Zen Nihon Shinkyu Gakkai zasshi (Journal of the Japan Society of Acupuncture and Moxibustion)

Dialysis therapy is the most common therapeutic modality in the treatment of end-stage renal failure. Over 200, 000 patients were maintained under dialysis therapy. An important goal in clinical nephrology is to control complications associated with long-term dialysis. Recently, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usehave increased dramatically in the world. This article demonstrates the efficacy of CAM including acupuncture for dialysis patients suffering from refractory complications.

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There have been many studies of electro-acupuncture analgesia (EAA), but whether EAA develops mainly on the stimulated meridians or irrespective of these meridians has not yet been clarified. We evaluated the association between endogenous analgesia (plasma β-endorphin), and meridians in electro-acupuncture of the large intestine meridian of the hand-yangming LI4 (Hegu, Gokoku) point. LI4 electro-acupuncture resulted in EAA on the meridians associated with LI4, other meridians, and acupuncture points in the forehead glabella (Yintang, Indou), abdomen CV 12 (Chungwan, Chukan), and crus ST36 (Zsusanli, Ashi no Sanri) point. Simultaneously, LI4 electro-acupuncture significantly increased plasma β-endorphin level. These results suggest that analgesia observed after LI4 electroacupuncture is not associated with meridians, and is caused by the increases in the plasma β-endorphin level.

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Bell's palsy, most frequently occurring in peripheral facial paralysis, is a well-recoverable disease showing spontaneous healing in 70% of patients. This chronic patient of Bell's palsy has persisted for more than two years. Many medical institutes have diagnosed that it was very difficult to remedy completely. The rating score was 24 (full score : 40 points), having sequelae of synkinesis, facial spasm, crocodile tears and other problems. By thermography, the temperature difference between the normal side and the paralyzed side was 0.9°C, and the paralyzed side's temperature was lower. To improve microcirculation on the paralyzed side, electro-acupuncture treatment has been applied to the facial nerve and facial expression muscles.
After evaluating mainly the score for facial paralysis and thermography, the score was increased with disappearance of the temperature difference between the normal side and the paralyzed side. Subjectively, it also became easier to move facial expression muscles, and the phenomenon of crocodile tears was decreased. Long-term electro-acupuncture treatment is considered to be effective for improving the microcirculation and enhancing the QOL of the patient.

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