The effects of modern needle (moxibustion) treatment means and methods were analyzed by comparison. Methods Traditional acupuncture was analyzed in comparison with modern acupuncture means and methods. Results Modern acupuncture methods such as electroacupuncture and acupoint injection are to improve the needles.
Combined with the experience of more than 20 years of clinical acupuncture work in a general (tertiary) hospital, we interpret moxibustion therapy from the perspective of modern physics, and propose the principle of “wave-particle duality” of moxibustion therapy, so that we can re-understand moxibustion and interbody moxibustion therapy at a new level, and provide ideas and directions for the research of moxibustion therapy mechanism.
It is an effective method to improve the effect of moxibustion. Conclusion Improving the therapeutic effect of acupuncture is the only way to improve the benefits of acupuncture.
The author works in a provincial level III hospital and feels deeply that the development of modern medicine is faster than any other era, and the medical technology is updated rapidly. Although “Chinese medicine acupuncture” is included in the World Intangible Cultural Heritage list of items to be protected, if the effect of acupuncture can not be well improved with the development of science and technology, there will still be classified as “antique” kind, can only see the danger of not being used.
To improve the clinical technology of acupuncture, the first step is to change the direction of high effect and low damage. In this paper, from the comparison and analysis of traditional acupuncture with modern acupuncture methods such as electro-acupuncture and acupoint injection, we believe that the only way to improve the effectiveness of acupuncture is to improve the effectiveness of acupuncture.
1.Acupuncture and electro-acupuncture
1.1 The ancient milli-needle is characterized by the word “coarse
From the available historical data, the earliest acupuncture needles are made of stone, “Shanhaijing” said “there are stones such as jade, can be P (needle)”. This is the earliest record of stone needles, it is also known as “acupuncture (bian) stone”, the Han Dynasty “Shuowen Jiezi” said “acupuncture, to stone stabbing disease also”.
With the development of human society and production levels continue to progress, the use of needle tools also continue to improve accordingly, from stone needles to bone needles made of animal bone and bamboo needles ……. The development of metal smelting with the emergence of copper needles, iron needles, of course, there are gold and silver acupuncture needles, and their common feature is “thick”. The ancient copper needles in the collection of the Beijing Museum of History are like knitting woolen clothes needles, about 3-4mm in diameter. if in modern times with such thick needles, acupuncture eye, ear some acupuncture points is certainly not applicable.
Modern acupuncture needles are made of stainless steel wire, first used in clinical practice by Japanese acupuncturists in 1934, the acupuncture needles we commonly use in clinical practice are characterized by a word “fine”, commonly used diameter 0.18 – 0.35mm, and good toughness, not easy to break.
1.2 Milli needles from coarse to fine thinking
1.2.1 Inheritance of a wide range of acupuncture techniques
At present, the acupuncture industry popular so-called “famous doctor era”, in essence, they are only in the clinical experience in the development stage of the status, its theoretical and generalizability is not strong. One of the fatal drawbacks of this model is that the technique cannot be separated from the person, and the specific person who has mastered a wide variety of specific acupuncture techniques, once he or she passes away, his or her technique will disappear, and other people will have to develop the same technique from scratch, which is one of the obstacles that hinder the development of acupuncture.
To modernize acupuncture, it is necessary to transcend this paradigm and change the inductive model from the individual to the general to the deductive model from the general to the individual, which is one of the important conditions for acupuncture to better meet the needs of society. This is the requirement of this era for acupuncture and the responsibility of our generation of acupuncturists. The use of electro-acupuncture instruments, on the other hand, is a better solution to one aspect of this problem.
1.2.2 The improvement of the milli-needle has greatly expanded the treatment space.
The acupuncture operations and contraindications, including the therapeutic part, described in the masterpieces of acupuncture, such as “Acupuncture and Moxibustion A.B.” and “Acupuncture and Moxibustion Dacheng” are objectively limited by the existence of rough needle treatment. This requires us to look at it with a cautious eye, because the use of such crude acupuncture tools at that time, the method of operation of the treatment of diseases recorded, we should not ask the whole gourd to inherit. Of course, the acupuncture treatment methods and operations described in recent acupuncture magazines, such as the depth and angle of needling, can be completely copied and applied.
