Revista Internacional de Acupuntura最新文献

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is unique in the medical science world and an indispensable, reliable, and important part of Chinese culture and its civilization. It not only makes an indelible contribution to the prosperity of the Chinese nation but also has its rigorous scientific methods in medicine like Western medicine, such as theoretical and holistic treatment systems.

There have been many top, influential TCM physicians over the past thousand years. This overview introduces Zhang Zhong Jing's unique clinical diagnostic pattern, the so-called six-stages pattern of cryopathology.

De acuerdo con la Medicina Tradicional China, una de las funciones más importantes del hígado es la función 疏泄 shu xie depurativa. Este concepto se remonta hasta el Neijing y comprende dos grandes funciones: la shu y la xie, una yang y otra yin. Esta función permite que todas la funciones del cuerpo se expresen en tiempo y forma; por ejemplo, la función digestiva, la cardíaca, la serie de neurotransmisores que se relacionan con la regulación del estado de ánimo, los procesos cognitivos, etc., los mecanismos que participan en la regulación de la glucosa y la insulina, así como de la actividad hormonal, las cascadas del complemento y de la coagulación, la respuesta inmune, la entrada y salida del aire en los pulmones, el ciclo menstrual, solo por mencionar algunas. Una característica importante que comparten estos procesos es que todos dependen fisiológicamente del tiempo y la forma. Puntos como Neiguan y las fórmulas hechas a base de Bupleurum ayudan a mantener la función shu xie y regulan todas esas actividades. Debemos comprender el valor de esta función, pues cobra especial relevancia en el origen de muchos de los procesos fisiopatológicos relacionados con el estrés que se inician y se mantienen con estancamiento de energía. La mejor manera de afrontar el estrés y mantener fisiológicamente el tiempo y la forma depende de la potencia de la energía del hígado.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, one of the most important functions of the liver is the depurative 疏泄 shu xie function. This concept dates to the Neijing and comprises two major functions: the shu and the xie, one yang and the other yin. This function allows all the functions of the body to be expressed in time and form; for example, digestive and cardiac function, the series of neurotransmitters that are related to the regulation of mood, cognitive processes, etc., the mechanisms that participate in the regulation of glucose and insulin, as well as the hormonal activity, the complement and coagulation cascades, the immune response, the entry and exit of air into the lungs, the menstrual cycle, just to name a few. An important characteristic shared by these processes is that they are all physiologically dependent on time and form. Points like Neiguan, and the Bupleurum-based formulas help to maintain shu xie function and regulate all these activities. We must understand the value of this function as it takes on a special relevance in the origin of many of the pathophysiological processes related to stress that initiate and are maintained with stagnation of energy. The best way to cope with stress and maintain physiological time and shape depends on the power of the liver's energy.

Objective

To biologically and morphologically characterize acupuncture needles.

Methods

To determine the presence of bacteria and fungi, a sterility test was performed. 10 needles of each commercial brand were evaluated (Dong Bang, South Korea; Cloud & Dragon, China; Dong Bang DBC 108, South Korea), randomly collected under aseptic conditions. Growth medias (fluid thioglycollate medium [THIO] and trypticase-soy medium [TSB]) were prepared and positive (10 μl of Clostridium sporogenes ATCC 1137 strain in THIO and 10 μl of Candida albicans ATCC1023 strain in TSB) and negative controls (without inoculum) were obtained. The packages were disinfected with 70% alcohol. Each needle was removed from its package and transferred into the growth mediums, until 10 inoculated samples for each commercial brand were obtained (n = 5). Inoculated samples in TSB were incubated at 25 °C and those in THIO at 37 °C; for 14 days with controls. For metallographic analysis, 30 needles from each brand were randomly selected, prepared and standardized to be observed under stereoscopic microscope (40 ×, Zeiss Stemi, Oberkochen, Germany), obtaining photos of the cross-sectional area of the needles.

Results

No microorganisms were found in the sterility test. The metallographic test showed that the needles were made from a martensitic stainless-steel alloy, without irregularities or coatings.

Conclusions

The needles have adequate sterility and morphology for their use.

