Acupuncture needle sensations associated with De Qi: a classification based on experts' ratings

Area of Science:

• Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Acupuncture Research
• Sensory Science

Background:

• The sensation of de qi in acupuncture lacks standardized descriptors, hindering research.
• Existing terms like 'dull' or 'aching' are inconsistently applied.
• Quantitative measures are needed to control for de qi variability in acupuncture studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish distinct clusters of sensations associated with de qi.
• To differentiate de qi sensations from acute needling pain.
• To provide a validated tool for acupuncture research.

Main Methods:

• International acupuncture experts (n=20) rated 25 pre-defined needle sensations.
• Sensations were categorized as predominantly de qi or acute pain.
• Hierarchic clustering was used to group sensations, visualized in dendrograms.

Main Results:

• Seven sensations clustered with de qi: aching, dull, heavy, numb, radiating, spreading, tingling.
• Nine sensations clustered with acute pain: burning, hot, hurting, pinching, pricking, sharp, shocking, stinging, tender.
• Experts provided feedback on questionnaire limitations for future research.

Conclusions:

• Two distinct sensation clusters (de qi and acute pain) were identified by experts.
• These validated clusters aid in monitoring and controlling needle sensation variability in acupuncture research.
• The findings support more rigorous experimental design in acupuncture studies.