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Local increase in trapezius muscle oxygenation during and after acupuncture
Masaki Ohkubo1, Takafumi Hamaoka, Masatugu Niwayama
1National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, 1 Shiromizu, Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan. ohkubo@kuretake.ac.jp
Dynamic Medicine : DM
|March 18, 2009
Summary
Acupuncture stimulation (AS) significantly increased muscle blood volume and oxygenation specifically in the stimulated trapezius region, not in distant areas. This indicates localized blood flow changes during and after AS.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Integrative Medicine
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Acupuncture is a traditional therapy with growing scientific interest.
- Understanding the physiological mechanisms of acupuncture, such as localized blood flow changes, is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare muscle blood volume and oxygenation in the stimulation region versus a distant region of the trapezius muscle during acupuncture stimulation (AS).
- To test the hypothesis that AS causes a localized increase in muscle blood volume and oxygenation.
Main Methods:
- Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measured muscle oxygenation (oxy-Hb) and blood volume (t-Hb) in two regions of the trapezius muscle.
- NIRS probes were placed on the right trapezius muscle, with stimulation and distant regions 50 mm apart.
- Nine subjects received AS, while 10 served as a control group, with measurements during rest, stimulation, and recovery.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in oxy-Hb (60.7 μM) and t-Hb (48.1 μM) were observed in the stimulation region compared to the distant region.
- In the stimulation region, oxy-Hb and t-Hb levels significantly increased after AS onset (at 58.5 s and 13.5 s, respectively).
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture stimulation leads to localized increases in trapezius muscle oxygenation and blood volume.
- These findings suggest elevated blood flow in small vessels specifically within the acupuncture stimulation region, not in adjacent distant areas.
