Functional Brain Imaging Lab, Department of Radiology, Guang An Men Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
J Altern Complement Med. 2011 Nov;17(11):1007-13. doi: 10.1089/acm.2010.0652. Epub 2011 Oct 14.
This study sought to explore the characteristics of de qi using electroacupuncture at acupoints with different properties in the meridian category, histological type, and nerve innervations.
Electroacupuncture was performed on 21 healthy volunteers at paired acupoints of ST36-GB34, CV4-CV12, ST36-ST28, PC6-PC7, and ST36-CV4. Upon acupuncture de qi, the intensities and the prevalence of individual sensations, sensation transmission, and the amplitude of electrical current were recorded. Chi-square, Fischer's exact test, Wilcoxon test, and two-sample paired t test were used to compare the components of de qi within each paired group.
Overall intensities and prevalence of individual sensations are fullness, numbness, soreness, tingling, heaviness, pressure, dull pain, warmness, and coolness in decreasing order. No significant difference was found in the prevalence of needling sensations between the two paired points (p>0.05). However, significant intensity differences (p<0.05) were showed in soreness, fullness, and heaviness between ST36-ST28, in fullness and numbness between ST36-CV4, and in fullness between CV4-CV12. Tingling sensation was stronger than heaviness and pressure at acupoints PC6-PC7 and ST36 (as paired with CV4). Sharp pain occurred in 10/216 tests (4.63%). Sensation transmission occurred highly (77.78%) on participants, and sensations mostly propagate over one joint but no further than two joints. Overall electrical current was 2.35±0.07 mA (mean±standard error). No significant difference was found between paired acupoints for the distance of sensation transmission and the amplitude of electrical current.
Fullness, numbness, and soreness were the most common and obvious sensations associated with electroacupuncture. The difference of sensation intensities may be associated with different nerve innervations.
本研究旨在探讨经穴电针在经络类别、组织学类型和神经支配方面的不同特性对得气特征的影响。
对 21 名健康志愿者双侧 ST36-GB34、CV4-CV12、ST36-ST28、PC6-PC7 和 ST36-CV4 穴位进行电针刺激。当出现针刺得气时，记录各种感觉的强度和出现率、感觉传递和电流幅度。采用卡方检验、Fisher 确切检验、Wilcoxon 检验和两样本配对 t 检验比较各配对组内得气的组成成分。
总的感觉强度和出现率依次为：饱满感、麻木感、酸痛感、刺痛感、沉重感、压迫感、隐痛、温热感和凉爽感。两组配对穴位之间的针感出现率无显著差异（p>0.05）。然而，ST36-ST28 之间的酸痛感、饱满感和沉重感，ST36-CV4 之间的饱满感和麻木感，以及 CV4-CV12 之间的饱满感强度存在显著差异（p<0.05）。PC6-PC7 和 ST36 穴位的刺痛感强于沉重感和压迫感（与 CV4 配对）。10/216 次测试（4.63%）出现锐痛。感觉传递在参与者中高度发生（77.78%），感觉主要在一个关节上传导，但不超过两个关节。总的电流强度为 2.35±0.07 mA（平均值±标准误差）。感觉传递距离和电流幅度在配对穴位之间无显著差异。
饱满感、麻木感和酸痛感是与电针相关的最常见和最明显的感觉。感觉强度的差异可能与不同的神经支配有关。
