Editorial: Pain Threshold Measurement before and after Acupuncture: Controversial Results of Radiant Heat Method and Electrical Method,and the Roles of Acth-Like Substances and Endorphins

Abstract

German

French

Previous studies on the measurement of pain tnreshold by the thermal method often failed to detect any significant increase in pain threshold by acupuncture, even in the presence of relief from clinical pain by the patient, while pain threshold measurement made by the electrical method often detected significant increase in pain threshold following acupuncture. The author postulated possible mechanisms to explain these conflicting findings on the effects of acupuncture. Positive and negative aspects of endorphin involvement in reference to these contradictory findings were discussed.

Keywords

Acupuncture pain pain threshold measurement electrical stimulation radiant heat method hot plate test tail-flick test morphine morphine (opiate) agonists morphine (opiate) antagonists naloxone mixed opiate (morphine) agonist–antagonists pentazocine (Talwin)enkephalin beta-lipotropin of human pituitary gland ACTH opiate receptors brain spinal cord

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