Could Acupuncture Needle Sensation be a Predictor of Analgesic Response?

Benham, Alex; Johnson, Mark I.

doi:10.1136/aim.2008.000174

Cited by 34 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 31 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In another study, greater analgesic effect (e.g., increased pressure pain threshold) was also reported in a treatment group with higher acupuncture needling sensation [6]. While several studies now suggest this link between needling sensation and clinical efficacy [7], other studies have not found associations between acupuncture sensations and analgesia [8], and controversy remains suggesting the need for more thorough research on this topic [9]. Acupuncture sensation may differ from evoked pain sensation, in terms of brain response, as suggested by neuroimaging studies [10–13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pain and sensory detection threshold response to acupuncture is modulated by coping strategy and acupuncture sensation

Lee

Napadow

Park

2014

BMC Complement Altern Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundAcupuncture has been shown to reduce pain, and acupuncture-induced sensation may be important for this analgesia. In addition, cognitive coping strategies can influence sensory perception. However, the role of coping strategy on acupuncture modulation of pain and sensory thresholds, and the association between acupuncture sensation and these modulatory effects, is currently unknown.MethodsElectroacupuncture (EA) was applied at acupoints ST36 and GB39 of 61 healthy adults. Different coping conditions were experimentally designed to form an active coping strategy group (AC group), who thought they could control EA stimulation intensity, and a passive coping strategy group (PC group), who did not think they had such control. Importantly, neither group was actually able to control EA stimulus intensity. Quantitative sensory testing was performed before and after EA, and consisted of vibration (VDT), mechanical (MDT), warm (WDT), and cold (CDT) detection thresholds, and pressure (PPT), mechanical (MPT), heat (HPT) and cold (CPT) pain thresholds. Autonomic measures (e.g. skin conductance response, SCR) were also acquired to quantify physiological response to EA under different coping conditions. Subjects also reported the intensity of any acupuncture-induced sensations.ResultsCoping strategy was induced with successful blinding in 58% of AC subjects. Compared to PC, AC showed greater SCR to EA. Under AC, EA reduced PPT and CPT. In the AC group, improved pain and sensory thresholds were correlated with acupuncture sensation (VDTchange vs. MI: r=0.58, CDTchange vs. tingling: r=0.53, CPTchange vs. tingling; r=0.55, CPTchange vs. dull; r=0.55). However, in the PC group, improved sensory thresholds were negatively correlated with acupuncture sensation (CDTchange vs. intensity sensitization: r=-0.52, WDTchange vs. fullness: r=-0.57).ConclusionsOur novel approach was able to successfully induce AC and PC strategies to EA stimulation. The interaction between psychological coping strategy and acupuncture sensation intensity can differentially modulate pain and sensory detection threshold response to EA. In a clinical context, our findings suggest that instructions given to the patient can significantly affect therapeutic outcomes and the relationship between acupuncture intensity and clinical response. Specifically, acupuncture analgesia can be enhanced by matching physical stimulation intensity with psychological coping strategy to acupuncture contexts.Trial registrationKCT0000905Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1472-6882-14-324) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pain and sensory detection threshold response to acupuncture is modulated by coping strategy and acupuncture sensation

Lee

Napadow

Park

2014

BMC Complement Altern Med

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…7 It is claimed that acupuncture needle sensation may be an important determinant of acupunctureinduced pain relief yet surprisingly little research has been conducted to date. [8][9][10] Kong et al 5 conducted a pilot study on 11 healthy participants and found that reductions in experimental noxious thermal pain from manual and electroacupuncture were related to needle sensations of numbness and soreness but not stabbing, throbbing, tingling, burning, heaviness, fullness or aching. They used the Subjective Acupuncture Sensation Scale (SASS) to measure the self-report of needle sensation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Experimental Study on the Self-Report of Acupuncture Needle Sensation during Deep Needling with Bi-Directional Rotation

2010

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Traditionally, acupuncturists manipulate needles to enhance sensations referred to as de qi or 'acupuncture needle sensation'. Acupuncture needle sensations are complex and quantifying the experience has been diffi cult. The aim of this crossover study was to measure self-reported needle sensation during deep and bi-directional rotated needling in 15 healthy volunteers. Methods Each participant received an experimental intervention consisting of superfi cial needling followed by deep needling and then deep needling with bi-directional rotation. The control intervention consisted of superfi cial needling, followed by mock deep needling and then mock bi-directional rotation of the needle. The intensity of overall needle sensation was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The subjective acupuncture sensation scale was used to capture component sensations. Results VAS scores were higher during 'deep' needle penetration when compared to superfi cial needling with mock deep insertion (p=0.0002). VAS scores were also higher during deep needling with bi-directional rotation compared to superfi cial needling with mock bi-directional rotation (p<0.0001). There were higher scores for total component sensation scores and for the sensation of throbbing during the deep needling with bi-directional rotation (p=0.001) when compared to superfi cial needling with mock bi-directional rotation. Tentative evidence that bi-directional needle rotation generated stabbing, tingling, heaviness, soreness and aching was also found. Conclusion Bi-directional rotation of a needle inserted into deep soft tissue produced higher acupuncture needle sensation intensities when compared to superfi cial needle insertion with mock deep penetration and bi-directional rotation. INTRODUCTIONManual manipulation of acupuncture needles is commonly used in clinical practice to increase the intensity of stimulation in order to improve therapeutic effects. Manipulation techniques include deep insertion of needles into deep soft tissue and/ or bi-directional rotation of needles. The relationship between manual needle technique and acupuncture needle sensation is poorly understood. 1There is some evidence that deep needling may be more effective than superfi cial needling for shoulder and low back pain 2 3 although a randomised controlled clinical trial involving 1162 low back pain patients found that deep acupuncture generated only 'marginally' superior pain relief than superficial acupuncture. 4 Manual manipulation of acupuncture needles can evoke 'de qi' in patients. 5 De qi is a term derived from traditional Chinese medicine to describe sensations experienced by the patient as a direct result of needling and to describe 'needle grasp' where the acupuncturist feels resistance to movement of a needle that has been inserted through the patient's skin. 6 More recently, the term 'acupuncture needle sensation' has been used to describe sensations experienced by the patient local to the inserted needle. 7 It is claimed that acupuncture n...

show abstract

“…As such, the therapeutic effects of acupuncture may be seriously compromised. [12][13][14] In this study, we compared the efficacy of acupuncture with either strong (intended to elicit de qi) or weak stimulation among patients with Bell palsy. as susceptible to the psychosocial effect as analgesia is.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effectiveness of strengthened stimulation during acupuncture for the treatment of Bell palsy: a randomized controlled trial

Huang

Zhang

et al. 2013

CMAJ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Could Acupuncture Needle Sensation be a Predictor of Analgesic Response?

Cited by 34 publications

References 31 publications

Pain and sensory detection threshold response to acupuncture is modulated by coping strategy and acupuncture sensation

Pain and sensory detection threshold response to acupuncture is modulated by coping strategy and acupuncture sensation

An Experimental Study on the Self-Report of Acupuncture Needle Sensation during Deep Needling with Bi-Directional Rotation

Effectiveness of strengthened stimulation during acupuncture for the treatment of Bell palsy: a randomized controlled trial

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About