Occasionally, remote acupuncture stimulation has dramatic effects on chronic pain, especially lumbago, headaches, and shoulder pain. It is well known that the Weizhong point can be used as a remote acupuncture stimulation point for the effective treatment of lumbago. We investigated the effects of Weizhong (B-40) acupuncture stimulation on normal healthy volunteers and patients with stable, mild lumbago, all of whom gave informed consent. Using chronaxie values (determined from strength-duration curves, together with rheobase and utilization time), single-pulse stimulation (duration, 0.001 to 9 msec; voltage, 3.5 to 198 V) was applied, and irritability was measured at the Shenshu (B-23) point.
In the normal males, irritability/responsiveness at Shenshu was slightly lower than in the normal females (established using the chronaxie value). Weizhong stimulation had no apparent influence on these Shenshu responses. However Prior to Weizhong acupuncture stimulation in lumbago patients, irritability at Shenshu was greater (and/or threshold value was lower) than in the normal group (chronaxie : 0.113 ± 0.022 msec vs. 0.141 ±0.147 msec, p<0.01, n=10 or 12, respectively). In other words, an aphylaxis, or hyperalgesia or hyperaphia was present. After 30 min or Weizhong acupuncture stimulation in lumbago patients, chronaxie values showed a significant increase (p<0.01) (e.g., immediately after stimulation, 0.166 ± 0.022 msec; 10 min later, 0.164 ± 0.023 msec). This effect persisted for 30 min after removal of the acupuncture needles, with the highest values (0.174 ± 0.002 msec, p<0.01) being recorded in that period. These data indicate that Weizhong acupuncture stimulation produced analgesic effects in the Shenshu region in patients with stable, mild lumbago.
In conclusion, our results comfirm that remote acupuncture point stimulation, such as “Weizhong-to-Shenshu”, may be useful in the treatment of lumbago.