Neijing (Internal Classic) states two kinds of needling techniques, named reinforcing and reducing technique, and the symptomatic treatment technique. The people in the later generations stress on the technique in terms of reinforcing and reducing. The relationship between these two needling techniques, the quantification of reinforcing and reducing technique, the understanding of "reinforcing and reducing" and operation as well as the relevant terminology are expounded in this paper. On the basis of the analysis of the source literatures, the dialectic discussion in association with the clinical practice is condcuted in this paper. It is believed that the view of taking reinforcing and reducing technique as the core should be rectified and the actual value of the needling technique in light of symptomatic treatment be emphasized. It is required to face up to the diversity and opposition of the theories that are exactly existed in the reinforcing and reducing technique and should be explored scientifically. The context and conception ideas should be considered in the explanation of the definition of needling technique and the principle analysis. Concerning the quantification research of needling technique, the factors such as the situation of disease and the body constitution should be taken into account.
Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; instrumentation ; methods ; China ; History, Ancient ; Humans ; Medicine in Literature ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; history ; instrumentation ; methods ; Needles

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Aged ; Asthma ; therapy ; Female ; Hot Flashes ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Menopause ; physiology ; Middle Aged ; Seasons

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of Guoshu acupoint pressure therapy on acute mastitis during lactation.

METHODSFifteen cases suffered from acute lactation mastitis were treated with Guoshu acupoint pressure therapy, that is, firstly with lifting and flicking reduction at "Taiji" and "Xuepen" point, whose intensity was varied from patient's physical fitness. Subsequently, the patients were treated with flame therapy induced by distillate spirit, once each day.

RESULTSAfter the treatment, all the patients were cured completely in from 1 to 5 days, with an average of 2.5 days.

CONCLUSIONGuoshu acupoint pressure therapy is effective on acute mastitis during lactation.

Acupressure ; Acupuncture Points ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Lactation ; Mastitis ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo verify the efficacy on lumbar disc herniation treated with Shu-needle therapy in combination with ozone injection of low concentration.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty cases of lumbar disc herniation were randomized into a Shu-needle therapy group and an acupotomy group, 65 cases in each one. In the Shu-needle therapy group, Shu-needle therapy was used in combination with ozone injection of low concentration. In the acupotomy group, the conventional acupotomy therapy was applied in combination with ozone injection of low concentration. The treatment was given once every 10 days, 3 treatments made one session. After one session treatment, the clinical efficacy of two groups was observed, scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were counted before and after treatment. The long-term efficacy was followed up in half a year.

RESULTSThe clinical curative rate was 69.2% (45/65) and the total effective rate was 96.9% (63/65) in the Shu-needle therapy group. The curative rate was 43.1% (28/65) and the total effective rate was 84.6% (55/65) in the acupotomy group. In comparison, the efficacy of the Shu-needle therapy group was superior to that of the acupotomy group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The scores of VAS and ODI were reduced obviously after treatment as compared with those before treatment in two groups (all P < 0.05). The improvements in the Shu-needle therapy group were superior to those in the acupotomy group (both P < 0.05). In the follow-up observation, the recurrence rate in the Shu-needle therapy group was lower than that in the acupotomy group [17.8% (8/45) vs 46.4% (13/28), P < 0.05].

CONCLUSIONShu-needle therapy in combination with ozone injection of low concentration achieves the superior efficacy on lumbar disc herniation as compared with the acupotomy group.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Intervertebral Disc Displacement ; drug therapy ; therapy ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; drug effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ozone ; administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) on the volume of hepatic blood flow, water ratio and plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in rats with delayed fluid replacement after hemorrhagic shock and to provide the references for electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) in treating hemorrhagic shock.

METHODSForty SD rats with hemorrhagic shock induced by bloodletting 40% of whole blood volume were randomly divided into a hemorrhage with no treatment (NT) group, an immediate fluid replacement (IFR) group, an electroacupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) and delayed fluid resuscitation (EA/DFR) group and a sham electroacupuncture and delayed fluid replacement (SEA/DFR) group, 10 rats in each group. No treatment was performed in NT group. IFR group was treated with fluid replacement at 10 minutes after blood loss, and EA/DFR group was treated with electroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) at 10 minutes after blood loss, while non-acupoint was punctured in SEA/DFR group. Two EA groups were received delayed fluid replacement at 3 hours after blood loss. The volume of hepatic blood flow and ALT before blood loss and 3 h and 12 h after blood loss, and water ratio 12 h after blood loss were measured.

RESULTSAfter blood loss, all parameters in IFR group and EA/DFR group were improved significantly in contrast with those in NT group (all P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between SEA/DFR group and NT group. Three hours after blood loss, the hepatic blood flow of IFR group was significant higher than those of NT group, EA/DFR group and SEA/DFR group (all P < 0.05), while the plasma ALT of IFR group was significant lower than those of NT group, EA/DFR group and SEA/DFR group (all P < 0.05), and the plasma ALT of EA/DFR group was lower than those of NT group and SEA/DFR group (both P < 0.05), the hepatic blood flow of EA/DFR group showed no significant difference compared with that of SEA/DFR group (P > 0.05). Twelve hours after blood loss, the plasma ALT and the water ratio of EA/DFR group and IFR group were significant lower than those of NT group and SEA/DFR group (all P < 0.05), and the hepatic blood flow of EA/DFR group and IFR group was significant higher than those of NT group and SEA/DFR group (all P < 0.05), while the plasma ALT of IFR group was significant lower than that of EA/DFR group (P < 0.05), and the hepatic blood flow of IFR group was significant higher than that of EA/DFR group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONElectroacupuncture at "Zusanli" (ST 36) has a protective effects for hepatic ischemic injury in rats with delayed fluid replacement after hemorrhagic shock.

