Role of Parameter Setting in Electroacupuncture: Current Scenario and Future Prospects

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Traditional acupuncture, rooted in Chinese medicine (CM), faces limitations due to subjectivity and reproducibility issues.
• Electroacupuncture (EA) presents a more objective and stable alternative, gaining significant research interest.
• Effective parameter setting is critical for optimizing EA efficacy and clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current landscape and challenges in electroacupuncture (EA) parameter setting.
• To explore the trend of objectification in CM and EA through technological advancements.
• To propose a novel self-feedback-adjust EA system for enhanced precision and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of current electroacupuncture (EA) parameter setting practices and limitations.
• Analysis of technological advancements, including wearable sensors, big data, and artificial intelligence, for objectifying CM syndromes.
• Conceptualization of a self-feedback-adjust EA system integrating these technologies.

Main Results:

• Current EA parameter setting is often subjective and lacks standardization, hindering reproducibility.
• Objectification of CM syndromes is achievable through advanced computational technologies.
• A self-feedback-adjust EA system has the potential to significantly improve parameter setting accuracy.

Conclusions:

• Objectification represents the future direction for both CM and EA.
• The proposed self-feedback-adjust EA system offers a promising approach to overcome current limitations.
• This innovation could lead to improved therapeutic benefits for patients and enhanced clinical practice.