Acupuncture-Induced Abscess in the Retroperitoneal Cavity and Thigh Muscle: A Case Report.

Acupuncture is increasingly being used in Asian countries and is generally considered a relatively safe procedure. However, adverse events have been reported consistently. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of the possibility of acupuncture-related complications and should actively treat serious cases. We report a case of an acupuncture-induced large abscess in the retroperitoneal cavity and thigh muscles treated with percutaneous catheter drainage, surgical incision, and drainage.

A survey study for the dental students' satisfaction with the "needling therapies for temporomandibular disorders" lectures.

Background/purpose: Dry needling therapy and acupuncture can effectively relieve myofascial pain in temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). This study evaluated dental students' satisfaction with the "needling therapies for TMDs" lectures given in 2022 and 2023. Materials and methods: The "needling therapies for TMDs" lectures included mainly a dry needling therapy lecture and an acupuncture lecture which were given to the fifth-year dental students in both 2022 and 2023. An additional needling therapy demonstration lecture was given in 2023 only. Immediately after the lectures, the students were asked to complete an online-based questionnaire with four survey questions regarding their satisfaction with (1) the dry needling therapy, (2) the acupuncture, (3) the overall, and (4) the needling therapy demonstration lectures using 5-point Likert scale ratings. Results: Fifty-three (80 %) of 66 and 60 (81 %) of 74 students answered the questions in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The satisfaction rates improved from 70 % in 2022 to 83 % in 2023 for the dry needling therapy lecture, from 64 % in 2022 to 85 % in 2023 for the acupuncture lecture, and from 70 % in 2022 to 88 % in 2023 for the overall lecture. The satisfaction rate was 88 % in 2023 for the needling therapy demonstration lecture. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that inclusion of the needling therapy demonstration lecture in 2023 can results in a marked increase in the satisfaction rates for the lectures. The relatively-lower satisfaction rate for the acupuncture lecture in 2022 may be due to the difficulty in understanding the mechanisms underlying the acupuncture therapy.

Study on preparation and properties of silver alloy for Mongolian medicine acupuncture.

The Mongolian medical silver needles often encounter issues of bending, fracturing, and blunting in clinical applications. Similarly, Mongolian warm needles can cause burns on patients due to inaccurate temperature control. In this study, we developed an Ag85Cu15 alloy specifically for acupuncture needles based on material preparation. By incorporating appropriate amounts of Mn and Ti elements, we were able to enhance the mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the acupuncture needles. Compared to commercially available silver needles, this alloy exhibited a significant increase in microhardness up to 210.2 Hv0.2 and an improved tensile strength of 880.2 MPa. Furthermore, we designed a thermoelectric effect-based temperature measurement model for precise control of the warm needle's temperature, enhancing the therapeutic effectiveness of the treatment.

Clinical practice guideline for acupuncture and moxibustion: Allergic rhinitis.

Acupuncture is one of the most effective complementary therapies for allergic rhinitis (AR) and has been recommended by several clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for AR. However, these CPGs mentioned acupuncture without making recommendations for clinical implementation and therapeutic protocols, therefore limiting the applicability of acupuncture therapies for AR. Hence, for the benefit of acupuncture practitioners around the world, the World Federation of Acupuncture-moxibustion Societies have initiated a project to develop the CPG for the use of acupuncture and moxibustion to treat AR. This CPG was developed according to the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology, referring to the principles of the World Health Organization Handbook for Guideline Development. During the development of the CPG, the guideline development group (GDG) played an important role. The clinical questions, recommendations and therapeutic protocols were all formulated by the GDG using the modified Delphi method. The CPG contains recommendations for 15 clinical questions about the use of acupuncture and moxibustion interventions. These include one strong recommendation for the intervention based on high-quality evidence, three conditional recommendations for either the intervention or standard care, and 11 conditional recommendations for the intervention based on very low quality of evidence. The CPG also provides one filiform needle acupuncture protocol and five moxibustion protocols extracted based on the protocols presented in randomized controlled trials reviewed by the GDG. Please cite this article as: Du SH, Chen S, Wang SZ, Wang GQ, Du S, Guo W, Xie XL, Peng BH, Yang C, Zhao JP. Clinical practice guideline for acupuncture and moxibustion: Allergic rhinitis. J Integr Med. 2024; Epub ahead of print.

