In the present paper, we examined differences in therapeutic effectivenesses of venous methods of acupuncture, ranging from filiform needle to EAP, LFEA, laser and SSP, in cases with shoulder stiffness. The immediate and delayed effect of each method, comfortableness during treatment session, changes in temperature, blood flow, and the oxygen density at the Jianjing and Hegu point were examined.
Significant improvement was seen in every therapeutic method. Electrical acupuncture using direct current was most effective. No difference were evident among SSP, low-frequencey electro-acupuncture and filiform needle. There was a correlation between confortableness and the improvement rate in electrical acupuncture using direct current and laser acupuncture. Deep temperature, blood flow and the degree of oxygen saturation of the stimulated part tended to increasd in each case.

Purpose:
We previously reported that using D-phenylalanine (D-PA) as a pre-medication increasingly enhanced acupuncture aneshesia effects occur. In order to investigate this effect clinically, we performed tooth extractions under acupuncture anesthesia using D-PA as a premed.
Method:
We divided the patients in the oral surgery department of our hospital for whom acupuncture-moxibustion was determined indicated, into 2 groups, a test group (9cases) to which D-PA (4.0g) was administered 30minutes prior to acupuncture anestesia, and an acupuncture anesthesia only group (about 31cases), and comparitively examined results.
The points used were: LI-4 on both sides in all cases, and indicated local points selected from among JOKAN, ST-7, GV-26, ST-2, LI-20, CV-24, ST-6, SI-18 and ST-5. Needles were inserted (in some cases a point surface electrode was used) and the acupuncture sensation aroused, following which low frequency current at 3-15Hz was administered.
The tooth extractions were begun about 30minutes later. The standard for determining results was a score of 1=absolutely no pain, 2=slight pain, 3=very painful, 4=a small amount of local anesthesia administered, as supplement, 5=attempt to use acupuncture anesthesia abandoned.
Results:
In the control group effective results (score 1 or 2) were obtained in about 30% of the cases while in the test group there was almost no need for supplementary local anesthesia and generally effective results were obtained in most cases.
Summary:
The results were more excellent in the group in which D-PA was used as a pre-med for tooth extractions with acupuncture anesthesia than in the group in which it was not used.

It is presumed that oversensitivity to cold is derived from the imbalance of the autonomic nervous system. As a result of the cold condition, the patient may complain of various other problems as well. According to oriental medicine, the main origin of oversensitivity to cold is the invasion of cold, an external evil. In neurometry, this symptom is depicted by low measurement values. Before each treatment session we performed neurometry to assess the patient's condition. Then we performed general Ryodoraku regulation therapy, using a 60mm length, 0.24mm diameter needle as a 200μA (12V) negative electrode for 7 seconds. withI the objective of tonifying and warming the body. In addition, we performed half-rice grain size moxibustion 7 flashing moxas on the special effective extraordinary meridian points. Hanfeng, Lisanli, and main meridian points Fengmen, Zhishi. Neurometry revealed that oversensitivity to cold is related to values of the F, Ryodoraku which are lower than the normal physiological range. The treatment indicated by neurometry proved to be successful in increasing the F, Ryodoraku values.

In the previous paper, we reported a clinical study on laser irradiation stimulation for pain diseases. In the present study, we examined the effect of laser irradiation stimulation on peripheral blood circulation and its clinical effectiveness in the treatment of shoulder stiffness.
[METHOP] Five healthy adults were irradiated with low energy semiconductor laser (Ga-Al-As, 70mw, 830nm) at the Jianjing (VF21) for ten minutes. Skin blood flow near the stimulated point was measured using Laser-Doppler method before and after (for 20min.) irradiation.
Clinical effectiveness was examined for 50 patients with clonic shoulder stiffness who visited Anesthesiological Department of Osaka Medical College Hospital. The patients were randomly devided into two groups: laser irradiation group (L group) and Non-irradiation group (C group). To the C group, the apparatus was set but no laser was irradiated. Stimulation points were Tianzhu (VU10), Jianjing (VF21), Jianwaishu (IT14) and other points commonly used for shoulder stiffness. According to the numerical scale of subjective symptom reported by the patients immediately after the stimulation, therapeutic effictiveness was rated into four grades: “marked improvement” “improvement” “slightJimprovement” and “no change”. “Marked improvement” and “improvement” were regarded as effective cases.
[RESULTS] After laser stimulation, blood flow increased several times heigher than the original level but it tended to decrease back to the original level within the measuring period. The incedence of effective cases was 58% for L group and 40% for C group.
[CONCLUSION] Laser irradiation stimulation has been reported to have same effect as acupuncture, and gathering attention as stimulation method with less adverse effects. Our study demonstrated that laser stimulation induced transient improvement of local blood circulation.

