Electric Stimulation for Pain Relief Using Acupuncture Needles

침을 이용한 전기자극 통증치료

For pain relief my collegue and I used thin acupuncture needles as electrodes in electric stimulation. The needles were inserted into a trigger point and into another point located in the same muscle instead of meridian points of electro-acupuncture. Low frequency electric stimulation was given through the needles to 130 patients for 15 min. The results were as follows In 25 acute sprain patients electric stimulation was given $3.14{\pm}1.12$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $83.00{\pm}6.77%$ (VAS). In 45 chronic sprain patients electric stimulation was given $5.51{\pm}1.38$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $70.22{\pm}8.98%$ (VAS). In 28 myofascial pain syndrome patients electric stimulation was given $6.22{\pm}1.25$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $66.48{\pm}8.75$(%). In 7 muscle contraction headache patients electric stimulation was given $4.14{\pm}1.57$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $75.00{\pm}9.57%$ (VAS). In 25 radiculopathy patients electric stimulation was given $4.73{\pm}1.131$ times and the pain was reduced on the average by $21.37{\pm}9.31%$ (VAS). We he conclude that electric stimulation therapy using acupuncture needles is very effective in acute sprain, chronic sprain, myofascial pain syndrome and muscle contraction headache. Any doctor with knows anatomy and trigger points can practice this method without studying oriental medicine or difficult acupuncture techniques.