Effect of acupuncture timing on functional impairment at 6 months post-onset in patients with first-ever stroke: a prospective cohort study. / é’ˆåˆºæ—¶æœºå¯¹é¦–æ¬¡ä¸­é£Žæ‚£è€ å‘ç— åŽ6ä¸ªæœˆåŠŸèƒ½éšœç¢çš„å½±å“ï¼šå‰çž»æ€§é˜Ÿåˆ—ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of acupuncture intervention in the acute phase on functional impairment at 6 months post-onset in patients with first-ever stroke, and provide evidence for selecting optimal acupuncture timing in the real-world setting. METHODS: A total of 601 patients with first-ever stroke were divided into an acute intervention group (onset within 14 days, 256 cases) and a non-acute intervention group (onset between 15 and 90 days, 345 cases) based on whether they received acupuncture treatment in the acute phase. The assessments were conducted at baseline and 6 months post-onset, including modified Rankin scale (mRS) score, total number of acupuncture sessions, total number of combined therapies (moxibustion, cupping, tuina and rehabilitation treatment), recurrence, death events and disability. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the association between acupuncture timing and the risk of disability at 6 months post-onset. The mRS transition method was employed to assess the effect of acupuncture timing on functional improvement at 6 months post-onset. RESULTS: Without adjusting for confounding factors, compared with the non-acute intervention group, the patients in the acute intervention group had reduced risk of disability at 6 months post-onset (OR=0.434, 95%CI: 0.309-0.609, P=0.000). After adjusting for variables i.e. severity of illness, number of acupuncture sessions, and number of cupping sessions, compared with the non-acute intervention group, the patients in the acute intervention group had reduced risk of disability at 6 months post-onset (OR=0.588, 95%CI: 0.388-0.890, P=0.012). After adjusting for all confounding factors, including severity of illness, number of acupuncture sessions, number of cupping sessions, gender, smoking and drinking history, comorbidities, and diagnosis, compared with the non-acute intervention group, the patients in the acute intervention group continued to have a reduced risk of disability at 6 months post-onset (OR=0.629, 95%CI: 0.408-0.971, P=0.036). Both groups showed an overall shift towards lower mRS scores at 6 months post-onset compared to baseline, with a more significant shift towards lower scores in the acute intervention group than the non-acute intervention group. CONCLUSIONS: In the real-world setting, acupuncture intervention in the acute phase in patients with first-ever stroke, compared to acupuncture intervention after the acute phase, reduces the risk of disability at 6 months post-onset and improves functional status.

Disease spectrum and strategy of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of encephalopathy. / è„‘ç— é’ˆç¸æ²»ç–—çš„ç— è°±ä¸Žç­–ç•¥æ€è€ƒ.

The paper presents the summary of the spectrum of encephalopathy treated with acupuncture and moxibustion and the analysis on the existing questions in its clinical research, and proposes the potential strategies on treatment of encephalopathy with acupuncture and moxibustion. The spectrum of encephalopathy includes 23 diseases of central nervous system (superspinal center) and 33 kinds of mental and behavioral disorders. There are three problems in clinical research of acupuncture and moxibustion for encephalopathy, i.e. lack of high-quality clinical evidences, inadequate support from theoretic study of TCM and limited study on the rules of treatment. Hence, the author proposes five strategies on the treatment of encephalopathy with acupuncture and moxibustion, i.e. ① stimulating the peripheral nerve trunk associated with brain dysfunction, triggering the interaction between peripheral and central nerves and emphasizing the autonomic rehabilitation training to promote the reorganization of brain function; ② improving the cerebral circulation and metabolism by stimulating the trigeminal nerve and sphenopalatine ganglion; ③ stimulating the sites with high-dense distribution of peripheral nerve endings and the large projection area in the somatosensory region of the brain to induce strong brain responses, which may adjust the abnormal operation of the default mode network in the resting state; ④ stimulating the vagus nerve to improve the mood, suppressing the abnormal firing of brain neurons and stimulating the sites with the stellate ganglion distributed to modulate the hypothalamic function; ⑤ delivering the therapeutic regimens in association with the specific conditions and symptoms, and the classification of the physical signs on the base of the treatment of encephalopathy.