1.2.3 Milli-needle from coarse to fine, the subjective comparison of the therapeutic effect
The application of stainless steel wire needles can be said to have ushered in a new era of acupuncture treatment, completely changing the limitations of ancient acupuncture treatment, such as pain, broken needles and local infection during acupuncture operations. However, the change from coarse to fine milli-needles, the amount of excitation of acupuncture treatment, that is, the acupuncture effect, seems to have decreased.
Intuitively, the ancient coarse needles coupled with the traditional numerous acupuncture manipulation techniques, although the operation will produce a strong irritation pain, but the amount of stimulation, acupuncture effect must be stronger than fine needles. The other way around is that we use modern stainless steel wire fine needles, even if exactly in accordance with the ancient acupuncture book described in the operating method to do, will not achieve the therapeutic effect of coarse needles, which is a practical problem that does not need to be discussed.
1.3.3 milli-needle from coarse to fine, the objective comparison of the therapeutic effect
The application of modern electromyography can compare the effects produced by coarse and fine milli-needle acupuncture from an electrophysiological point of view, with repeatable accuracy, reproducibility and objectivity.
Clinical acupuncture techniques are very diverse, but from the point of view of action and effect, it is only the role of “tonic and diarrhea”. In clinical practice, it is possible to simply analyze the tonicity and diarrhea from the degree of sensation described intuitively by the patient receiving acupuncture treatment. The operation of acupuncture is slow, light, and small in magnitude; the operation that the patient feels little adverse stimulation is called “tonic method”. On the contrary, fast, heavy, large amplitude manipulation, so that the patient feels the adverse stimulation of the operation is called “diarrhea”. These “tonic and diarrheal” manipulations can be quantified, objectively and reproducibly displayed by modern electrophysiological EMG testing methods.
In modern medical electromyography (MEG) examination, there are “insertion potential, action potential, resting potential” and other human electromyography indicators. Among them, similar to the case of acupuncture operation to generate electricity, “insertion potential” index can be described and understood.
The so-called insertion potential is the moment when the needle electrode is inserted into the muscle, a brief burst of action potential can be generated. That is, when the needle (electrode) is inserted into the muscle, it can produce a considerable series of action potentials caused by mechanical stimulation; and “thick electrode needles will produce greater action potentials than thin electrode needles”; the potential generated by the action of large lifting and inserting (similar to the laxative method) is greater than that generated by the action of small lifting and inserting (similar to the tonic method); the potential and with the The potential disappears with the cessation of the operation (resting).
The insertion potential is said to be explosive because the potential generated by this exogenous factor is at the millivolt (mV) level; much larger than the action potential generated by the person’s own movement at the microvoltage ((uV) level (1 mV = 1000 uV).
The phenomenon that “thicker needles produce greater action potentials than thin needles, and heavier insertion than lighter insertion” can be explained by the fact that thicker acupuncture needles produce greater therapeutic effects than thin needles, and diarrheal methods produce greater therapeutic effects than complementary methods.
As one of the principles of acupuncture treatment, it can be speculated that the operation of “lifting, inserting, twisting and turning” done by “tonic and diarrhea” can also produce a larger electrical activity similar to the “insertion potential”. This electrical activity is transmitted directly through the nerves under these points into the spinal cord, where it enters the brain via the spinal cord’s upstream nerve conduction pathways. Through the modulation and integration of the spinal cord and the brain, it affects the electrical potential of the organ altered by the lesion, thus changing and restoring its function and producing acupuncture effects on different levels.
Of course all these effects require to be achieved with the patient’s nervous system, especially the peripheral nervous system, intact. Therefore, one of the ways of studying the therapeutic principles of acupuncture can be reflected by the effect of needling on the electrical activity of the body.
In order to improve the therapeutic effect of contemporary acupuncture, currently combined with modern science and technology to create a number of high-tech acupuncture, such as electroacupuncture, laser acupuncture microwave acupuncture, electromagnetic acupuncture, etc., but the reality in due to no organization system, formal demonstration, no theoretical support, thus limiting its development.
2, one of the methods to increase the therapeutic effect of acupuncture electro-acupuncture
One of the characteristics of modern science is standardization, repeatability and reduction of human factors. A discipline as science and technology, should not only be able to be mastered by a certain individual, but also can be extended to more individuals to master, that is, to have confirmability, falsifiability, repeatability and universal practicality.
Now the clinical has been commonly used electroacupuncture therapy instrument, it meets these requirements of standardization.
