Needle rotation and sensation play an important role in the effects of acupuncture, Korean investigators report. Fifty-three healthy volunteers received three different forms of acupuncture in a single-blinded crossover design: superficial needling (0.3 cm), deep needling (2 cm) and needling with bi-directional rotation. The effects of acupuncture were evaluated by measuring participants’ subjective experience of needle sensation, as well as their pressure pain thresholds. Of the three needling techniques, needling with rotation was found to produce the most needle sensation, and resulted in the biggest increase in subjects’ pressure pain threshold. Deep needling produced the next largest effect on sensation and pain, followed by superficial needling, which had the least effect on the two variables. Analysis of the results showed a significant correlation between the total acupuncture sensation experienced by participants and the increase in their pressure pain threshold. (Does the effect of acupuncture depend on needling sensation and manipulation? Complement Ther Med. 2013 Jun;21(3):207-14).
Categories: Acupuncture research
