OBJECTIVETo verify the effect of lifting-thrusting reinforcing manipulation at Hegu (LI 4) of the right side on skin temperature on the Large Intestine Meridian.

METHODSThirty healthy volunteers were needled at Hegu (LI 4) on the right side with lifting-thrusting reinforcing manipulation at the depth of 5 - 8 mm, 100 times/min in freqency for 1 min. With PowerLab 8/30 eight-channel high-speed recorders and specially equipped skin temperature detector, the temperatures of Shangyang (LI 1) on the bilateral side, Hegu (LI 4) and Kouheliao (LI 19) on the left side were tested at the time 30 min before the needling, 1 min during the needling and 30 min after the needling.

RESULTSAfter the lifting-thrusting reinforcing manipulation on the right Hegu (LI 4), the average skin temperature (27.89 +/- 3.56) degrees C before the needling at the left Hegu (LI 4) was increased to (28.30 +/- 2.81) degrees C, the temperature of right Shangyang (LI 1) (24.57 +/- 4.29) degrees C was increased to (26.30 +/- 4.32) degrees C, left Shangyang (LI 1) (25.13 +/- 5.07) degrees C to (26.58 +/- 4.92) degrees C and left Kouheliao (LI 19) (32.11 +/- 1.68) degrees C to (32.25 +/- 2.15) degrees C, all of which were significantly improved to different degrees (P < 0.01, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe lifting-thrusting reinforcing manipulation has an effect of increasing skin temperature of acupoints, and the temperature changes after needling are along meridians and have specificity of acupoins.