Introduction

Migraine is the most common cause of primary headache, affecting over 1 billion people worldwide, but the high burden of this pathology along with the lack of effective therapies have allowed the implementation of alternative therapies like acupuncture for managing this condition.

Objective

To evaluate the impact and effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of migraine with or without aura based on scientific literature available until May 27, 2021.

Materials and methods

Scoping review that include Pubmed, SCOPUS and 18 databases of the World Health Organization International Registry of Clinical Trials Platforms. Theoretical publications and clinical trials in English, Spanish and French were included.

Results

84 documents and 62 clinical trials were included, where they evaluate acupuncture in settings of acute migraine attacks, as chronic prophylaxis in migraine and compared with drugs available for prophylaxis.

Conclusion

Acupuncture is a safe, effective and cost-effective therapy in the management of acute migraine attacks and as prophylaxis for chronic migraine.

Background

Korean acupuncture comes from the far-eastern tradition and has unique approaches to acupuncture point selection.

Objectives

There are several types of acupuncture methods. Among these, Tae-Geuk acupuncture and Saam acupuncture adopt five phase characteristics, using five vital points. Cho-sun acupuncture regulates Qi using acupunctures and meridians according to the flow of Qi. In this project, the effects of Korean Tae-Geuk acupuncture on chronic tension-type headache (TTH) were examined.

Methods

This study is a randomized controlled study involving sham acupuncture (placebo acupuncture), and everything is clear except for the data processing phase. The purpose of the study; was to measure the safety and efficacy of Korean Tae-Geuk acupuncture in patients with chronic TTH. Groups used; acupunture + traditional pharmacological therapy, traditional pharmacological therapy only and placebo korean acupuncture + traditional pharmacological therapy groups. Seven treatment sessions were applied over a four-week period. Changes in pain and quality of life and side effects were examined during treatment and within 3 months after the completion of treatment. Results were evaluated by using the visual analog scale for pain and pain log records.

Results

Korean Tae-Geuk acupuncture is a more effective treatment than placebo and traditional pharmacological treatment in chronic TTH. Korea Tae-Geuk acupuncture showed significant improvement in clinically chronic TTH during treatment and in 3 months follow-up after treatment.

Conclusion

Tae-Geuk acupuncture is a treatment branch of Sasang Constitution Medicine. Acupuncture points do not change according to acupuncture practitioner or disease.

The channels and collaterals as well as the acupuncture points constitute fundamental theoretical bases of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Their study has attracted the attention of different disciplines as biosciences and mathematics. The present investigation aimed to generate a matrix of squares with proportions of 1 × 1 cun to superimpose it on the anterior region of the abdomen, and to determine the relationship between the nodes of the matrix with the acupuncture points. Likewise, generated different geometric figures from acupuncture points and non-acupoints that coincide with the nodes of the matrix to determine their fractal dimension. The results showed that it is feasible to use matrices with certain proportions that, when superimposed on the anterior region of the body, allow obtaining geometric figures formed by acupuncture points and not acupoints. The analysis of the fractal dimension shows interconnection between the points and they form groups with 97% precision. The prefactor “a” showed fractality in some geometric patterns while in others it was absent. It is necessary for additional studies to corroborate the fractality in the geometric patterns generated by the matrix.

Introduction

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is defined as the persistent feeling of exhaustion related to the course of the disease or cancer treatment. Currently, there are few studies that determine the impact of acupuncture in this condition.

Objective

To explore the current medical evidence about the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in the control of CRF.

Methodology

Exploratory review of the literature in PubMed and Scopus, including publications without time limit in English and Spanish language.

Results

In the 16 documents included were identified randomized clinical trials (n = 10), retrospective cohort studies (n = 17), case report (n = 2), literature review (n = 2), cross section (n = 1) and qualitative longitudinal study (n = 1), with a total study population of 937 patients. Acupuncture showed a significant reduction in fatigue in patients undergoing cancer treatment and in post-chemotherapy states, although there are few publications with experimental and/or observational data.