2.1 Stimulation power is measurable.
Reviewing our published literature, the electricity levels for the clinical application of electroacupuncture therapeutic instruments [1] are listed below.
Pain
Stroke (stiff palsy)
Soft palsy
Upper extremity
3.2V
7.2V
9.2V
Lower extremity
0.5V
9.2V-16.V (scalp)
12.3V
Modern electrophysiology shows that: the action potential generated by human movement is microvolts ((uV) level; (similar to the needle manipulation) insertion potential is millivolt (mV) level; and the electricity used by the electroacupuncture therapy instrument is volt (V) level. From the conversion rate of voltage (1V = 1000mV; 1mV = 1000μV; 1V = 1 × 106μV) can be known how large the stimulation effect of electroacupuncture. It can be said with certainty that the stimulation amount of electro-acupuncture therapy instrument is far greater than the stimulation amount of various techniques of traditional acupuncture operation. And from the clinical point of view, the electro-acupuncture effect on the human body although the amount of electricity is large, but the pain level is lower than the needle manipulation operation to produce pain, the patient is more easily accepted.
2.2 The size of electro-acupuncture stimulation power has a pattern to follow.
1) generally face small with the forehead; upper extremities smaller than the lower extremities.
2) needle acupuncture points (three-dimensional) under the distance from the nerve stem is related;
Such as stimulation of electricity: psoas muscle > sciatic nerve.
3)The amount of electrical stimulation decreases as the disease gets better.
Clinical make clinical should electrical stimulation amount of the size of the principle of.
(1) to the extent that the patient is not uncomfortable
(2) To the extent that the patient’s muscle groups contract
2.3 similar to acupuncture techniques, the stimulation output frequency and waveform adjustable.
A study found that electroacupuncture “continuous wave” can make the brain produce endorphins, pain relief, acupuncture anesthesia; sparse wave can make the brain produce choline, can increase the local energy metabolism, promote blood circulation role.
At present, electro-acupuncture treatment methods have been widely used in the clinic, its operation is precise, repeatable and controllable are the specific embodiment of science.
However, the basic research of electro-acupuncture treatment, especially the combined research with meridian theory, needs to be strengthened urgently.
3, increase the effect of acupuncture treatment of the second acupuncture point injection
Acupoint injection therapy is a new therapy formed by combining the drug injection method commonly used in modern Western medicine with the acupuncture method in Chinese medicine. It is based on the different diseases, according to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture points and the pharmacological effect of drugs, the corresponding meridian-acupuncture points and the pharmacological effect of drugs are selected;
By injecting the appropriate amount of medicine into the acupuncture points, the meridian points are stimulated through the dual action of acupuncture and medicine, giving full play to the combined effect of meridian-acupuncture points and medicine on the disease and the human body, thus adjusting and improving the pathological state of the body’s functions and disease tissues, enabling the body’s qi and blood to flow smoothly and yin and yang to be harmonized, thus achieving the prevention and treatment of disease.
We classify the therapeutic effects of acupuncture point injection into three major categories according to the different injected drugs
3.1 Increase the amount of stimulation at acupuncture points
We applied acupoint injections to treat eruption after abdominal surgery and received good results [2]. The drugs chosen are vitamin classes that have little effect on the organism. Especially in patients with postoperative erratic reflux, the vitamins chosen as acupoint injection drugs are safe, considering the critical, complex and variable condition of the patient after surgery, with the aim of minimizing the side effects of the drugs. In addition, patients with post-surgical erratic, light affect rest, aggravate the psychological and physiological burden, serious affect the healing of the surgical incision. In this case, it is necessary to stop the eruption immediately and effectively.
Vitamin B6 injected at the foot-sanli point forms pyridoxal phospholipids in the body, which participate in the metabolism of amino acids and treat vomiting caused by various causes of gastrointestinal reactions [4]. Vitamin B1 injected at the Neiguan acupuncture point forms thiamine pyrophosphate with pyrophosphate in the body, which plays an important role in glucose metabolism and maintains the normal function of the heart, nerves and digestive system; they do not adversely affect the function of the organism in patients undergoing surgery, and there is a median nerve passing under the Neiguan acupuncture point, and vitamin B1 is beneficial but not harmful to the nerves.