Acupuncture for reducing the south to reinforce the north on executive function and sleep structure in patients with chronic insomnia disorder of heart-kidney disharmony. / æ³»å—è¡¥åŒ—æ³•é’ˆåˆºå¯¹å¿ƒè‚¾ä¸äº¤åž‹æ ¢æ€§å¤±çœ éšœç¢æ‚£è€ æ‰§è¡ŒåŠŸèƒ½åŠç¡çœ ç»“æž„çš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the efficacy of acupuncture for reducing the south to reinforce the north on executive function, sleep structure and sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia disorder of heart-kidney disharmony. METHODS: A total of 100 patients with chronic insomnia disorder of heart-kidney disharmony were randomized into an acupuncture group (50 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a western medication group (50 cases, 2 cases dropped out). Acupuncture for reducing the south to reinforce the north was applied at Baihui (GV 20) and bilateral Shenmen (HT 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenmai (BL 62), Zhaohai (KI 6), Xinshu (BL 15), Shenshu (BL 23) in the acupuncture group, once a day, 5 days a week. Lorazepam tablet was given orally in the western medication group, 0.5-1 mg a time, once a day. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The Stroop color-word test (SCWT) indexes (the time consuming and the correct number of card A, B, C and the Stroop interference effect [SIE]), sleep structure indexes (total sleep time [TST], sleep latency [SL], wake after sleep onset [WASO], sleep efficiency [SE], non-rapid eye movement period 1 [N1], non-rapid eye movement period 2 [N2], non-rapid eye movement period 3 [N3], rapid eye movement period [REM]) and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score were observed before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the time consuming of card B and C, the time consuming and the correct number of SIE, SL, WASO, N1, N2, as well as the sub-item scores and total score of PSQI were decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), the correct number of card A, B and C, TST, SE, N3 and REM were increased (P<0.01) compared with those before treatment in the acupuncture group; the time consuming of card C and SIE, the correct number of card A and SIE, TST, SE, REM were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), SL, WASO, N1, as well as the sub-item scores of sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, daytime function and total score of PSQI were decreased (P<0.01) compared with those before treatment in the western medication group. After treatment, in the acupuncture group, the time consuming of card C, the time consuming and the correct number of SIE, N1, N2, as well as the sub-item scores of sleep quality, sleep dysfunction, daytime function and total score of PSQI were lower than those in the western medication group (P<0.01), the correct number of card B and C, N3, REM were higher than those in the western medication group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture for reducing the south to reinforce the north can improve the executive function of patients with chronic insomnia disorder of heart-kidney disharmony, adjust the sleep structure, and improve the night sleep quality and daytime body function.

Acupuncture for erectile dysfunction: a randomized controlled trial. / é’ˆåˆºæ²»ç–—å‹ƒèµ·åŠŸèƒ½éšœç¢ï¼šéšæœºå¯¹ç §è¯•éªŒ.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in treating erectile dysfunction (ED). METHODS: A total of 64 ED patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (32 cases, 2 case dropped out) and a western medication group (32 cases, 2 cases dropped out). In the acupuncture group, acupuncture treatment was applied at Baihui (GV 20), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Dahe (KI 12), Qugu (CV 2), Zusanli (ST 36), and etc., two groups of acupoints were used alternately, 30 min each time, once every other day. In the western medication group, 50 mg of sildenafil tablet was took orally 1 h before sexual activity. Both groups were treated for 30 d. The international index of erectile function citrate (IIEF-5) score, self rating anxiety scale (SAS) score, self rating depression scale (SDS) score, TCM syndrome score were observed before and after treatment, and in follow-up of 2 weeks after treatment completion, the serum testosterone (T) level was detected before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment and in follow-up, the IIEF-5 scores were increased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01). In follow-up, the IIEF-5 score in the acupuncture group was ascended compared with that in the western medication group (P<0.05). Except for the SDS and TCM syndrome scores in the western medication group of follow-up, the SAS scores, SDS scores, and the TCM syndrome scores were decreased after treatment and in follow-up compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.05); in the acupuncture group, the SAS scores, SDS scores and the TCM syndrome scores after treatment and in follow-up were lower than those in the western medication group (P<0.01). After treatment, the serum T levels were increased compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01). The total effective rate of the acupuncture group was 83.3% (25/30), and it was 86.7% (26/30) in the western medication group, there was no significant difference in total effective rate between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture can effectively improve erectile function, anxiety and depression state, and TCM syndrome in ED patients, and has a advantage of posterior effect compared with western medication treatment.

