OBJECTIVETo probe into the selection of parameters of electroacupuncture and analyze some problems.

METHODSAnalyze and study on the relevant literature about the application of electroacupuncture in the past 5 years and analyze the parameters of electroacupuncture in the literature in detail.

RESULTSMost of literature paid greater attention to the selection of parameters of electroacupuncture, but different electroacupuncture apparatuses were used with different electroacupuncture parameters.

CONCLUSIONThe selection of the electroacupuncture apparatus and electroacupuncture parameters does not have an unified standard, influencing comparability and reference of experimental and clinical results.

Despite continued improvement in risk factor recognition and aggressive medical management, heart disease remains the number one killer in the world. Medications for primary or secondary prevention of heart disease can cause unpleasant side effects leading to non-compliance. Novel therapies are needed to serve as a complement to or alternative for current medical management. Acupuncture and more specifically electroacupuncture may serve as a safe and viable option in the cardiology clinic. This review article focuses on both mechanistic and clinical studies evaluating acupuncture's effectiveness with symptomatic heart disease. Although continued research is needed, currently evidence warrants consideration of acupuncture's use with myocardial ischemia, hypertension, arrhythmias, heart failure as well as autonomic dysfunction.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Cardiology ; methods ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans

According to the clinical experience and the active role of electroacupuncture instruments in clinical acupuncture and moxibustion, the potential security hazards of the available electroacupuncture instruments are pointed out. These hazards not only can cause injury to a varying degrees for the patient, but also lead to a poor therapeutic effect. The reasons of the security problems are mainly inaccurate regulation parameters, unreasonable displaying parameters, unscientific output of constant voltage, and unqualified protection measures for the electroacupuncture instrument. The countermeasures improving security and the measures increasing the intelligent level of the electroacupuncture instrument are put forward.
Electroacupuncture ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Safety ; Safety Management ; methods

The points stimulated by output pulse of the electroacupuncture instrument are fixed, and this stimulation model makes Deqi sense of the distal point unable to reach the affected parts, only limiting around the point for most patients, so the therapeutic effects are influenced to a certain extent. From design, usage and other aspects, it is described that joint the output conducting wires to the acupuncture needles from the distal point to the proximal point in turn. When the output ports of the electroacupuncture instrument export the pulse wave one port by one port, the sense of Deqi of the patient propagates towards the affected area one point by one point. Finally, the sense of Deqi of the patient propagates and reaches to the affected area. The along-meridian treatment instrument overcomes the shortcomings of the existing electroacupuncture instrument, and obviously increases therapeutic effects.
Electroacupuncture ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Humans ; Meridians ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo summarize the main electroacupuncture stimulation indexes used in clinical treatment and experimental study on sciatica, and to investigate the optimal stimulation index for sciatica treatment with electroacupuncture.

METHODSThe data was obtained on line from the computerized general and specialized databases such as CBM, VIP, CNKI, and MEDLINE. Data analysis was focused on the different effects of electroacupuncture with different stimulation indexes.

RESULTS(Clinical research suggested that the commonly used electroacupuncture stimulation indexes included frequency of 1-20 Hz, electric current of 0.2-0.8 mA, continuous and dilatational waveform. The intensity of stimulation was endurable for patients. (2) The frequency of electroacupuncture used for animal experimental research was mainly concentrated among 2-20 Hz, which 2 Hz and 5 Hz had better effects for sciatica treatment with electroacupuncture. The scale of electric current was 0. 4-10 mA with intermittent waveform. The intensity of stimulation was decided by a visible muscle contraction occurred during the acupuncture.

CONCLUSIONDifferent kinds of electroacupuncture stimulation indexes have different effects on the treatment of sciatica. Therefore, it is still needed the more evidence from higher quality clinical trials to investigate the optimal electroacupuncture stimulation indexes on the treatment of sciatica.

OBJECTIVETo observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) with different stimulation parameters on medicine-induced abortion.

METHODSOne hundred and nine cases of early pregnancy who asked medicine-induced abortion were allocated to an EA group A (n = 37), an EA group B (n = 38) and a medication group (n = 34). Within 30-60 min after oral administration of Misoprostol, in the EA group A, EA was given at bilateral Hegu (LI 4) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) with cluster waves of 100 Hz and in the EA group B, EA was given at Hegu (LI 4) for 20 min and then at Sanyinjiao (SP 6) for 5 min with continuous waves of 50 Hz. EA was not given to the medication group. The complete abortion rate, duration of eliminating embryonic sac, colporrhagia lasting time and abdominal pain condition were recorded.

