Acpuncture for infants consists mainly of skin stimulation, thus treatment is very different from that used for adults employing standard acupuncture techniques. Such traditional acupuncture treatment for infants is still popular in the Kansai area, and has been in use since the Edo Era (1600-1868).
In this report, the authors aualyze the social background, main complaints and accompanying symptoms of infants receiving acupuncture treatment.
Of the infants receiving treatment at the acupuncture clinic affiliated with this school, the majority (88.5%) lived within a 15km radius.
The conditions that the infants suffered from were night waking, screaming and other nervous symptoms. Relatives of the patients recommended acupuncture treatment, and in most cases it was the grandparents.
It was suggested that acupuncture treatment was regarded as a common and familiar treatment for maintaining health in infants in the Kansai area of Japan. Thus, it was thought that the popularity of acupuncture for infants in this region could be somewhat attributed to local custom.

[Background] Although we have demonstrated the clinical effect of acupuncture therapy with epidermal stimulation by needle penetration, its neurophysiological mechanisms are unclear. To investigate the clinical effects of epidermal stimulation by needle penetration on muscle tone, we tested the Hoffmann's reflex (Hreflex) of the soleus muscle during epidermal needle stimulation.
[Methods] Eighteen healthy participants were recruited. We tested the soleus H-reflex elicited by tibial nerve stimulation before and after epidermal stimulation by needle penetration. Epidermal stimulation was performed at several points on the Achilles tendon by needle penetration. We analyzed the amplitude ratio of H/M obtained from the waveforms of the soleus muscle before and after epidermal stimulation.
[Results] The amplitude ratio of H/M was significantly decreased during stimulation when compared with ratio during rest (p < 0.05). Each participant demonstrated a decrease in soleus muscle amplitude ratio of H/M during epidermal stimulation by needle penetration as compared with the ratio during rest.
[Discussion] Epidermal stimulation of the muscle by needle penetration activated the inhibitory interneurons of the dermatome at the stimulation site. Therefore, epidermal stimulation by needle penetration was considered as a possible method to induce muscle relaxation.
[Conclusion] It is suggested that epidermal stimulation by needle penetration for 2 minutes for the insertion of the Achilles tendon results in an inhibitory effect by stimulating the spinal cord neural mechanisms that correspond to the soleus muscle.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acupuncture to SP 3 on the quadriceps femoris during knee extension in patients with musculoskeletal diseases by applying the meridian concept.
The subjects included 10 healthy individuals with a mean age of 23.1 years, and all of whom provided informed consent for participation. During knee extension, each subject underwent three different types of acupuncture stimuli : 1) stimulation to SP 3, 2) stimulation to SP 4, and 3) no stimulation. For each stimulation,the subjects performed isometric contraction with 40% of maximum voluntary contraction with knee flexion to 60°. Surface electromyography (EMG) of the vastus medialis obliquus, vastus medialis longus, rectus femoris,and the four sites within the vastus lateralis was performed during knee extension before acupuncture stimulation ; immediately after starting stimulation ; and 5, 10, and 15 min after starting stimulation. Relative-integrated EMG data was recorded during and after acupuncture stimulation and compared to data that were recorded before acupuncture as reference values.
The results showed that after 15 min of acupuncture stimulation to SP 3, the relative-integrated EMG data on the vastus medialis obliquus was significantly increased compared to the data obtained without stimulation (p < 0.05).
Therefore, in conclusion, after 15 min of acupuncture stimulation to SP 3, the relative-integrated EMG data on the vastus medialis obliquus exhibited suppressed muscle function.

To investigate the effects of Kampo and a rehabilitation approach on patients with spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD), a 65-year-old female patient with SCD was treated with Ogi-kenchu-to and therapeutic exercise based on the Bobath concept.
She had a gait disturbance (unable to walk) with slightly increased muscle tonus and deep sensory disturbance in the left leg before therapy. In Kampo confirmations, there was a generalized cold feeling and fatigue due to decreased physical fitness. In the electrophysiological study, the amplitude of Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) and Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SEP) in the left side showed a greater decrease than those in the right side. The amplitude of the F-wave in the left side showed a greater increase than that of the right side.
After two months of this therapy, the patient was able to walk unassisted. Improvement in the neurological and general findings, along with normalization of the ABR, SEP and F-wave were also observed.
It was suggested that Kampo therapy using Ogi-kenchu-to and therapeutic exercise based on the Bobath concept were effective in the treatment of this patient with SCD.

The relationship between coldness of the hands and feet (“Hiesho”) and Blood Stagnation (“Oketsu”), a disorder description unique to Oriental Medicine, was examined using the Oketsu score of five Hiesho cases based on the Terasawa Oketsu Diagnostic Criteria. The effects of acupuncture treatment were studied by evaluating Oketsu symptoms and accompanying complaints, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and subjective evaluation of coldness of the hands and feet.
The results were as follows:
1) 100% of the five females with Hiesho were also positive for the Oketsu factor.
2) The Oketsu score showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) upon treatment with acupuncture.
3) An improvement in subjective Hiesho symptoms (VAS) was seen in three of the five cases upon acupuncture treatment.
4) It was suggested that the subjective improvement in Hiesho symptoms, i. e., coldness of the hands and feet, was related to the disappearance of the resistance and pain upon pressure in the ileocecal region that is characteristic of Oketsu, and the improvement in menstrual disorders.

A study was made of the suitability of acupuncture for neuropathies. The present case of polyneuropathy showed decreased vibratory sense as well as other disturbed sensory functions which were not improved by medication. The Kampo diagnosis of this case was determined to be deficient qi and blood, and deficient qi with stagnated blood. The treatment indicated by this diagnosis was harmonizing the qi and blood, and unblocking the meridians. Such disorders with other complaints were improved by acupuncture and medication.
The case study presented here indicated how acupuncture could be used for certain neuropathies.