Effects of electroacupuncture with "intestinal disease prescription" on NLRP3 inflammasome and intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with acute ulcerative colitis. / 电针"è‚ ç— æ–¹"å¯¹æ€¥æ€§æºƒç–¡æ€§ç»“è‚ ç‚Žå¤§é¼ NLRP3ç‚Žæ€§å°ä½“å’Œè‚ é»è†œå±éšœçš„å½±å“.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) with "intestinal disease prescription" on the intestinal mucosal barrier and NLRP3 inflammasome in rats with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute ulcerative colitis (UC), and explore the underlying mechanism of EA with "intestinal disease prescription" for the treatment of UC. METHODS: Thirty-two healthy male SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a medication group, and an EA group, with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the UC model was established by administering 5% DSS solution for 7 days. After modeling, the rats in the medication group were treated with mesalazine suspension (200 mg/kg) by gavage, while the rats in the EA group were treated with acupuncture at bilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25), "Shangjuxu" (ST 37) and "Zhongwan" (CV 12), with the ipsilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST 37) connected to the electrodes of the EA instrument, using disperse-dense wave, with a frequency of 10 Hz/50 Hz, and each intervention lasted for 20 minutes. Both interventions were performed once daily for 3 days. The general conditions of rats were observed daily. After intervention, the disease activity index (DAI) score was calculated; colon tissue morphology was observed using HE staining; serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-18, IL-1ß) were measured by ELISA; protein expression of NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), and Caspase-1 in colon tissues was detected by Western blot; positive expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin in colon tissues was examined by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Compared with the blank group, the rats in the model group exhibited poor general conditions, slow body weight gain, shortened colon length (P<0.01), increased DAI score and spleen index (P<0.01), elevated serum IL-18 and IL-1ß levels, and increased protein expression of NLRP3, ASC, and Caspase-1 in colon tissues (P<0.01), along with decreased positive expression of ZO-1 and Occludin in colon tissues (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the rats in the medication group and the EA group exhibited improved general conditions, accelerated body weight gain, increased colon length (P<0.05), reduced DAI scores and spleen indexes (P<0.05), decreased serum IL-18 and IL-1ß levels, and lower protein expression of NLRP3, ASC and Caspase-1 in colon tissues (P<0.05), as well as increased positive expression of ZO-1 and Occludin in colon tissues (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the above indexes between the medication group and the EA group (P>0.05). Compared with the blank group, the rats in the model group exhibited disrupted colon mucosal morphology, disordered gland arrangement, and atrophy of crypts, along with significant inflammatory cell infiltration. Compared with the model group, the rats in both the medication group and the EA group showed relatively intact colon mucosal morphology, with restored and improved gland and crypt structures, and reduced inflammatory cell infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: EA with "intestinal disease prescription" has a significant therapeutic effect on DSS-induced UC, possibly by regulating the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and proteins related to the intestinal mucosal barrier, thereby alleviating symptoms of ulcerative colitis.