Acupuncture Points ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans ; Ischemia ; therapy ; Liver ; blood supply ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Shock, Hemorrhagic ; therapy

Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; Adult ; Breathing Exercises ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Dysmenorrhea ; therapy ; Exhalation ; Female ; Humans ; Needles

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of acupuncture on cationized bovine serum albumin (C-BSA) nephritis model in rabbits and to explore its mechanism.

METHODSFifty rabbits were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a metoprolol group, a irbesartan group and an acupuncture group, 10 rabbits in each group. The model was established by ear vein intravenous injection with C-BSA. The positive control groups were treated by intragastric administrated with metoprolol and irbesartan, respectively. The acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture at "Fengmen" (BL 12) and "Shenshu" (BL 23). No interventions were added on the blank group and the model group. The changes of blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), plasma norepinephrine (NE), serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and 24 hours urine protein (24 h UP) in rabbits at the time points of 3rd, 6th and 8th week of treatment were observed.

RESULTSAfter the model was established, the Scr of (194.30 +/- 20.09) micromol/L, BUN of (9.19 +/- 0.66) mmol/L and 24 h UP of (277.70 +/- 20.09) mg/24 h in the model group were all higher than the Scr of (66.03 +/- 4. 76) micromol/L, BUN of (4.11 +/- 0.71) mmol/L and 24 h UP of (14.28 +/- 1. 47) mg/24 h in the blank group (all P < 0.01), and the diffused mesenteria hyperplasia and the increase of intercapillary cells in the model group were showed in the pathological sections. After 3 weeks of treatment. The Scr of (99.82 +/- 9.29) micromol/L, BUN of (6.32 +/- 0.75) mmol/L and 24 h UP of (189.67 +/- 15.45) mg/ 24 h in the acupuncture group were all decreased significantly, furthermore, the decrease of BP, HR, NE were better than the other treatment groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). Except the level of 24 h up and HR at 8th week, other results were as same as the 3rd week.

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture can improve the function of kidney, decrease the content of 24 h UP and the underlying therapeutic mechanism could be correlated with that acupuncture can lower excitability of sympathetic nerve and alleviate the renal pathological lesion induced by nephritis.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Animals ; Blood Pressure ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Creatinine ; metabolism ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Male ; Nephritis ; metabolism ; pathology ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Rabbits

Acupuncture Therapy ; instrumentation ; standards ; Cross Infection ; prevention & control ; Equipment Contamination ; prevention & control ; Humans ; Hygiene ; standards ; Materials Management, Hospital ; standards ; Moxibustion ; instrumentation ; standards

OBJECTIVETo verify the analgesic effect of acupuncture compound anesthesia in functionality nasal endoscopic sinus surgery (FNES).

METHODSNinety patients undergoing FNES were randomly divided into three groups. Group A was treated with routine local anesthesia, and group B and C were treated with electroacupuncture at Yintang (EX-HN 3) and Yingxiang (LI 20) for 30 min before local anesthesia. Group B received routine local anesthesia, and group C received decrement local anesthesia. The dosage of narcotic, modified fingers pain scores and postoperative satisfaction scores were observed in three groups.

RESULTSThe operative dosage of decicaine was (118.33 +/- 26.21) mg in group A, (100.83 +/- 4.56) mg in group B, and (71.33 +/- 8.90) mg in group C, with significant differences among the three groups (all P < 0.01), the lowest dosage was used in group C and the highest dosage in group A. The fingers pain scores of group B and C were both lower than that of group A (both P < 0.01), and the postoperative satisfaction scores of group B and C were both higher than that of group A (both P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture compound anesthesia can effectively alleviate the pain, decrease the dosage of local anesthetic, lower the discomfortableness and be helpful for safety of the patients during sinus surgery.

Acupuncture Analgesia ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Anesthesia, Local ; Anesthetics, Local ; administration & dosage ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pain ; drug therapy ; Pain Management ; Sinusitis ; surgery ; Young Adult

Huang's school of acupuncture and moxibustion, whose representative figures are HUANG Hong-fang and HUANG Xian-ming, is one of the schools of acupuncture and moxibustion in Shanghai. The life stories of the representative figures of Huang's school of acupuncture and moxibustion and three academic viewpoints of Huang's school are briefly introduced in this article: (1) syndrome differentiation for seeking the pathogenic roots and developing treatment principle based on the roots; (2) focusing on spleen and stomach and putting stomach first in the treatment; (3) simple point selection with clear structures showing major and assistant points. Their characteristics of the needling techniques are summarized, involving needling manipulations, qi induction, reinforcing and reducing method, etc. so as to lay a foundation for further study and inheritance of the academic thought in Huang's school of acupuncture and moxibustion.
Acupuncture ; education ; history ; Acupuncture Therapy ; history ; methods ; China ; History, 19th Century ; History, 20th Century ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; history ; methods ; Schools ; history