The clinical use of insertion at the so-called GOSHIKAN points or the points between the fingers, has increased. This technique's success in the treatment of local circulatory problems and hypertension has already been reported. At this time we'd like to report results of observation of circulatory conditions using a plethysmometer recorded after insertion between the fingers.
Using healthy persons as models and applying treatment for experimental sake only, we divided the subjects into two groups, a control and a test group. After the subjects had rested for a short while cold stimulation effected by placing the fingers in cold (10-12°C) water for 3 minutes, was administered to one of the hands of the subjects so as to cause a circulatory disturbance. The meter was attached at the base of the fingernail on the index finger of the other hand. Stationary insertion using Nara-type short needles to a depth of 1cm. at GOSHIKAN points for approximately 3 minutes was administered to the test group after the cold stimulation and changes after withdrawal of the needles were observed and compared with results in the control group to which no stimulation had been administered. Measurements were recorded continuously from the rest period until 12 minutes after cold stimulation, and variations in wave heights were observed. Results showed that after 1 minute of cold stimulation the wave height was lowest. The control group showed that after discontinuation of cold stimulation recovery was slow and that even after 10 minutes the readings had not reached the same as those observed under normal rest conditions. On the other hand in the test group recovery of normal conditions was observed within the 3 minutes of insertion and wave heights higher than those observed under normal conditions were observed after needle withdrawal. In other words, the circulatory disturbance induced through cold stimulation was quickly adjusted and cured through acupuncture insertion.
It can be stated that the points between the fingers are in an area in which capillary branches are present and that through the autonomous nervous system insertion serves to influence the peripheral circulatory activity as is evident in the pulse wave.