Effect of acupuncture on quality of life in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a randomized controlled trial. / é’ˆåˆºæ²»ç–—å¯¹æ ¢æ€§å‰åˆ—è ºç‚Ž/æ ¢æ€§ç›†è ”ç–¼ç—›ç»¼åˆå¾æ‚£è€ ç”Ÿæ´»è´¨é‡çš„å½±å“ï¼šéšæœºå¯¹ç §è¯•éªŒ.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect and safety of acupuncture on quality of life, pain, and prostate symptoms in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). METHODS: Seventy patients with CP/CPPS were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (35 cases, 1 case was eliminated) and a sham acupuncture group (35 cases, 3 cases dropped out). The patients in the acupuncture group were treated with routine acupuncture at bilateral Zhongliao (BL 33), Huiyang (BL 35), Shenshu (BL 23) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6), while the patients in the sham acupuncture group were treated with shallow needling at non-meridian and non-acupoint points beside bilateral Zhongliao (BL 33), Huiyang (BL 35), Shenshu (BL 23) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6),without manipulation to induce arrival of qi (deqi). Both groups retained the needles for 30 min, with one session every other day, three times a week, for a total of 8 weeks (24 sessions). Before and after treatment, and at the follow-up of 24 weeks after treatment completion, the scores of MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36, including 8 dimensions of physical function [PF], role physical function [RP], bodily pain [BP], general health status [GH], vitality [VT], social function [SF], role emotional [RE], and mental health [MH], which can be summarized as physical component summary [PCS] and mental component summary [MCS]), pelvic pain visual analogue scale (VAS), National Institutes of Health chronic prostatitis symptom index (NIH-CPSI), and international prostate symptom score (IPSS) were evaluated, and safety of both groups was assessed. RESULTS: After treatment and at the follow-up, the scores of each dimension and PCS, MCS scores of SF-36 in the acupuncture group were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01); compared before treatment, the RP, BP, and SF scores and PCS score in the sham acupuncture group were increased after treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment, the acupuncture group had higher scores in RP, BP, GH, MH and PCS, MCS than those in the sham acupuncture group (P<0.05, P<0.01); at the follow-up, except for PF and RE dimensions, the scores in each dimension and PCS, MCS scores in the acupuncture group were higher than those in the sham acupuncture group (P<0.05, P<0.01). After treatment and at the follow-up, pelvic pain VAS, NIH-CPSI, IPSS scores in the acupuncture group were lower than those before treatment (P<0.01); in the sham acupuncture group, pelvic pain VAS, NIH-CPSI scores were lower after treatment, and NIH-CPSI score at the follow-up was lower compared with those before treatment (P<0.01). After treatment and at the follow-up, pelvic pain VAS, NIH-CPSI, IPSS scores in the acupuncture group were lower than those in the sham acupuncture group (P<0.01, P<0.05). No significant adverse reactions were observed in both groups, and the incidence rates of adverse reactions had no significant difference (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture could effectively improve the quality of life, reduce pain levels, alleviate prostate symptoms, and shows favorable long-term efficacy in patients with CP/CPPS.

Treatment ideas of acupuncture and moxibustion for adenomyosis based on "etiology, location, nature and development of disease". / 基于"ç— å› ã€ç— ä½ã€ç— æ€§ã€ç— åŠ¿"æµ æžå­å®«è ºè‚Œç—‡çš„é’ˆç¸æ²»ç–—æ€è·¯.

Focusing on the syndrome/pattern differentiation to determine treatment, the approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of acupuncture and moxibustion for adenomyosis are explored by identifying the etiology, location, nature and development of disease. The syndromes/patterns of adenomyosis are differentiated in view of both zangfu and meridian theories. The treatment is delivered complying with the menstrual cycle and the basic rule of treatment, "treating the symptoms in the acute stage, while the root causes in the recovery stage". During menstrual period, stopping pain and eliminating stasis are dominant; while during the other days of menstrual cycle, regulating zangfu dysfunction (excess or deficiency) is emphasized. In general, the functions of the thoroughfare vessel and the conception vessel should be specially considered and adjusted, and the principles of treatment include strengthening the spleen, regulating the kidney and soothing the liver. Acupoints are selected mainly from the spleen meridian of foot-taiyin, the kidney meridian of foot-shaoyin and the conception vessel. Ciliao (BL 32), Shiqizhui (EX-B 8), Zigong (EX-CA 1), Diji (SP 8) and four-gate points (bilateral Hegu [LI 4] and Taichong [LR 3]) are used in menstrual period; Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3) in postmenstrual phase; Guanyuan (CV 4), Luanchao (Ovary, Extra) and Qihai (CV 6) in intermenstrual phase; while, Guanyuan (CV 4), Qihai (CV 6) and Shenque (CV 8), combined with Gongsun (SP 4), Neiguan (PC 6) and Jianshi (PC 5) in premenstrual phase. According to the dynamic development of patient's conditions, the reinforcing or reducing techniques of acupuncture and moxibustion are feasibly applied in treatment of adenomyosis.