RESULTSThe complete abortion rate was 91.9% in the EA group A and 86.8% in the EA group B, which were higher than 82.4% in the medication group, with no significant differences between the 3 groups (P>0.05); the duration of eliminating embryonic sac and the colporrhagia lasting time in the two EA groups were significantly shorter than those in the medication group (P<0.05, P<0.01); alleviation of abdominal pain in the EA group B was better than the medication group (P<0.01) and the EA group A (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONDifferent stimulation parameters of EA have different effects on abortion.

By reviewing literature, summarization and generalization are respectively pertormed according to different electroacupunture (EA) parameters. Based on the understanding of clinical and experimental usage of EA parameters, effects of different parameters are summarized, and a preliminary evaluation is done to point out the advantages and disadvantages. It is found out that different EA parameters would produce different effects on the body, and researches are more in the field of experimental area and less in the clinical area. What's more, the majority of scholars focuses their attention on single-factor study, leading to fewer researches on the effects of parameters combination.
Animals ; Biomedical Research ; Electroacupuncture ; instrumentation ; methods ; trends ; Humans

Analyze the problems in the studies of acupuncture treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases at present, look for the possible causes of having no unified recognition, discuss on major tasks in studies of acupuncture and moxibustion and how to further increase therapeutic effects of acupuncture and moxibustion, and put forward some assumes for future studies afterwards.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Brain Ischemia ; therapy ; Electroacupuncture ; Humans

Studying the industry standard of electroacupuncture therapy device (YY 0780-2010), collaborating with the clinical practice of acupuncture and moxibustion, in view of academy and safety, the comments and suggestions are proposed on the content of the standard. The standard describes manipulation norms, terms and definitions, dianjizhen and the output energy of single pulse, etc. It is expected that these comments and suggestions can be taken in consideration in the revision of industry standard or the development of national standard so as to improve the scientific level and feasibility of the technique standard of electroacupuncture therapy device.
Cooperative Behavior ; Electroacupuncture ; instrumentation ; methods ; Equipment and Supplies ; standards ; Humans

OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect difference between special penetration needling and conventional penetration needling for the refractory peripheral facial paralysis.

METHODSA total of 97 patients with intractable facial paralysis were randomized into an observation group (49 cases and 2 dropping) and a control group (48 cases and 4 dropping). In the observation group, special penetration needling at an angle about 45° between the penetration needle and paralysis muscle bundle was used, Yangbai (GB 14) through Touwei (ST 8), Yangbai (GB 14) through Shangxing (GV 23), Sizhukong (TE 23) through Yuyao (EX-HN 4), Qianzhen (Extra) through Yingxiang (LI 20), mutual penetration between Yingxiang (LI 20) and Jiache (ST 6). Conventional penetration needling was applied in the control group, Yangbai (GB 14) through Yuyao (EX-HN 4), Cuanzhu (BL 2) through Yuyao (EX-HN 4), mutual penetration between Dicang (ST 4) and Jiache (ST 6), Qianzheng (Extra) through Dicang (ST 4), Sibai (ST 2) through Yingxiang (LI 20). Three groups of electroacupuncture (discontinuous wave, 1 Hz) with tolerance were connected respectively in the two groups, Yangbai (GB 14) and Sizhukong (TE 23), Yangbai (GB 14) and Qianzheng (Extra), Yingxiang (LI 20) and Jiache (ST 6) in the observation group, Yangbai (GB 14) and Cuanzhu (BL 2), Dicang (ST 4) and Jiache (ST 6), Qianzheng (Extra) and Sibai (ST 2) in the control group. TDP was applied in the two groups at the affected Yifeng (TE 17), Jiache (ST 6) and Qianzheng (Extra), which were around the ear. Perpendicular insertion was used at Yifeng (TE 17) at the affected side and Hegu (LI 4) at the healthy side and bilateral Zusanli (ST 36). The needles were retained for 30 min. The treatment was given for 3 courses, once a day and 10 days as a course, 5 days at the interval. House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve grading score was recorded before and after treatment. The clinical effects were compared.

RESULTSThe H-B scores after treatment in the two groups were higher than those before treatment (both <0.05), with better result in the observation group (<0.05). The cured and markedly effective rate of the observation group was 74.5% (35/47), which was better than 47.7% (21/44) of the control group (<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSpecial penetration needling at an angle about 45° between the penetration needle and paralysis muscle bundle is better than conventional penetration needling for refractory facial paralysis.