L25 Accupuncture

Question 1

endogenous opioid peptide families implicated in acupuncture

Answer 1

Beta-endorphin
Enkephalin
		Met-enkephalin
		Leu-enkephalin
Dynorphin

Question 2

Major neurotransmitters implicated in acupuncture analgesia

Answer 2

Serotonin
Norepinephrine
Substance P
Gama-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
Dopamine
ACTH

Question 3

PENS

Answer 3

Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation

• Local needles in the back
• Distant Needles in the ankles, head, wrists
• Low Frequency/High Intensity PENS for 15 min
• High Frequency/Low Intensity PENS for 15 min

Question 4

Low Frequency/High intensity

Answer 4

2 to 15 Hz as strong as patient can tolerate (banging)
Spinal Cord – Enkephalin, Dynorphin B
Midbrain – enkephalin, Serotonin, Norepinephrine
Pituitary/Hypothal – B-endorphin, ACTH
*Effect blocked by Naloxone
*Analgesia slow onset/long duration
*Cumulative Effects

Question 5

High frequency/low intensity

Answer 5

30 to 200 Hz just to where patient can barely feel it (Buzzing)
Spinal Cord/Midbrain only– GABA
Effect NOT blocked by Naloxone
Analgesia fast onset/short duration
Non-cumulative effects

Question 6

ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Answer 6

ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES are ideal instruments due to their physical properties.
COMPOSITION: stainless steel shaft with a spiraled handle of copper, bronze, or alloy
THERMOCOUPLE EFFECT OF KELVIN-THOMAS describes a gradient along the length of a homogenous conductor with a temperature gradient produced by the ends of the conductor at different temperatures.

Question 7

THE BENEDICK’S EFFECT

Answer 7

The current along a uniform conductor is reinforced by the electro-magnetic effect between the second (spiraled) metal of the handle in contact with the first metal of the shaft.
Typical needle is 1 to 8 cm long, 0.3-0.4mm in diameter or 28 to 26 gauge
Electrical potential is 3 microvolts, the tip at body temperature and the handle at T˚