A Way to Avoid Muscular Fibrosis in the First Dorsal Interosseous Muscle after Acupuncture Injection Therapy

Area of Science:

• Musculoskeletal Medicine
• Integrative Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Acupuncture injection therapy involves antiseptic practices, mechanical needle insertion, and herbal extracts.
• The first dorsal interosseous muscle is a small, vascular site, not ideal for intramuscular injections.

Observation:

• A patient developed a fibrotic nodule in the left first dorsal interosseous muscle after acupuncture injection therapy with red sage.
• Diagnostic ultrasound confirmed fibrotic formation, and dynamometry revealed significantly reduced left pinch grip strength.

Findings:

• The patient experienced a reduction in left pinch grip strength, affecting his handgun marksmanship.
• No underlying disease or trauma was identified as the cause of the patient's condition.

Implications:

• This case highlights potential iatrogenic risks associated with acupuncture injection therapy, particularly in small muscles.
• Clinicians should consider alternative injection sites or techniques to mitigate risks, such as injecting at LI14 (Bi Noe) instead of LI4 (He Gu).