CLINICAL APPLICATION OF “LUMBAR THREE POINT NEEDLING” IN TREATMENT OF LUMBAR AND BUTTOCK DISEASES

Lumbar three point needling”, meaning puncturing Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25) and Ciliao(BL 32) at the same time, is a commonly used acupuncture method in the treatment of lumbocrural diseases. Points supplemented according to symptoms: Weizhong(BL 40) is supplemented for lumbar vertebra hypertrophy spondylitis; Weizhong (BL 40) and Kunlun(BL 60) supplemented for acute lumbar muscle sprain; Zhibian (BL 54), Huantiao (GB 30) and Ahshi points supplemented for nervi cluniam superior inflammation, and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Mingmen(GV 4) supplemented for impotence. Gauge 28 2 cun long needles are used. The needles are inserted perpendicularly into Shenshu(BL 23), Dachengshu(BL 25) and Ciliao(BL 32) to a depth of about 1.2～1.5 cun. Other supplementary points are needled and stimulated with routine manipulations, generally the reducing method is used for excess syndrome, and the reinforcing method applied to deficiency syndrome. The author, on the basis of many years of clinical practice, considers that “lumbar three point needling” is fairly effective in treating lumbosacral diseases.

Therapeutic Efficacy Observation on Mild Lifting and Superficial Pulling Point-towards-point Needling for Intractable Facial Palsy

Objective: To observe and compare the clinical effects of combining mild lifting and superficial pulling point-towards-point needling and point injection and integrated standard electroacupuncture(EA) with intramuscular injection of Mecobalamin for intractable facial palsy. Methods: Eighty cases with intractable facial palsy were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 40 in each group. Cases in the treatment group were treated with mild lifting and superficial pulling point-towards-point needling Xiaguan(ST 7) coupled with point injection of Mecobalamin. Cases in the control group were treated with standard EA coupled with intramuscular injection of Mecobalamin. After three courses of treatment, the between-group comparisons of Portmann scores and clinical effects were conducted. Results: After three courses of treatment, the Portmann scores in both groups were higher than the scores before treatment(P<0.01); the Portmann score in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05) and the total effective rate in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05). Conclusion: Combining mild lifting and superficial pulling point-towardspoint needling and point injection of Mecobalamin could obtain better effect for intractable facial palsy than standard EA coupled with intramuscular injection of Mecobalamin.

A study to investigate needle insertion at Shenshu(BL23) to puncture psoas major muscle

OBJECTIVE： It is unknown whether the psoas major muscle, thought to be a key muscle for treatment of lower back pain, can be punctured at Shenshu（BL23）.METHODS： Twelve dissected specimens were used for studying the needling pathway of BL23 by perpendicularly inserting the depth-measuring blade of a vernier caliper at BL23. Dimensions of psoas muscle were measured. Correlation studies were conducted. In addition, our samples were grouped by gender and underlying medical conditions for analysis.RESULTS： Half（50%） of the needle insertions successfully punctured psoas muscle. The mean depth of needle insertion to puncture psoas muscle（D_（min）） in the group with short-term underlying medical conditions was 38.0 mm（interquartile range 29.0–51.8 mm）, approximately 6 mm deeper than 32.0（29.3–42.5） mm in the group with long-term health problems（P = 0.041）. The cross-sectional area（CSA） of psoas muscle in the former group was on average approximately 1.5 times that of the latter group（P = 0.04）. When the data were analysed by gender, the thickness of psoas muscle in the male group was 19.0（6.5–24.0） mm compared to 19.5（5.8–34.8） mm in the female group（P = 0.02）. The age in the female group（P = 0.04） and the body length of the total group（P = 0.04） negatively correlated to D_（min）.CONCLUSION： Needle insertion at BL23 might be able to puncture psoas muscle. Differences in the CSA of psoas muscle and D_（min） were observed in groups with short-term and long-term underlying medical conditions.

Effect of music therapy derived from the five elements in Traditional Chinese Medicine on post-stroke depression

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of five phase music therapy in patients with depression after ischemic stroke.METHODS: A total of 92 patients with post-stroke depression were randomly divided into the control group(32 cases), treatment group A(30 cases), and treatment group B(30 cases). All groups were given basic therapies for cerebral infarction. In addition,the control group was administerd 50 mg of oral sertraline hydrochloride daily, while treatment groups A and B received needling at Baihui(GV 20)plus acupoint injection at Yanglingquan(GB 34) daily; treatment group B also received music therapy derived from the five phases in Traditional ChineseMedicine theory twice daily. All treatments were administered for 5 d per treatment cycle for three cycles, with a 1 d interval between cycles. In all three groups, Hamilton's depression scale(HAMD-17)score and the activities of daily life(ADL) score were measured before and after treatment, and side effects were assessed with the treatment emergent symptom scale.RESULTS: The HAMD-17 score significantly decreased after treatment in all three groups, and the post-treatment reduction in HAMD-17 score was markedly greater in treatment group B than in treatment group A(P < 0.01). The ADL score significantly increased after treatment in all three groups,and the post-treatment increase in ADL score was significantly greater in treatment group B than in treatment group A(P < 0.01). The treatment emergent symptom scale score was highest in the control group, and lowest in group B, and significantly differed between the three groups(P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: Five phase music therapy plus acupoint needling and acupoint injection can improve the symptoms in patients with post-stroke depression.

Acupuncture Treatment for Spontaneous Polyhidrosis

Objective： To compare the therapeutic effects of acupuncture and western medicine on spontaneous polyhidrosis. Methods： Acupuncture at Huatuojiaji points was used to treat 30 cases of spontaneous polyhidrosis and the western medicine was used to treat 26 cases for comparison. Results： The total effective rate of the former was 96.7% and that of the latter 57.7%. The difference in therapeutic effect between the two groups was significant （P〈0.01）. Conclusion： The therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Huatuojiaji points on spontaneous nolyhidrosis was better than that of western medicine.

Evidence and Expert Opinions:Drying Needling versus Acupuncture(Ⅱ)--The American Alliance for Professional Acupuncture Safety(AAPAS)White Paper 2016

In the United States and other Western countries, dry needling has been a topic in academic and legal fields. This White Paper is to provide the authoritative information of dry needling versus acupuncture to academic scholars, healthcare professionals, administrators, policymakers, and the general public by providing the authoritative evidence and expertise regarding critical issues of dry needling and reaching a consensus. We conclude that Dr. Travell, Dr. Gunn, Dr. Baldry and others who have promoted dry needling by simply rebranding（1） acupuncture as dry needling and（2） acupuncture points as trigger points（dry needling points）. Dry needling simply using English biomedical terms（especially using ＂fascia＂ hypothesis） in replace of their equivalent Chinese medical terms. Dry needling is an over-simplified version of acupuncture derived from traditional Chinese acupuncture except for emphasis on biomedical language when treating neuromuscularskeletal pain（dry needling promoters redefined it as ＂myofascial pain＂）. Trigger points belong to the category of Ashi acupuncture points in traditional Chinese acupuncture, and they are not a new discovery. By applying acupuncture points, dry needling is actually trigger point acupuncture, an invasive therapy（a surgical procedure） instead of manual therapy. Dr. Travell admitted to the general public that dry needling is acupuncture, and acupuncture professionals practice dry needling as acupuncture therapy and there are several criteria in acupuncture profession to locate trigger points as acupuncture points. Among acupuncture schools, dry needling practitioners emphasize acupuncture＇s local responses while other acupuncturists pay attention to the responses of both local, distal, and whole body responses. For patients＇ safety, dry needling practitioners should meet standards required for licensed acupuncturists and physicians.