The effect of spa-drink (Misasa hot spring) on exocrine pancreatic function was studied in controls and drink therapy group. To examine exocrine pancreatic function, two different methods were used for determination of pancreatic chymotrypsin activity. One was a colorimetric method for the determination of fecal chymotrypsin activity and the other was PFD fest. Following conclusions were obtained.
1) With spa-drink therapy, fecal chymotrypsin activity was raised in 2 weeks in 40% of patients, while it remained unchanged in the next 2 weeks.
2) With spa-drink therapy, PFD value was raised in 2 weeks in 50% of patients, while it returned to the pre-treatment value in the next 2 weeks.
3) Spa-drink therapy for 2 weeks was effective for improving exocrine pancreatic function.

View full abstract

Attention has been focussed more in recent years on health control for the middle/advance-aged, in the midst of so-called aged society or complicated society. As one of the measures, sports with the purpose of health promotion/stress removal have been more vigorously made, contrary to which, sporting disturbances, accompanied by abrupt sports, are on the increase. Many cases, however, with muscular pain and light joint sprain etc. are treated personally with poultices/adhesives of a chilling type, while various warming adhesives with its warming therapy happen to demonstrate an effect or another against chronic stiff shoulder and lumbago, due to long-lasting stress. Nowadays, adhesives of both such chilling and warming types are available on market; muscular pains and stiffness being practically treated casually with warming therapy (warming sensation).
The warming effect of PCP-S was investigated by using thermography, the result of which runs as follows.
1. Application of PCP-S adhesives caused a clear dermal temperature increase, with a significant difference from the un-treated control and the side opposite to the applied.
2. The comparison between PCP-S and O-S, removed of its active extract, proved a skin temperature increase due to capsicum extract and not due to a change in dressing the dermal surface of the skin.
3. Result of the comparison in temperature increase between the application for 60 minutes and 120 minutes recognized the peak to occur at 60-70 minutes.
4. A more significant dermal warming effect was seen on main body than on upper limbs.
5. Sensation of warming, prickling and light pain sensation occurd in that order, with no suspension of its application due to pain.

View full abstract

We investigated the actual condition of patients treated by acupuncture and moxibution in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Subjects were 1823 patients (846 men, 977 women) under the treatment of 14 acupunctue clinics in September to November, 1985.
We prepared the evaluated list that consisted of 11 levels of activities of daily life and 8 degrees of pain.
In every treatment, we wrote down the patients' clinical progress in relation with the list.
The information on the patients undergoing treatment in acupuncture was compared with the date of the National Health Survey, 1984 on patients with bone and muscle diseases.
The following results were obtained.
1. Most of the acupuncture patients were in the mid 30s to the mid 60s, and their age was lower than the patients under National Health Survey.
2. There were more acupuncture patients who received only one treatment compared with the National Health Survey treatment.
3. The chief complaints of acupuncture patients were low back pains (509 patients), shoulder discomfort (273), knee joint pain (132), etc.
4. Most of the acupuncture patients could go with their daily lives in spite of the pains.
5. The effects of acupuncture treatment were rated as follows: better 69.5%, no change 23.9%, worse 5.9%

View full abstract

Using BASUKURIN, an inorganic salts, its power of relieving bathers of their subjective symptom was analysized by main component analysis.
Subjects were 30 patients per each of 6 groups of disease, i. e. neuralgia, rheumatism lumbago, stiff shoulder, contusion and distorsion, with only cases of more than 2 week-suffering for the latter of 2 diseases Bathing test was performed in 400L of elevator bath added with 34g of BASUKURIN compsed mainly of sodium bicarbonate and sodium sulphate and with 23g of placebo composed mainly of granuated sugar, respectively. Both bath drugs, supplied by Tsumuar Juntendo Inc., were jasmin-odored. In some caces, 50 L-partial bath was also used. According to the double blind method, those subjects were bathed successively in BASUKURIN-bath and pracebo-one for 3 consecutive days, and asked for their answers to the enquete about the difference which they possibly felt there between. The choice of which bath was arbitrary. Bathing was taken at 40°C for 10min. The enquete comprised 17 items to which subjectively expressed answers were corresponded, which answers being evaluated 7 stepwise.
(1) For the neuralgia group, effects were observed as “physiologically improved” and/or “getting warmed”. Improvement were made mainly in pain perception disorder and joint dysfunction.
(2) For the rheumatism group, effects were observed generally as “getting warmed”, and as “feeling familiar” and/or “feeling refreshed” for the case of skin hypersensitiveness.
(3) For the lumbago group, effects were observed also as “getting warmed” frequently, and as “feeling similar like hot spring” and/or “feeling familiar” for the relief of muscle hypertonus.
(4) For the stiff shoulder group, effects were observed not only as “getting warmed” generally, but also on the dysfunction of cervico-shoulder-arm and as “feeling familiar” for the relief of muscle hypertonus,
(5) For the contusion group, effects were observed as “feeling refreshed”, “feeling kept warmed”, “feeling familiar”, “feeling affined”, etc. accompanying with the local pain, malaise, cold sensation and so on.
(6) For the distorsion group, effects were observed characteristically as “feeling familiar” and “improved circulation” accompanying with circulatory insufficiency of the lower extremities.
As mentioned above, from the viewpoint by diseases, main symptoms will be improved directly, and improvements will be expressed as in the disease itself. On the other hand, from the overall viewpoint, score of improvements will be leveled, so that “getting warmed” and “feeling warmth” will be emphasized as common factors. Improvements, however, may be ascribable to the effects of both sodium bicarbonate and sodium sulphate as main ingredients of BASUKURIN.

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract