Correlation Between Ion Contents in Acupuncture Points and Propagated Sensation Along Channels

Abstract

Background: Propagated sensation along channels occurs because of stimulations during acupuncture therapies and tends to transmit the stimulating signals along the meridians. From the Western medicine aspect, researchers consider the phenomena as neurotransmissions initiated by nerves, and various ions regulate the physiological functions of the nervous systems. Objective: This research investigates the critical characteristics of ions at acupoints and the mechanism of propagated sensation along channels, crossing meridians in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Methods: This research first conducts experiments by applying intense pulse light beams, which replace the traditional acupuncture treatments, on designated acupoints of studied human subjects, and employs a thermal infrared imager to monitor the temperature responses, which are induced by post sensation, in adjacent regions of the acupoints. Meanwhile, the research applies a synchrotron radiation technique on adult SD (Sprague Dawley) rats. The study analyzes the output responses with an X-ray Absorption Fine Spectroscopy (XAFS) to investigate the ion distributions in the relevant acupoints, which trigger the propagated sensation crossing meridians. Results: Experimental results demonstrate significant temperature increases simultaneously at the stimulated acupoints and specific other acupoints, whether in the same meridians. Moreover, XAFS experimental results indicate significantly high calcium, potassium, and sulfide ions at the stimulated acupoint regions. On the contrary, the measured chloride ions level at the regions is correspondingly lower. Conclusions: The thermal infrared imager monitoring shows significant temperature variations of crossing-meridian acupoints after implementing the intense pulse light beams on designated acupoints, and it implies the occurring of prolonged sensation along channels using acupuncture therapies. The X-ray absorption spectrum demonstrates significant differences in ion amounts and distributions between the acupoints and non-acupoints, and acupuncture therapies result in ion concentrations in the correlated regions inducing propagated sensation crossing meridians in TCM. Hence, the stimulated acupoints operate as ion reservoirs to provide high-concentration of specific ions to trigger the crossing-meridian post sensation.