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Abstract

Acupuncture is being gradually integrated by many physicians into their daily practice of medicine in the U.S. but claims are still being made by influential scientists, physicians and academicians that acupuncture has no scientific basis or is only a form of hypnosis without adequately studying the phenomenon before making their statements. A narrow approach to acupuncture research limits itself to study of the nervous system, although there are equally important effects and subsequent implications in the circulatory and endocrine systems. The author has found that acupuncture effects on the micro-circulatory system can normally be classified into 3 consecutively changing phases: vaso-constriction, quasi-control, & vaso-dilation of mainly capillaries and arterioles. Vaso-dilation effects are often accompanied by other significant blood chemistry and CBC changes, most of which resemble ACTH administration-like effects. Such changes as generalized vaso-dilation effects, particularly vaso-dilation effects of brain micro-circulatory networks, can give various degrees of improvement in such areas as insomnia, irritability, impaired learning, memory, and brain circulation. Pain threshold to electrical stimulation is often enhanced by acupuncture in the acupunctured area, without respiratory depressant effect characteristics of opiates. The “Gate Control Theory” of Melzack & Wall made a great contribution in the study of pain, and its many difficulties and contradictions are discussed. Also discussed is the subject of pain, phantom pain & itch, memory, and their relation to the “Gate Control theory.” The question is raised why some people develop phantom pain or itch and others do not. The author has proposed a concept of “coded stored memory molecules” for chronic pain and phantom sensation, using examples of “phantom pain,” “phantom itch,” and “phantom coldness.” The inter-relationship of the effects of morphine derivatives & their analogues & antagonists and acupuncture is discussed, along with release of an endogenous morphine-like substance and an ACTH-like substance with opiate-like characteristics.

Keywords

Acupuncture micro-circulatory system blood chemistry CBC vaso-constriction vaso-dilation brain micro-circulation insomnia irritability learning memory “gate control theory”phantom pain & itch “coded stored memory molecules”morphine derivatives and antagonists naloxone morphine-like substance methodone prostaglandins Système micro-circulatoire Chimie sanguine Vaso-constriction Vaso-dilatation micro-circulation du cerveau Insomnie Irritabilité Facultés intellectuelles Mémoire Théorie de “Gate Control”Fantôme de la douleur de la démangeaison & de la froidure “Molécules de mémoire amassées et codifiées”Dérivatifs et antagonistes de la morphine Naloxone Substances semblables à la morphine Méthadone Prostaglandins Akupunktur Mikrozirkulation Blutchemie Blutbild (CBC)Gefäßverengung Gefäßerweiterung Mikrozirkulation des Gehirns Schlaflosigkeit Aufregung Lernfähigkeit Gedächtnis “Torkontrolltheorie”Phantomschmerz -juckreiz und -kältegefühl Morphiumderivate und -antagonisten Morphiumähnliche Substanzen Methadone Prostaglandine

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Patho-Physiology of Acupuncture Effects,Acth and Morphine-Like Substances,Pain,Phantom Sensations (Phantom Pain,Itch and Coldness),Brain Micro-Circulation,and Memory

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