Background. Dysmenorrhea is a common problem for which acupuncture provides effective analgesia. Although acupoint selection affects the effectiveness of acupuncture, the basic rules of acupoint selection are little understood. This study aims to investigate the principles of acupoint selection and characteristics of acupoints used for primary dysmenorrhea. Methods. PubMed, China National Knowl...

Acupoint specificity is one of the central issues of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of acupuncture and has been under discussed. However, strong and consistent proof has not been provided for the existence of acupoint specificity, and unsuitable analysis approach applied could be the reason. We observed that previous researches of acupoint specificity were mostly based on ...

Objective. To explore the area and sensitization variance of acupoint when internal organs are under pathological condition. To observe quantity-effect variance of subnucleus reticularis dorsalis (SRD) to electroacupuncture under both physiological and pathological conditions. To explain medulla oblongata mechanism of acupoint sensitization. Method. Mustard oil was imported into colon and rectu...

Onabotulinumtoxin A (BoNTA) has been reported to be effective in the therapy for migraines. Acupuncture has been used worldwide for the treatment of migraine attacks. Injection of a small amount of drug at acupuncture points is an innovation as compared to traditional acupuncture. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of fixed (muscle)-site and acupoint-site in...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the preventive effect of Zusanli (ST36) acupoint injections with various agents, for postoperative ileus (POI). METHODS We searched electronic databases for randomized controlled trials from inception to 1st February 2015 evaluating ST36 acupoint injection for preventing POI. Revman 5.2.0 was used for data analysis with effect estimates presented as mean difference (MD) ...

BACKGROUND Acupuncture is widely used in China to treat functional dyspepsia (FD). However, its effectiveness in the treatment of FD, and whether FD-specific acupoints exist, are controversial. So this study aims to determine if acupuncture is an effective treatment for FD and if acupoint specificity exists according to traditional acupuncture meridians and acupoint theories. DESIGN This mult...

Acupoint specificity is a foundational concept in acupuncture theory. It is closely related to the function of the acupoint. In this study, we sought to probe the central mechanisms of the specific correlation between LI4 and orofacial part in Bell's palsy patients. In total, 36 patients with left Bell's palsy were divided into three groups in random order, and each group received transcutaneou...

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common human neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive deterioration of cognition and memory. Acupuncture at the Baihui (DU20) acupoint has long been used in China to clinically treat cognitive impairment. However, the precise mechanism underlying its neuroprotective effects remains to be elucidated. In the present study, electroacupuncture (EA) at th...

Purpose Antiviral drugs are standard treatment for chronic hepatitis B. In traditional Chinese medicine practice, administration of drugs through acupuncture point (acupoint) is considered better than intramuscular injection or intravenous infusion. In this review, we evaluated comparative effects and safety of antiviral drugs through acupoint injection versus other administration for treatment...

BACKGROUND Chronic stable angina pectoris (CSAP) is a common cardiovascular condition that endangers a patient's life quality and longevity. As demonstrated in several clinical trials, acupuncture is attested to be effective for CSAP. Current trials are not adequate enough to provide high-quality evidence for clinical decision making, as a result of inadequate methodology design and small sampl...