The cooling effects of electroacupuncture on the skin temperature of the hand

Electroacupuncture (EA) has been reported to induce changes in skin temperature; however, it is not clear whether high- and low-frequency EA produce similar effects. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of EA on the skin temperature of the hand and finger in normal subjects. Twenty-one subjects received high-frequency EA (100 Hz) and low-frequency EA (4 Hz) at the Large Intestine 4 and Small Intestine 3 acupuncture points, as well as a no-treatment control condition. The results showed that the skin temperature following high- and low-frequency EA produced significant cooling effects at both sites as compared with the no-treatment control condition during the stimulation period (p < 0.05). These data show that EA produces significant changes in skin temperature that may be of benefit in pathologic conditions that are accompanied by an increase in local circulation.