Extract preparations of Shosaiko-to and Keishi-ka-shakuyaku-to were simultaneously prescribed to 34 patients with trigeminal neuralgia. The efficacy of these kampo formulas on painful paroxysms was evaluated two weeks after commencement of formula administration.
In 11 out of 19 patients who were also taking carbamazepine (CBZ), dosage reduction or elimination of CBZ administration became possible; from the changes seen in the symptoms, Kampo treatment was thought to be effective in 14 of these cases. Of the 11 cases receiving Kampo alone, reduction in pain or elimination of pain was seen in 8 cases.
Excluding 4 cases where effectiveness could not be evaluated, the overall efficacy rate for Shosaiko-to/Keishi-ka-shakuyaku-to was determined to be 73% (22/30 cases).
Many basic and clinical studies have verified that Shosaiko-to-go-Keishi-ka-shakuyaku-to acts as an anticonvulsant. There are several common pharmacological characteristics between CBZ, the standard treatment for trigeminal neuralgia, and Shosaiko-to-go-Keishi-ka-shakuyaku-to. The formulas Shosaiko-to and Keishi-ka-shakuyaku-to used by themselves or in combination with CBZ were therefore thought to be a safe and effective option for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

On twenty patients and ten healthy adult volunteers, pain threshold was measured by a dolorimeter (Pain meter NYT-5) to clarify whether analgesic effects of electrical acupuncture on various body surface may be changed by acupuncture points or not.
Electrical acupuncture was performed to the traditional acupuncture points on the two meridians. A group is the combination of LI 10 (Shousanli) and LI 14 (Hoku) on the right side, the other is the combination of ST 36 (Tsusanli) and ST 40 (Liangchiu) on the right side.
Measured points of pain threshold are (1) face, (the point 2cm above from the center of both eyelids), (2) (3) left and right upper extremities (LI 11; Chuchih) and (4) (5) left and right lower extremities (ST 41; Chiehhsi).
In the Shousanli-Hoku group, pain thresholds of face, both upper extrimities increased significantly. However, those of both lower extremities were not significantly changed.
In the Tsusanli-Liangchiu group, pain thresholds of the upper and lower extremities on both sides increased significantly. However there were no significant changes in the forehead.
In comparison of two groups, increases of pain thresholds of both lower extremities were observed in significantly more cases with acupuncture to Tsusanli and Liangchiu points than those with Shousanli and Hoku points by the Chi-square test (p<0.01). From this fact, acupuncture of Tsusanli-Liangchiu points seems to be more effective on the lower extremities than that of the Shousanli-Hoku points.
Therefore, we conclude that effects on pain threshold by electrical acupuncture depend on various points on meridians and are not evenly shown on the whole body surface.

A 73 year old female, who had suffered from serious bronchial asthma and had been taking prednisolone and theophylline, was treated with acupuncture and herbal medicine. Twenty points, which are so called effective points for bronchial asthma, were used for acupuncture, e. g. LU 1: Zhongij, LU 2: Yunmen, and CV 22: Tiantu, etc. As Ryoudouraku mesurments showed suppression of F3 (Kidny Meridian) and F5 (Gallbladder Meridian), the exciting points on those meridians (KI 7: Fuliu and GB 43: Xiaxi) were also mildly stimulated by acupuncture. The severity of asthmatic attack, the strength of cough and the amount of sputum were expressed by a scoring system, where the most sever one which had been experienced before was scored as 10.
At the initiation of acupuncture, the frequency of asthmatic attack was 5 times a day, the severity of asthmatic attack was 6/10, the strength of cough was 6/10 and the amount of sputum was 8/10. Recently prednisolone was successfully reduced from 20mg to 7.5mg per day with acupuncture and the severity of asthmatic attack, the strength of cough and the amount of sputum were improved to 2/10, 1/10 and 3/10, respectively.
On the other hand, % FVC, FEV 1.0% and blood gas analysis data were not improved.
In summary, we believe that acupuncture acts beneficially to reduce the subjective symptoms of asthma even when the dose of prednisolone were decreased.

Previously we reported that acupuncture to the stellate ganglion stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system as well as the sympathetic nervous system. We measured effects of laser acupuncture to the stellate ganglion (SGL) or electrical acupuncture to the same (SGA) on R-R intervals, deep tissue temperature and blood presure by using 45 patients; 12 in SGL-group and 33 in SGA-group.
Results are as follows; (1) Means of heart rate (HR) decreased with 2bpm in the SGL-group, 3bpm in the SGA-group. (2) Coefficient of variation (CV) of R-R intervals increased with 1% in the SGA-group only. (3) Deep tissue temperature of the ipsilateral anterior forearm of the stimulation did not increase significantly after SGA, while deep tissue temperature increased with 0.3-0.5°C after SGL. Deep tissue temperature of the contralateral anterior forearm showed no significant change in the both groups. (4) Systolic blood pressure increased with 2-4mmHg after SGA and 4-5mmHg after SGL, respectively.
It is suggested that SGL increases deep tissue temperature by affecting autonomic nervous system, but not directly.

Footballer 's ankle is anterior bony spur or anterior impingement symptom of the ankle with anterior ankle pain, limited and painful dorsiflexion. The cause is commonly seen in athletes and dancers, and is probably due to repetitive minor trauma. The condition was firstly described by Morris; McMurray reported good results from excision of the spurs, naming it footballer' s ankle. Opening resection of osteophytes of the anterior tibial and superior talar is an effective treatment for anterior impingement of the ankle.
Adult ; Ankle Injuries ; etiology ; Athletic Injuries ; etiology ; Football ; Humans ; Male