Visual analysis on the study status and trends of acupuncture and moxibustion for Alzheimer's disease. / é’ˆç¸æ²»ç–—é˜¿å°”èŒ¨æµ·é»˜ç— ç ”ç©¶çŠ¶å†µåŠè¶‹åŠ¿çš„å¯è§†åŒ–åˆ†æž.

The research history, hot spots and frontier trends of acupuncture and moxibustion for Alzheimer's disease (AD) were explored using knowledge graph technology. The articles on acupuncture and moxibustion for AD were searched from 6 databases, i.e. CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, SinoMed, Pubmed and Web of Science, from January 1st, 1993 to January 1st, 2023. Using CiteSpace6.2.R2 Advance and VOSviewer V1.6.19 softwares, the knowledge map was graphed and the visual analysis was performed. A total of 1 228 Chinese and 309 English articles were included. The high-frequency keywords were generally divided into the keywords of clinical diseases (AD, dementia), those of therapeutic methods (electroacupuncture, acupuncture-moxibustion and acupuncture) and those of mechanism study (ß-amyloid, mice). Thirteen keyword clusters were formed among the articles of Chinese version, e.g. acupuncture-moxibustion, dementia, acupuncture and electroacupuncture; and 8 clusters were obtained among English articles, e.g. electroacupuncture, drug therapy and hippocampus. The high-frequency keywords of acupoints included Baihui (GV 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Yintang (GV 24+), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40), etc. Six clusters of "acupuncture techniques → acupoints" were obtained for the treatment of AD with acupuncture and moxibustion. The therapeutic methods and modes of AD with acupuncture and moxibustion are constantly progressed, the development of clinical research tends to the evaluation of novel therapeutic mode and clinical effect, and the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion for the effect on AD are more deeply explored. Among the various therapeutic methods, acupuncture-moxibustion, acupuncture and electroacupuncture have been early predominant; while, many novel methods are gradually displayed later, such as music electroacupuncture and hydro-acupuncture. In recent 30 years, among Chinese and English articles for the studies of AD treated with acupuncture and moxibustion, the theme of them focuses on the two aspects, the observation of clinical effect and the mechanism research. It is found that the clinical therapeutic methods have been gradually improved and the mechanism exploration been deepened.

Exploration of the body from the perspective of acupuncturists: based on the classification of body terms in Huangdi Neijing. / 针灸师视野中的身体.

There is a rich record on body terms in Huangdi Neijing (Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic). The authors classify them into 4 dimensions, including "structure of human body", "constant concern of human body", "symptoms" of disease and "sites" of acupuncture, which corresponds to anatomy, physiology, pathology (including diagnosis) and treatment from the perspective of acupuncture. It is based on the knowledge described by these 4 categories of body terms, acupuncturists recognize the body in treatment. Through the correlation among these terms, the acupuncturists understand acupuncture as a therapeutic technique delivered to "the site of needling" under the guidance of ancient anatomy, physiology and pathology.

Contribution and influence of "Ningbo oriental acupuncture-moxibustion society". / 宁波东方针灸学社的贡献及影响.

"Ningbo oriental acupuncture-moxibustion society" was founded in 1930 by ZHANG Junyi. At that era, the enrollment conditions were flexible, the disciplines of warm moxibustion and acupuncture-moxibustion were set and taught by means of face-to-face class and correspondence one. The teaching content included the knowledge of western learning and traditional theory of acupuncture-moxibustion. The Society issued two periodicals, MedicalNewspaper of Warm Moxibustion and Oriental Acupuncture and Moxibustion, the staffs of the Society compiled teaching materials such as Warm Moxibustion and Advanced Acupuncture-Moxibustion, translated relevant books and improved the device and herbal medicine of warm moxibustion. The students trained in the Society worked all of the country and engaged in various professional fields. "Ningbo oriental acupuncture-moxibustion society" has cultivated a large number of excellent talents, adhering the teaching concept of integration of Chinese and western medicine, and has made the contribution to the preservation of precious literature, and promoting the innovation of acupuncture-moxibustion technology and the dissemination of warm moxibustion.

