ABSTRACT
Acupuncture and moxibustion treatment has been widely spread all over the world because it has few side effects and is effective for ahead sick and incurable disease. However, the treatment is often performed empirically and clinically, and the mechanism and process of the treatment are not yet scientifically elucidated. Therefore, it is required to establish objective and unified research methods and evaluation criteria that incorporate modern Western medicine and scientific and technological viewpoints. In this paper, a human body model is constructed, which includes the internal organs and the meridians for acupuncture and moxibustion treatment based on traditional Chinese medicine using colored Petri nets. This model aims at expressing the relationship between acupoints and internal organs realistically and accurately in acupuncture and moxibustion treatment, and leading to realization of an objective analysis method of the mechanism and process of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. Firstly, the calculation of the acupoints' efficacy on internal organs is discussed, and measurement equations and model construction methods are proposed. Next, an interface is established as a bridge to connect the internal organs and the meridians with acupoints. By Java language, a simulation system is developed based on the proposed Petri net model. Finally, simulations of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment are performed to verify the validity of model.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture Therapy/methods , Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods , Models, Anatomic , Moxibustion/methods , Nomograms , Human Body , Humans , MeridiansABSTRACT
"Treatment in accordance with time factor" is one of the key principles of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. In clinical practice of acupuncture and moxibustion, the connotation of "timing/time factor" should be fully understood and the temporal rule on physiology and pathology affected by the changes of four seasons and day and night be grasped. Based on the change law of qi, blood, yin and yang and the rise and fall rules of pathogens and antipathogenic qi, the intervention is exerted timely. The dynamic law of acupoints should be associated with the changes in pathogenesis and illness location, thus, the acupoint selection, needle manipulation and needle withdrawal can be operated precisely. The idea of time factor should be considered in the whole process of clinical diagnosis and treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion so as to provide some guidance for clinical analysis and practice.
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Therapy , Moxibustion , Acupuncture Points , Needles , Time FactorsABSTRACT
"Treatment in accordance with time factor" is one of the key principles of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment. In clinical practice of acupuncture and moxibustion, the connotation of "timing/time factor" should be fully understood and the temporal rule on physiology and pathology affected by the changes of four seasons and day and night be grasped. Based on the change law of
Subject(s)
Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture Therapy , Moxibustion , Needles , Time FactorsABSTRACT
@#Spinal cord injury is a kind of central nervous system diseases with high morbidity. Acupuncture and moxibustion has unique advantages in treating spinal cord injury and its complications including neurogenic bladder, neuropathic pain, intestinal disorders, and muscle spasms. This article reviewed the researches of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment on spinal cord injury. It is presented to provide reference for clinical research.
ABSTRACT
We evaluated the efficacy, usefulness and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment in rheumatoid arthritis, by the randomized, parallel-group, multi-center study with the drug-treated outpatient group as the control. The endpoints, important in the clinical assessment of acupuncture treatment, included the improvement criteria in ACR core set variables and the Japanese version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales Version 2 (AIMS-2), a system of evaluation of the QOL of patients with RA.<br>Regarding intervention (therapy), a therapy chart for each stage of disease was drawn up to give local and systemic treatment in consideration of the patient's activity and disability in each stage of rheumatoid arthritis, so that generally consistent therapy adapted to the patient's condition would be provided. Result 1. Patients eligible for analysis were 80 patients of A-group (drug therapy group) (80 females, 2 males, 2dropped) and 90 patients of B-group (drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion group), total 170 patients. 2. Patients who satisfied the improvement criteria in ACR core set variables (improved patients) were 8 of 80 patients in A-group and 20 of 90 patients in B-group. The improvement rate was significantly higher for B-group treated by drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion versus A-group, with P=0.04 in 2×2 table chi square test. 3. In QOL change investigated by AIMS-2 questionnaire, the improvement occurred significantly more frequently in the drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion group, with difference between groups at 12 months after the initiation of clinical study at P=0.001. 4. Changes in the subjects included in AIMS-2 questionnaire: Improvement was significantly more frequent in the drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion group versus drug therapy group in respect to the ability to walk, finger function, housework, sociableness, pain, mood, and the degree of subjective improvement. In the present randomized, parallel-group, multicenter study, a significant improvement was detected in the drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion group versus the drug therapy group in the aforesaid respect, which suggested that the use of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with the conventional therapy would prevent deterioration of physical functions, improve blood circulation, stabilize mental status, and thereby contribute to the improvement of QOL in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
ABSTRACT
We evaluated the efficacy, usefulness and safety of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), by the randomized, parallel-group, multi-center study with the drug-treated outpatient group as the control. The endpoints, important in the clinical assessment of acupuncture treatment, included the improvement criteria in ACR core set variables and the Japanese version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales Version 2 (AIMS-2), a system of evaluation of the quality of life (QOL) of patients with RA.<BR>Regarding intervention (therapy), a therapy chart for each stage of disease was drawn up to give local and systemic treatment in consideration of the patient's activity and disability in each stage of RA, so that generally consistent therapy adapted to the patient's condition would be provided. Result 1. Patients eligible for analysis were 80 patients of A-group (drug therapy group) (80 females, 2 males) and 90 patients of B-group (drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion group), total 170 patients. 2. Patients who satisfied the improvement criteria in ACR core set variables (improved patients) were 8 of 80 patients in A-group and 20 of 90 patients in B-group. The improvement rate was significantly higher for B-group treated by drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion versus A-group, with P=0.04 in 2 (2 table chi square test. 3. In QOL change investigated by AIMS-2 questionnaire, the improvement occurred significantly more frequently in the drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion group, with difference between groups at 12 months after the initiation of clinical study at P=0.001. 4. Changes in the subjects included in AIMS-2 questionnaire : Improvement was significantly more frequent in the drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion group versus drug therapy group in respect to the ability to walk, finger function, housework, sociableness, pain, mood, and the degree of subjective improvement. In the present randomized, parallel-group, multicenter study, a significant improvement was detected in the drug plus acupuncture and moxibustion group versus the drug therapy group in the aforesaid respect, which suggested that the use of acupuncture and moxibustion combined with the conventional therapy would prevent deterioration of physical functions, improve blood circulation, stabilize mental status, and thereby contribute to the improvement of QOL in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
ABSTRACT
The Seinetsugedoku (elimination of toxic heat) technique of acupuncture and moxibustion treatment usually involves needle insertion or bloodletting at acupoints such as Ch'u-Ch'ih (LI11), Wei-Chung (BL40), Ta-Chuei (GV14), Ho-ku (LI4), Nei-T'ings (ST44), Hand-Chings, and Foot-Chings. Fujimoto, the representative of the Hokushinkai group, devised a new Seinetsugedoku technique on the basis of the Huanglian Jiedu Tang described in “The Medical Secrets of an Official” and the theory of acupuncture and heat described in “Plain Questions” (chapter 32). This technique of associated points consisted of horizontal needle insertion into Ling-T'ai (GV10), bilateral TuShu (BL16) and Chi-Chung (GV6), and bilateral P'i-Shu (BL20). Treatment by this combination of points can markedly eliminate toxic heat in patients with febrile diseases in the Qi system. We confirmed this efficacy in 11 cases. Using this technique to treat patients with the same treatment for different diseases, we confirmed the range of conditions for which this Seinetsugedoku acupuncture technique is effective.