The authors have been studied the effects of low energy semiconductor laser on capillary blood flow of the skin. In the present paper, we report a comparative study of acupuncture, low energy He-Ne laser and semiconductor laser.
[SUBJECT & METHOD] Subjects were five healthy adults. Two types of laser irradiation and in situ acupuncture using No. 20 needle, 30mm in legth, were separately applied to the right Hegu (IC4) for 10minutes. Two laser types were low energy He-Ne (632.8nm, 8.5mW) and low energy semiconductor MR-180Is (830nm, 30mW). Capillary blood flow of the skin was measured at the palmar center of right index fingertip before, during and 30 minutes after stimulation using a laser doppler blood flow velocity meter (LDV, ALF2100). Measurement was carried out after 20-minute rest in a room maintained at the temperature of 25±0.5°C.
[Result] After the acupuncture stimulation, blood flow rose to 140% of the original level and it was retained throughout the measurement period. By He-Ne or semiconductor laser irradiation, blood flow rose to 111% and 107%, respectively, but it showed tendency to decrease and reached below the original level 30 minutes later.
[CONCLUSION] Acupuncture stimulation demonstrated heigher effect in improving the peripheral blood circulation than He-Ne laser or semiconductor laser irradiation.

Various acupuncture stimulations were given to a 60 year-old housewife with a distinct meridian phenomenon to observe subsequent PSM. Clear PSM was induced either by finger pressure, press needle or low frequency press needle stimulation of Guanchong (terminal point). Scarless moxibustion applied to a source point induced clearer PSM than that to a terminal point. Comparing the propagating speeds of the PSM induced by press needle stimulations of the terminal points of the twelve meridians, those of liver, kidney and spleeen were the fastest (about 70cm/sec) and those of heart and large intestine were the slowest (1cm/sec). The propagation of PSM was blocked by 50-60mmHg of manchette pressure or by about 400g/cm local pressure using a pressure meter.

A new therapy was recently developed by combining low frequency in situ needle acupuncture with Body Sonic Pad therapy. With this therapy, the patient lies on a bed fitted with Body Sonic Pads which vibrate slightly, in synchrony with the low-pitched sounds of the music which is played during the therapy. The patient listens to music and can feel the music-synchronized vibration of the pads while receiving in situ needle acupuncture. We recently assessed the effectiveness of this combined therapy.
The subjects were 30 patients with chronic shoulder stiffness who visited our department of anesthesiology. These patients received each of the following 5 treatments at different times in random order: (1) Method M (listening to music without any other therapy), (2) Method B (Body Sonic Pad therapy without listening to music), (3) Method MB (Body Sonic Pad therapy while listening to music), (4) Method L (conventional continuous low-frequency (3Hz) in situ needle acupuncture), and (5) Method MBL (continuous low-frequency (3Hz) in situ needle acupuncture combined with Body Sonic Pad therapy while listening to music). The direct therapeutic effect and the degree of comfort during treatment were compared among these five methods. The acupuncture therapy for shoulder stiffness consisted of stimulating the standard points in the shoulder and neck region with 30mm acupuncture needles (No. 20). The electrical stimulation lasted for 20 minutes. The music used for Body Sonic Pad therapy was primarily classical music selected according to the desire of the patients. The effectiveness was rated by the patients on a 4-point scale (markedly effective, effective, slightly effective and ineffective). Effective or markedly effective cases were regarded as responding to the therapy. The level of comfort during treatment was rated on an 11-point scale.
The number of patients who responded to the therapy was 7 (23%) for Method M, 6 (20%) for Method B, 10 (34%) for Method MB, 18 (60%) for Method L and 23 (77%) in Method MBL. The response rate was significantly higher for Method MBL when compared to Method M or MB. The mean level of comfort during treatment (rated on a visual analog scale; 0=most uncomfortable; 10=most comfortable) was 6.3±2.1 for Method M, 6.0±2.1 for Method B, 7.0±1.6 for Method MB, 7.2±1.9 for Method L and 8.3±1.6 for Method MBL. Thus, low frequency in situ needle acupuncture combined with Body sonic Pad therapy was slightly superior to the other therapies.