Development and current application status of acupuncture manipulation measuring instrument and operating instrument. / é’ˆåˆºæ‰‹æ³•æµ‹å®šä»ªå’Œæ“ä½œä»ªçš„ç ”åˆ¶åŠåº”ç”¨çŽ°çŠ¶.

Acupuncture manipulation, a crucial component of acupuncture procedures, significantly influences the therapeutic outcomes. Acupuncture manipulation measuring instrument and operating instrument have been developed based on modern technology to objectively characterize manipulation parameters, and achieve standardized and normalized output of acupuncture manipulation. This paper systematically reviews the development and current application status of in vivo acupuncture manipulation measuring instrument, ex vivo acupuncture manipulation measuring instrument, and acupuncture manipulation operating instrument worldwide, and explores key issues that acupuncture manipulation operating instruments need to address for clinical applications, and provides insights into the future prospect of acupuncture robots.

Corrigendum: The effect of acupuncture at the Taiyang acupoint on visual function and EEG microstates in myopia.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fnint.2023.1234471.].

Efficacy of Integrated Yoga and Naturopathy With Physiotherapy or Acupuncture for Low Back Pain: A Parallel, Two-Arm, Randomized Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Low back pain (LBP) is a musculoskeletal condition that affects many individuals. While physiotherapy and acupuncture are frequently used treatments, determining their specific contributions when used alongside integrated yoga and naturopathy (IYN) therapy for relieving chronic LBP symptoms and enhancing quality of life is important. METHODOLOGY: In the present prospective randomized comparative trial, a total of 60 participants were divided into the following two groups: physiotherapy with IYN and acupuncture with IYN. The treatment duration was 10 days, and assessments were conducted both before (baseline) and after the intervention. Various assessment tools, such as the visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), fingertip-to-floor test (FTF), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and Short Form 36 (SF-36), were utilized. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 21.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). RESULTS: The results revealed significant differences in VAS score, ODI, FTF score, STAI score, and SF-36 score between the physiotherapy and acupuncture groups (p<0.001). A t-test for the equality of means and a Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the two groups; these tests revealed a significant difference in disability levels, range of motion, and state of anxiety. The acupuncture group showed a significant difference in the ODI (15.9 {12.6, 19.3}; p <0.001) and state anxiety (23.0 {20.0, 26.0}; p<0.001) compared to the physiotherapy ODI (22.4 {18.5, 26.4}) and state anxiety (27.5 {25.0, 30.0}). The physiotherapy group showed a significant difference in range of motion (7.7 {5.7, 9.7}; p<0.001) compared to the acupuncture group (11.6 {9.8, 13.5}). CONCLUSION: The present study findings revealed that both physiotherapy and acupuncture, as interventions along with integrated yoga and naturopathy may be considered an effective treatment strategy for chronic LBP.

Contralateral acupuncture for migraine without aura: a randomized trial protocol with multimodal MRI.

Introduction: Migraine is a common clinical disorder, ranks as the second most disabling disease worldwide, and often manifests with unilateral onset. Contralateral acupuncture (CAT), as a classical acupuncture method, has been proven to be effective in the treatment of migraine without aura (MWoA). However, its neural mechanisms have not been investigated using multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods and analysis: In this multimodal neuroimaging randomized trial, a total of 96 female MWoA participants and 30 female healthy controls (HCs) will be recruited. The 96 female MWoA participants will be randomized into three groups: Group A (CAT group), Group B [ipsilateral acupuncture (IAT) group], and Group C (sham CAT group) in a 1:1:1 allocation ratio. Each group will receive 30 min of treatment every other day, three times a week, for 8 weeks, followed by an 8-week follow-up period. The primary outcome is the intensity of the migraine attack. Data will be collected at baseline (week 0), at the end of the 8-week treatment period (weeks 1-8), and during the 8-week follow-up (weeks 9-16). Adverse events will be recorded. Multimodal MRI scans will be conducted at baseline and after 8-week treatment. Discussion: This study hypothesized that CAT may treat MWoA by restoring pathological alterations in brain neural activity, particularly by restoring cross-integrated functional connectivity with periaqueductal gray (PAG) as the core pathological brain region. The findings will provide scientific evidence for CAT in the treatment of MWoA. Ethics and dissemination: The Medical Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine has given study approval (approval no. 2022-006). This trial has been registered with the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (registration no. ChiCTR2300069456). Peer-reviewed papers will be used to publicize the trial's findings. Clinical trial registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier ChiCTR2300069456.

