Cardiovascular Response to Manual Acupuncture Needle Stimulation among Apparently Healthy Nigerian Adults

This study investigated experience with acupuncture needle stimulation of apparently healthy adult Nigerians and the responses of the systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and rate pressure products (RPP) to acupuncture at both real acupuncture points relevant to the treatment of cardiovascular disorder and sham acupuncture points not relevant to the treatment of cardiovascular disorder. Seventy-eight participants were randomly placed into three groups: the real acupuncture group (RAG); the sham acupuncture group (SAG); and the control group, with 26 participants per group. Data were collected preintervention, 15 minutes into acupuncture stimulation, postintervention, and 15 minutes after intervention. Changes (postintervention - preintervention scores) in the SBP, HR, and RPP were statistically lower in the RAG than in the SAG. Changes in the DBP showed a significant difference between the SAG and the RAG (p > 0.05). Findings from this study showed that among apparently healthy Nigerian adults, acupuncture needle stimulation at acupoints relevant to cardiovascular disorders was more effective than sham intervention in reducing the SBP, HR, and RPP. Participants reported heaviness, numbness, and increasing pain, but no dizziness, fainting and/or life-threatening side effects, during and after the acupuncture needle stimulation.