The use of surface electromyography for the study of auricular acupuncture

The advancement of knowledge in neurophysiology has demonstrated that acupuncture is a method of peripheral neural stimulation that promotes local and systemic reflexive responses. The purpose of this study was to determine if surface electromyography can be used as a tool to study the action of auricular acupuncture on striated skeletal muscle. The electromyographic amplitudes of the anterior, middle and posterior deltoid muscle and the upper trapezium muscle with 20%, 40% and 60% of maximal voluntary contraction of 15 healthy volunteers, were analyzed after the individuals were submitted to the auricular acupuncture treatment. The non-parametric Friedman test was used to compare Root Mean Square values estimated by using a 200 ms moving window. Significant results were further analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. In this exploratory study, the level of significance of each comparison was set to p < 0.05. It was concluded in this study that a surface electromyography can be used as a tool to investigate possible alterations of electrical activity in muscles after auricular acupuncture. However there is still a lack of adequate methodology for its use in this type of study, being that the method used to record the electromyographic signal can also influence the results. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acupuntura: Um auxílio efetivo em procedimentos de fertilização in vitro?

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the impact of acupuncture on in vitro fertilization outcomes of patients undergoing acupuncture during embryo transfer. A retrospective study was realized with records of 30 patients undergoing acupuncture and 108 patients not undergoing acupuncture during embryo transfer. The data was compared to verify the differences onto fertilization, embryo cleavage, pregnancy and abortion rate. To the statistical evaluation the X2 Test was performed, set as significant p<0.05. There was no statistical significance difference in any feature analyzed among the groups, although the acupuncture group presented higher pregnancy rate and lower abortion rate. Acupuncture did not presented positive or negative statistical relevant effects into the outcomes of in vitro fertilization procedures. Regardless this result, the present study did not exclude the possibility of acupuncture administration as a tool to pain relief during other procedures, as the transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval. © Todos os direitos reservados a.

Efeito da acupuntura e eletroacupuntura na contração gástrica em cães (Canis familiaris)

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Reconhecimento da perda de eficácia de protetor intra-auricular

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação ultra-sonográfica da acupuntura na involução uterina em cadelas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Restauração da parede torácica em cães com cartilagem auricular suína tratada pela glicerina

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Acetabuloplastia extracapsular em cães com cartilagem auricular de bovino conservada com glicerina

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV

Estudo comparativo entre a lindocaína e a acupuntura no tratamento da taquicardia ventricular induzida com infusão contínua de dopamina em equinos sob anestesia geral com halotano

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Efeito da acupuntura no tratamento de animais com sequelas neurológicas decorrentes de cinomose

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FMVZ

Avaliação ultrassonográfica dos efeitos da acupuntura na involução uterina em cadelas

The aim of this study was to evaluate, by means of ultrasound exam, acupuncture effects on uterine involution during the postpartum period in bitches with electroacupuncture. The phenomenon of eutocic uterine involution was studied in 16 bitches, randomly divided into two groups of eight animals each. Group 1 (G1) was treated with electric stimulation (electroacupuncture) of the needle at the points SP6, L3, Bai Hui, TB1, B23, B26, and group 2 (G2), the control group, received treatment in Sham points (placebo points), also with electrical stimuli. The monitoring of the phenomenon of uterine involution was performed by ultrasonography on days 0 (partum), 1, 3, 7 and 14 postpartum. We used SAS statistical analysis method, in order to compare the groups. The results of ultrasound examinations (mean and standard deviations in cm) for the period of observation were as follows: G1: 0.30 ± 0.01 (P), 2.08 ± 0.21 (LU), 4.13 ± 0.23 (DU) and G2: 0.31 ± 0.01 (P) 1.82 ± 0.09 (LU), 3.92 ± 0.11 (DU). We concluded that electroacupuncture affected uterine tone (lasting and uniform at the end of treatment). Electroacupuncture produces a positive tone in the uterus, aiding at the prevention of puerperal diseases.