From clinical observation, conventional gastrofacial intramuscular treatment for ergitation after abdominal surgery was not as effective as acupuncture treatment (P0.01). Acupuncture point injection is more intense than conventional acupuncture (pricking) moxibustion, the effect is longer lasting than body acupuncture, faster than body acupuncture, the treatment of postoperative erratic effect is significant (P0.05), the results show that the efficiency increases with the increase in the number of treatments, and the operation time of acupuncture point injection is shorter than conventional acupuncture treatment (generally 25 minutes), generally two or three minutes to complete, does not prevent the implementation of other treatment options for patients after surgery, the method The method is simple and easy to grasp, which makes it easy to promote.
In addition to post-surgical eruptions, we have applied this method for many years to treat patients with various other diseases, including persistent eruptions such as post-chemotherapy eruptions in tumor patients, which are also very effective. There are no potential dangers and contraindications, and no adverse reactions have been observed.
These types of acupuncture point injections are based on increasing the amount of stimulation and enhancing the acupuncture effect, and the drugs selected are supplemented.
3.2 Improving the local drug effect effect at acupuncture points
We adapted the pharmacological characteristics of interferon, combined with acupuncture point injections, to the treatment of typical cutaneous herpes zoster and the acute phase of Ramsay-Hunt syndrome, but also for ocular and ear herpes zoster.
The main biological activity of interferon: interferon has a broad spectrum of antiviral effects, but does not directly inactivate the virus, but rather inhibits its replication. Interferon has “priming” activity, i.e. after treatment of cells with a small dose of interferon, the responsiveness to subsequent viral or other inducers of interferon increases. The pharmacokinetics of interferon are different from those of antibiotics, as interferon has a short half-life when injected intravenously and a relatively long half-life when injected intramuscularly, and is more effective when administered topically (local injection).
Acupuncture point injection of interferon can be more effective in treating some viral infectious diseases.
The good efficacy of this treatment with interferon combined with acupuncture point injection method confirms the main features of interferon pharmacokinetics. This method is adapted to the treatment of typical cutaneous herpes zoster and the acute phase of Ramsay-Hunt syndrome. In contrast to the intramuscular injection treatment method, the early onset of action, the rapid disappearance of signs and symptoms, and the shortened cure time indicate superiority to the conventional intramuscular injection treatment method and are worthy of clinical promotion and application.
This type of acupuncture point injection, to improve the drug effect mainly, to improve the amount of acupuncture stimulation as a supplement.
3.3 Enhancing the dual role of acupuncture points
Allergic rhinitis belongs to the category of “congested nose” in traditional Chinese medicine. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the etiology of this disease is based on the endowment of special features, deficiency of lung, spleen and kidney as the main internal cause, the surface of the body is not solid, the couples are loose, external evil takes advantage of the deficiency and enters the nasal orifices, the evil and the positive fight, the lung qi cannot be adjusted, the fluid stops gathering, the nasal orifices are congested resulting in nasal congestion, nasal itching, spraying and clear runny nose.
According to modern medical research, allergic rhinitis is due to type I hypersensitivity of the nasal mucosa due to the increased sensitivity of the body to certain reagents, and is related to the imbalance of the autonomic nervous system and sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves of the nasal mucosa.
Modern medicine uses treatment methods to address only one of the causes. Either with antihistamines, symptomatic treatment; or neurotomy surgery, and surgery is difficult for most patients to accept.
Our “Autologous Blood Paranasal Injection for Allergic Rhinitis” program is a treatment plan that addresses these two factors.
On the one hand, by stimulating the nerves under the “Yingxiang” point, it has a stronger effect on allergic rhinitis than acupuncture alone.
On the other hand, it can cause local hemolysis near the nose, produce histamine-like substances in the body, increase the total number of leukocytes in the body, and enhance the phagocytosis of macrophages, which strengthens the immunity of the body; reduce potassium ions and increase calcium ions in local inflammatory tissues, which facilitates the absorption of inflammation and reduces the irritation of tissues; reduce the hypersensitivity reaction caused by various stimuli, inhibit metamorphosis and the dilation of blood vessels. Capillary dilation, reduce vascular permeability, play a role in resistance (local) allergy.
The clinical efficacy of allergic rhinitis obtained under the dual treatment effect of such acupuncture point injection is greatly improved compared with simple acupuncture and topical (spray-suction) anti-allergic drugs.