical acupuncture literature it is proposed that the mode of needle stimulation should be adapted to the disharmonic pattern of the patient. This is postulated on the assumption that different modes of needle stimulation lead to different effects in the human body. In the present study this assumption has been tested. We monitored the cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV) as an indicator of the cerebral activation, the arterial blood pressure (BP), the heart rate (HR) and the perceived intensity of the stimulation during "reinforcing" or "reducing" manual acupuncture stimulation of the point He Gu (Large Intestine 4) of the right hand in 12 healthy subjects. As "reinforcing" technique the needle was twisted manually with high frequency (4-8 Hz) and small amplitude, while the "reducing" stimulation was performed by rotating the needle with low frequency (1-2 Hz) and high amplitude. The analysis of the physiological responses was done by a previously validated software for the analysis of event related changes of CBFV (AVERAGE®). The "reducing" stimulation was perceived as significantly (p < 0.05) stronger than the "reinforcing" stimulation. Additionally the physiological responses were significantly (p < 0.05) different: The "reducing" in contrast to the "reinforcing" technique led to a stronger increase of the CBFV in the right hemisphere, indicating a dominant right hemispheric activation. BP and HR showed a slight decrease during the "reinforcing" stimulation. During the "reducing" technique an initial increase of BP was followed by a decrease, which was significantly stronger compared to the " reinforcing" stimulation. HR during "reducing" stimulation initially increased, most likely reflecting a baroreflex response, but also showed a long-term decrease. The present data support the relevance of the stimulation mode for the psychophysiological effects of acupuncture in so far as they show that "reinforcing" compared to "reducing" manual acupuncture stimulation lead to different sensations and induce different cerebral- and cardiovascular responses.
| Translated title of the contribution | Psychophysiologic response during "Reducing" and "Reinforcing" manual acupuncture stimulation in healthy subjects |
|---|---|
| Original language | German |
| Pages (from-to) | 8-13 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Deutsche Zeitschrift fur Akupunktur |
| Volume | 46 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2003 |
