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Investigation of the Effect of Acupuncture Needling on Connective Tissue Using Ultrasound Elastography

NCT00005770 · Status: UNKNOWN · Type: OBSERVATIONAL

Last updated 2005-06-24

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

During acupuncture treatment, acupuncture needles are inserted and manipulated until a characteristic local tissue reaction termed "de qi" is observed. De qi can be perceived by the acupuncturist in the form of "needle grasp", a mechanical gripping of the needle by the tissue. De qi is considered essential to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture. Therefore, the investigator proposes that understanding this local tissue reaction will lead to an understanding of how the therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy arises. Specifically, it is hypothesized that needle manipulation causes winding of collagen and elastic fibers around the needle. This action induces tension in the collagen network surrounding the needling site and results in a mechanical signal that is transduced into local cells. The objective of the current work is to use ultrasound elastography, a recently developed ultrasound imaging technique, to visualize and quantify changes in the elastic properties of skin and subcutaneous tissue in 12 healthy human volunteers as a result of acupuncture needle manipulation.

Conditions

  • Healthy

Interventions

DEVICE

Acupuncture

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)

    lead NIH

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
55 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00005770 on ClinicalTrials.gov