Conclusion

Acupuncture has zero adverse effects and benefits in the control of CRF, in addition favorable impact on sleep disorders, anxiety and depression which are determinants in the clinical course of fatigue. Therefore, the use of acupuncture could be used concomitantly with standard western therapy accord in the intensity of the symptoms that the patient is presenting. The studies are limited and without statistical power, therefore the review was based mainly on observational studies with a small number of subjects and analyzed for a short time.

Objective

The purpose of this clinical study is to demonstrate the effect of classical acupuncture on the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and the relationships that integrate the view of classical acupuncture treatment with current anatomical-physiological knowledge.

Design

A clinical study was carried out with patients with CTS.

Setting

The treatments were conducted in a private healthcare practice by a licensed acupuncturist.

Participants

The five participants presented symptomatology for a period of no less than 6 months, had been diagnosed through electromyography, and additionally showed a positive test for Phalen's maneuver test. All the patients had surgical indications.

Interventions

Classical Chinese acupuncture was applied during a cycle of treatments.

Main measurements

The Visual analog scale (VAS) was used to assess the level of discomfort regarding daytime paresthesia, nighttime paresthesia, pain, decrease in strength, and a proposed converted value of pressure pain threshold.

Results

All the parameters showed significant improvement. The mean difference was negative for pain (− 7,4 points), daytime paresthesia (− 5,2 points), nighttime paresthesia (− 6,2 points), and loss of strength (− 4,6 points), whereas the estimation for the pressure pain threshold was positive (+ 0,683 kgf/cm²).

Conclusions

In the analysis of the results obtained through the classical acupuncture therapy, all parameters showed an improvement, which suggests and supports evidence of clinical efficacy on the CTS.

Objective

To demonstrate the effect of acupuncture in Pericardium 6 (Neiguan) acupoint in the acute homeostatic response to orthostatic challenge in healthy subjects.

Design

A cross-sectional experimental study was conducted at Acupuncture Facility at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México, México. Participants: Fifteen healthy university students (seven women) aged 22.5 ± 1.36 (mean ± SD) participated in the present study to investigate the changes in cardiovascular function after standing active standing and their modification with manual acupuncture in Pericardium 6 (Neiguan) acupoint in healthy volunteers.

Interventions

The treatment consisted of one session of manual acupuncture in the Pericardium 6 (Neiguan) in the right arm. The following data for continuous beat-to-beat registration: mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV), total peripheral resistance (TPR), and left ventricular ejection time were computed in healthy volunteers after standing. The obtained signals were plotted and averaged, and a linear correlation of each average was calculated. Besides, the Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated for the recording periods of 1–10 after the standing position in basal and treated conditions.

Results

Acupuncture was showed to increase the speed of change in MAP, HR, and TPR and decreased the speed of changes in SV and LVET when comparing the slopes of the initial cardiovascular changes related to active standing. Besides, Pearson analysis showed that acupuncture treatment modifies to higher correlation the cardiovascular responses to orthostatic stress.

Conclusions

We found that manual acupuncture in the right PC6 boosted the initial adaptive mechanisms to orthostatic stress in healthy subjects. It is valuable to initiate clinical trials to see if this treatment improves symptoms in patients with orthostatic hypotension.

The Chinese names of enerpoints (acu-points) to Western scholars are a mystery. Given their Western nomenclature (H 5, E 36), we assume that they do not affect when selecting a point formula in clinical practice. However, there is always the doubt if the name contains something else. Most were born in a time known as the great cultural renaissance of China, between the first and fourth century, and consist of two or more characters within a certain syntax. Each of the characters that compose them can be a verb, a noun, and even an adjective. According to the interpretation, meanings emerge that are not only interesting but also particularly useful in the clinic. For example, in Zusanli (E 36) 足 zu means “foot”; 三 san “three”; 里 li “close to”, and 理 li “regulate, control” allows to interpret the point as a regulator of the three heaters, located in the foot. Given the number of points in the 14 channels, only the names of some points have been discussed to present this proposal for further search of the meaning of the points; thanks to whose knowledge it is possible to increase the clinical efficacy of acupuncture.