In the Pain Clinic centering about anesthesiology, the nerve block method plays a central role, but in some cases oriental therapeutic methods have also been applied to obtain rather good results.
The authors have reported earlier on the results of applying RAP (electric acupuncture), an oriental therapeutic method, to medical workers complaining of pain, but adequate supporting evidence could not be provided regarding its action mechanism. As the site where RAP was made became warm and alleviated of pain, it was considered that the blood flow was improved. Therefore, a photo-conductive cell was placed in contact with the indicated peripheral site, and after connecting it to an amplifier-recorder RAP was performed while recording the volume pulse wave.
It was found that RAP was beneficial in increasing the peripheral blood flow volume and in alleviating pain. (Authors')
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