It is said that the R-R interval on an ECG, showing the period of the cardiac cycle, reflects the activity of the vagus.
In this paper, the changes in the R-R interval brought by acupuncture and moxibustion were investigated by using Ximen (P-4) and Shenmen (H-7).
In the case of acupuncture and/or moxibustion to Ximen as well as Shenmen, the prolonged R-R interval was noted, while the increased coefficient of alteration of R-R interval was showed in the case of acupuncture. The coefficient of the alteration showed a decrease, however, in the case of moxibustion to Shenmen. Remarkable reduction in the coefficient of the alteration were observed immediately after acupuncture to Ximen under administration of atropine, but moxibustion did not produce any remarkable fluctuations. On the other hand, acupuncture to Ximen under administration of propranolol produced no remarkable fluctuation, while moxibustion brought an increased coefficient of the alteration.
The results suggested that there were considerable variations in the influence on the autonomic nervous system which participated with the cardiac rhythm by different stimulation to the same meridian point.

[Objective]We examined the effects of acupuncture treatment at Sanyinjiao (SP6) on menstrual pain in female students. In addition, the correlation between the effects of acupuncture treatment and the neurosis were evaluated.
[Methods]Fifty-one female students were participated in this study as the subject. Acupuncture treatment using Ringheaded thumbtack needle were performed to bilateral SP6 for the three months. Non-treatment periods for three months were set in before and after acupuncture period, respectively. Patients received the Ringheaded thumbtack needle through four days in a week. The effectiveness of treatment was evaluated using the categorical scale for the severity of menstrual pain accompany with numbers of taking drugs for analgesic. To evaluate the correlation between effects of acupuncture and neurosis, the tendency of neurosis was confirmed by cornel medical index (CMI) and the perimenstrual symptoms were confirmed by menstrual distress questionnaire (MDQ).
[Results]Twenty-seven subjects were analyzed for evaluation in this present study. During Ringheaded thumbtack needle treatment periods (acupuncture periods), menstrual pain had reduced into 48%of subjects. The number of taking drugs for analgesic was decreased with the reduction of severity of menstrual pain during acupuncture periods (p<0.05). The correlation between the effect of acupuncture and the tendency of neurosis were observed. Acupuncture improved the menstrual pain in the subjects who belong to category I and/or II of CMI. However, no remarkable changes were observed in the III and/or IV subjects of CMI. Furthermore, the high score of fives specific pain into MDQ (shoulder pain, headache, etc) and negative feelings factor were obtained in subjects who accompany with strong menstrual pain still after acupuncture
[Discussion]These findings suggest that menstrual pain was reduced by Ringheaded thumbtack needle to bilateral SP6. Additionally this result was influenced by a psychological factor and/or some kind of pain which is not only menstrual pain.

[Objective]To aleviate incidents and prevent medical accidents in acupuncture and moxibustion therapy, we constructed an incident report (IR) system at the Center of Acupuncture Science, Meiji University of Integrative Medicine.
[Methods]The IR system was operated with the center staff as reporters. The staff reported incidents when encountered or found. The cases of incidents were added up per item, and the contents of incidents fed back per month to staff and students. The feedback was given orally at a morning assembly, and a feedback poster was put up.
[Results]There were 146 cases from July 2004 to September 2005. The contents of incidents were 96 cases concerning the environment of treatment, 0for incidents before treatment and 50 during or after treatment. The largest number of incidents in the environment of treatment was 66 cases for inappropriate disposal of instruments. The largest number of incidents during or after treatment was 12 cases in nearly forgetting to remove acupuncture needles from the body.
[Discussion]Ten mean cases per month occurred as incidents. However, it was clear that the incidents in most cases could have been prevented if the acupuncturist had been noticed and took measures to deal with the situation. To prevent medical accidents, we consider a need to continuously feed back the contents of incidents to instructors and students and call them to their attention.

To clarify methodological issues in clinical research involving acupuncture, a randomized controlled trial was performed on subjects complaing of neck stiffness. Thirty-two volunteers who gave informed consent were randomly alloca-ted into experimental and control groups by the envelope method. In the experimental group, the acupuncture needle was inserted to a depth of 20 mm and the swallow-pecking technique was repeated 5 times. In the control group, the acupuncture needle penetrated the skin and was removed immediately. Bilateral Tianzhu points (BL 10) were used in both groups. Acupuncture treatment was performed once a week for 3 sessions and the effect was evaluated by the subjective intensity of stiffness using a visual analogue scale. In both groups subjective evaluation was immediately reduced by acupuncture treatment and the effects tended to persist for 7 days.There was significant difference between the two groups. Methodological issues listed below were discussed for further to promote clinical research on acupuncture. 1) acupuncture points and stimulation conditions, 2) adequate control groups, 3) entry criteria, 4) volunteer bias, 5) masking technique, 6) sample numbers

A patient with uterine cervical cancer underwent radical operation and radiotherapy in 1956 and subsequently began to suffer from impaired bowel movements. For the next 40 years, a large amount of cathartics was used to induce defecation, a urination was induced by applying abdominal pressure, but a large volume of urine remained. In this patient, the effects of acupuncture treatment were evaluated using the vesical residual urine volume as measured by abdominal ultrasonography. After acupuncture treatment, defecation became easily, and the amount of cathartics could be reduced. Simultaneously, spontaneous urination became possible, and residual urine disappeared.

Pneumonia is one of major causes of cough, which sometimes resists medication and remarkably deteriorates QOL of the patient. We report a case of pneumonia in a person suffering from severe cough and pain in the general body accompanied by cough for which conventional medication did not work but was improved by acupuncture treatment.
A 47-year-old woman was diagnosed by her physician with pneumonia on August 2, 200X. Although antibiotics were administered, her symptoms were not improved. She visited Meiji University of Integrative Medicine Hospital and was hospitalized on the same day. Despite strict medication with antibiotics, antitussive agent and expectorant during hospitalization, her severe cough and body pain remained unchanged.
Acupuncture treatment was then started on August 7. The basic meridian points used were LU1 (Zhongfu), LU5 (Chize), BL13(Feishu), LU7 (Leique), LI4 (Hegu), GB20 (Fengchi), GB14 (Danzhui), ST12 (Quepen), ST11 (Qishe), and CV22 (Tiantu). The acupuncture needles were retained for ten minutes at these points in each session. After ten acupuncture treatments for over seven days, the VAS for body pain accompanied by cough showed a remarkable improvement. Also, significant relief in cough was observed every time immediately after treatment.
We suggested that acupuncture treatment might be useful for cough and/or pain in the body accompanied by cough in a patient with pneumonia.

An educational video describing the acupunctural stimulation of the pudendal nerve for treatment of urinary disturbances was produced. Treatment points on the meridian were selected within the limits of the top 1/2 to 3/5 of the line that connects the superior posterior iliac spine and the inner lower edge of the ischiatic tuberosity. Since the pudendal nerve is situated between the sacrospinous ligament in this region, it could be readily stimulated from the body surface. A 90mm (#24) acupuncture needle was used for the treatments. When the needle was inserted to a depth of 50-80mm from the body surface, the pudendal nerve was reached. Echo sensation in the penis indicated that the acupuncture needle had contacted the pudendal nerve.
Either the sparrow-pecking, needle-twisting, or the low frequency acupunctural techniques were used to delver stimulation to the pudendal nerve. In conclusion, acupunctural stimulation of the pudendal nerve was clinically useful for treatment of urinary disturbances, such as uncoordination of the detrusor muscles in neurogenic bladder and urinary incontinence.

Temporomandibular arthrosis, whose major symptoms are trismus, pain of the temporomandibular joint and articular noise, has recently been increasing, primarily in younger people. This condition is often accompanied by unexplained complaints (e. g., headache and stiffness of the neck and/or shoulder) which are indications for the application of acupuncture therapy. To deepen the recognition of temporomandibular arthrosis by clinicians, we recently prepared a video tape showing detailed procedures of acupuncture therapy for this disease. The first half of this video tape consists of an explanation of the anatomical features of the temporomandibular joint, the pathophysiology and classification of temporomandibular arthrosis, and magnetic resonance images of the temporomandibular joint. The latter half consists of the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for this disease, including the acupoints often stimulated for its treatment and the techniques of acupuncture therapy.