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.

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.

We gathered and analyzed date on respiratory diseases suffered by Japanese adults treated in Ram Hospital in Chiang Mai and Subang Jaya Medical Center in Kuala Lumpur. In both hospitals, the percentages of patients undergoing treatment for respiratory diseases was the greatest. Of these, relatively mild symptoms such as upper respiratory tract infection account for the majority of the diseases, but also included are instances of lower respiratory tract infection or chronic respiratory diseases such as chronic sinusitis and COPD⁄bronchial asthma. In Kuala Lumpur, we conducted a questionnaire-based survey targeted on Japanese people living there, in order to detemine the currnt status of respiratory deseases. The date showed that many Japanese had symptoms of respiratory diseases and felt that air pollution was serious.
It is important for Japanese people living in Asia to be aware of preventative measures to prevent respiratory diseases, such as those caused by air pollution and infection.

In China, for years they have been studying the PSC to investigate scientifically the substance of traditional meridians. As we had been to there, we learned how to investigate it. According to their method we did it in Japan.
Objects were 340 healthy youths. The stimulated points were the well points in each meridian. The low frequency electroacupuncture (5-20Hz) was given to these points 30 minutes. Objects showed us their sensation or orally or by gesture.
We divided the result into 4 stages according to the chinese method;
salient…5 (1.5%)
comparatively salient…3 (0.9%)
slightly salient…7 (2.0%)
Non-salient…325 (95.6%)
In China, by the way, objects were 1, 000 people and it was 1.3%, 1.8%, 15.2% and 81.7%.
In this study, though it showed a low incidence of about 4.4% (about 18% in China), it was found that there was a phenomenon of the PSC.

During the 23 years since this pain clinic was founded, 29, 458 patients have been treated here (about 385, 000 patient visits in total). In the earlier days, patients with whiplash injury (posttraumatic neck syndrome) were predominant. More males than females visited our clinic in those earlier days. Several years after this clinic opened, the percentage of female patients became higher (55% or more) than the percentage of male patients. Reflecting the social trend of an increase in the percentage of elderly people in the total population, the percentage of patients between 60 and 80 years of age has been increasing. Patients who visit this clinic live primarily in Osaka Prefecture. However, it is not uncommon that patients living in other prefectures of the Kinki district visit this clinic. Although patients visit our clinic because of various complaints, they often suffer from chronic, intractable complaints, such as low back pain, combined pain of the lower back and legs, and postherapuetic neuralgia. They often visit our clinic as a last resort for healing, after having consulted many other institutions. The duration of sickness among patients who visit our clinic is long (often over 5 years). Although the methods of treatment and the patients' responses vary, depending on their diseases, the combination of nerve block with acupuncture seems to be more effective on pain. We have utilized various techniques of acupuncture, including the in situ needle acupuncture, low-frequency therapy, SSP therapy, laser therapy and hyperthermia.

PURPOSE: Because the true prevalence of food allergy (FA), as based on the results of an oral food challenge test (OFC), is unknown, it is likely that children with suspected FA unnecessarily eliminate potentially causative foods. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of FA and to determine the proportion of children who unnecessarily eliminate food. METHODS: To identify children with FA, a primary survey was conducted via a questionnaire with all children aged 0-18 years in Niijima village (remote islands of Japan). In the secondary survey, a detailed medical interview was conducted by doctors with children who currently did not eat some foods. The third survey involved serum food-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) tests and an OFC for children with suspected FA. RESULTS: Of 376 enrolled children, 374 (99.5%) completed the questionnaire. Some foods were eliminated by 18.6% and 13.0% of all children and those ≥6 years old, respectively. The target population for the secondary survey included 69 children who all completed the medical interview. The target population for the third survey consisted of 35 children, of whom 26 (74.3%) underwent the blood test. An OFC was performed 35 times with 20 children. As a result, the prevalence of FA was 4.9% in children of all ages and 4.7% in those ≥6 years old. Moreover, 55.0% children were able to cease eliminating food intake. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible that a considerable number of children unnecessarily eliminate food because of suspected FA.
Child ; Eating ; Epidemiology ; Food Hypersensitivity* ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Hematologic Tests ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin E ; Immunoglobulins ; Islands ; Prevalence*

Objective：An efficient disaster relief service necessitates the documentation and dissemination of information acquired from disaster response-related activities. However, recording and summarizing information pertaining to rehabilitation support activities is time-consuming and a pressing concern；therefore, mark-sheet forms have been introduced to reduce the time required for this process. Therefore, this study aimed to examine whether mark-sheet forms can facilitate a more accurate and rapid recording of information than conventional descriptive recording forms.Methods：Fifty physical therapists affiliated with the Osaka Physical Therapists Association with no history of performing disaster rehabilitation support activities were recruited. Participants were randomized into descriptive recording form and mark-sheet form groups. Individuals in both groups were instructed to document the information gathered by watching simulated videos of the rehabilitation support activities on their designated recording forms. A statistical analysis compared the accuracy and time required to record the data obtained from the 10 simulation videos between groups.Results：In all 10 scenarios, the recording time was significantly shorter (p＜0.05) for the mark-sheet form than descriptive recording form group. However, no discernible intergroup difference was observed in recorded content accuracy.Conclusion：The use of mark-sheet versus descriptive recording forms facilitated more rapid documentation of disaster rehabilitation support activities.

The term, propagated sensation along the channels (PSC) means the peculiar sensation expeerienced by some people along thier meridians when given acupunctural stimulation of acupoints.
In the present study, the incidence of PSC in outpatients who were undergoing acupuncture treatment was investigated.
Low frequency electrical stimulation was performed through press needles at twenty-six points: the twelve terminal points of the twelve regular meridians and the Inner-Zhiyin points of both sides. PSC was assessed on a four-grade basis after the manner carried out in China.
The incidence of PSC was significantly high among the outpatients compared with that among healthy youth. Patients with hypertension or posttraumatic neck syndrome showed higher incidence of PSC than the other patients.