Effect of "needle sensation" and the real-time changes in autonomic nervous system activity during acupuncture analgesia.

Introduction: Acupuncture analgesia (AA) is widely used in clinical practice. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) may be an important pathway for acupuncture signal transduction. However, real-time changes in autonomic function during AA and the effect of "needle sensation" remain unclear. Methods: We established a human pain model in healthy adults and randomly assigned 128 participants to the model, sham acupuncture, and acupuncture groups in a 1:1:2 ratio. Heart rate variability (HRV), including total power (TP), low-frequency power (LF), high-frequency power (HF), ratio of LF to HF (LF/HF), standard deviation of the normal-normal intervals (SDNN), and root mean square of successive interval differences (RMSSD), were used to assess autonomic function. The visual analog scale (VAS) and efficiency were used to assess the analgesic effect of acupuncture. The Massachusetts General Hospital acupuncture sensation scale (MASS) was used to indicate the intensity of the needle sensation. Anxiety levels were also measured. Finally, the correlation of MASS with HRV, VAS, and anxiety levels was analyzed. Results: VAS decreased after 10 min of needling and 5 min after needle withdrawal in the acupuncture group compared with those in the model group (p = 0.038, p = 0.020). The efficacy rates were 82.0, 50.0, and 61.3% in the acupuncture, model, and sham groups, respectively. These represent significant differences between the acupuncture group and the model and sham acupuncture groups (p < 0.001 in each case). No differences were observed between the model and sham acupuncture groups. HF, TP, SDNN, and RMSSD were all increased in the acupuncture group compared with those in the model group (p = 0.045, p = 0.041, p = 0.002, p = 0.006, respectively). No differences were observed in the sham acupuncture group compared to the model group (p = 0.632, p = 0.542, p = 0.093, p = 0.222, respectively). The LF and LF/HF did not differ among all three groups. A positive correlation was observed between MASS and RMSSD2, LF2, RMSSD4, TP4, VAS5, and anxiety levels. Conclusion: AA was associated with enhanced vagal activity. The intensity of needle sensation was positively correlated with vagal and sympathetic nerve activities. Acupuncture is an effective means of regulating autonomic function, and needle sensation may be an important modulator.

Safety and efficacy of acupuncture for mild cognitive impairment: a study protocol for clinical study.

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediary condition between typical cognitive decline that occurs owing to aging and dementia. It is necessary to implement an intervention to slow the progression from MCI to Alzheimer's disease. This manuscript reports the protocol for a clinical trial on the effect of acupuncture in patients with MCI. Methods: The trial will be a randomized, prospective, parallel-arm, active-controlled trial. Sixty-four patients with MCI will be randomized to the Rehacom or acupuncture group (n = 32 each). The participants in the acupuncture group will receive electroacupuncture at GV24 (Shenting) and GV20 (Baihui) and acupuncture at EX-HN1 (Sishencong) once (30 min) a day, twice per week for 12 weeks. The patients in the Rehacom group will receive computerized cognitive rehabilitation using RehaCom software once (30 min) daily, twice weekly for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure is the change in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale score. The secondary outcome measures are the Geriatric Depression Scale, Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Korean version-cognitive subscale-3 scores, and European Quality of Life Five Dimensions Five Level Scale. The safety outcomes will include the incidence of adverse events, blood pressure, blood chemistry parameters, and pulse rate. The efficacy outcome will be assessed at baseline and at six weeks, 13 weeks, and 24 weeks after baseline. Discussion: The findings of this protocol will provide information regarding the effects of acupuncture on MCI. Clinical trial registration: https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?search_lang=E&focus=reset_12&search_page=M&pageSize=10&page=undefined&seq=25579&status=5&seq_group=25579, KCT0008861.