Acupuntura no tratamento de discopatias intervertebrais em cães

The intervertebral disc disease is considered a major neurological disorder involving the spinal cord, being a disease commonly seen in dogs in clinical practice of small animals. The pathophysiology of most discopathies have not been fully elucidated, but it is known that the symptoms observed will depend on the severity of spinal cord compression and location of spinal injury, ranging from localized pain to complete paralysis. Through a detailed clinical examination and laboratory tests, we choose the most appropriate treatment for each patient, which can be conservative, through the use of anti-inflammatories, analgesics and acupuncture or surgical, through decompression techniques. Acupuncture, therapeutic method of ancient Chinese medicine, uses the stimulation of specific points on the body in order to balance the body's physiological. The action mechanism of acupuncture in discopathies has not been fully elucidated, but its analgesic effects, anti-inflammatory and restoration of sensory and motor function are known, showing results as good as surgical therapy

Avaliação da eficácia da analgesia com acupuntura pela análise imuno-histoquimica da expressão de proteína C-Fos: estudo em modelo experimental de dor aguda em ratos

The behavior and experience of pain are characterized by alertness and anxiety, which disappear soon after the healing process begins. Based on this area, the present study aimed to quantify the expression of c-fos in segments of the brain of rats after surgical stimulation in one rear hind paw (analgesia), using anesthesia with sodium thiopental and practices of acupuncture pre and post operative. The animals were stimulated with intraperitoneal injections of solution (NaCl) 0.2% (2ml), and divided into three groups, control, preoperative and postoperative. Each treatment was divided in manual acupuncture (AM) and electroacupuncture (EA). The animals were randomly distributed in each group. The c-fos expression was quantitated using immunohistochemistry for all situations. The results showed a great efficiency of all treatment compared to the control group (p <0.001), thus reenforcing data in the literature on the potential of acupuncture analgesia. There were no statistical differences among the different treatments, although there was a trend of EA being more efficient than AM

Utilização da acupuntura no tratamento de cães com discopatia intervertebral

The intervertebral disc diseases have a high casuistic in clinical routines veterinary among dogs. These conditions can cause pain, paresis or paralysis of limbs depending on the degree of injury. Clinical signs are not limited to the intervertebral disc, other anatomical parts are included. In conventional medicine, treatment may be surgical or clinical, by the use of corticosteroids with muscle relaxants. Acupuncture was an alternative to treating these diseases due to its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Although there are few studies for the treatment of discopathies, acupuncture triggers the release of substances such as dynorphins, beta-endorphins and serotonin, among others; that act inhibiting somatic and visceral pain. Electroacupuncture is used to potentiate the effects of acupuncture. It can be performed with different frequencies according to the clinical evolution. However there are different opinions related to the greater efficacy in relation to acupuncture. The restraint and monitoring of the treated animal are important factors for its recovery. The association between acupuncture and conventional treatment (surgical or clinical) achieved better results than acupuncture alone. This proves that acupuncture can be considered an option in order to minimize the complications of surgery or assist in patient recovery

Aplicação da acupuntura em animais silvestres

This study will focus on one part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture - utilized as therapy method for pathologies treatment in humans and animals - , as well as its main techniques. Acupuncture is one branch of TCM, originated from theoretical and empirical knowledge accumulated by popular medicine. Currently, researches performed in humans and animals have shown the effectiveness of this method as an assistance or alternative in illnesses treatment. Besides that, professionals are not merely looking for orthodox medicine knowledge, but also specializations and improvement over the complementary therapies area. There are diverse studies and researches which were and are being done in veterinary, relating the effectiveness of acupuncture in small and large animals. In comparison, in the wild animals’ area the numbers of studies is smaller. However, it is expected that this number increases over the fact that some of these animals’ species are entering the pet market and also because of the possibility of using these methods for treatment and prevention of diseases on zoo animals or other animals kept in captivity

Bases Científicas da Acupuntura

Acupuncture is a technique belonging to traditional Chinese medicine that has existed for over 3000 years. It consists of stimuli by pressure, needling, heat and electrical stimulation of the skin at specific points to restore the health of patients. This technique has been increasingly incorporated into the West and therefore the research explaining its various mechanisms become very important to translate these ancient skills. This article is a literature review summarizing the basic concepts, historical and local, anti-inflammatory and neurological effects acupuncture in the body