A CLINICAL OBSERVATION ON THE EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE
AND MOXIBUSTION ON THE TREATMENT OF IMPOTENCE IN 48 CASES

Chi-Lin LAM
Shanghai TCM Hospital in Hong Kong. Hong Kong.

Aim: The author applied acupuncture and moxibustion in treating 48 patients with impotence according to differentiation of syndromes and studied its effect.
Methods: The patients with impotence were divided into 5 types: Ming-Men fire deficiency (24 cases), heart and spleen deficiency (12 cases), kidney injured by fear and fright (3 cases), liver Qi stagnation (5 cases), damp and heat downward (4 cases). Accordingly, the treatment methods were to warm kidney Yang, tonify heart and spleen, tonify kidney and calm the spirit, soothe liver Qi, clear heat and remove damp. For the type of Ming-Men fire deficiency, CV4, KI12, SP6 or GV4, BL23, KI6 were selected alternatively every day for 20 minutes. For the type of heart and spleen deficiency, CV6, ST36, SP6 or BL20, BL17 and GV20 were selected plus moxibustion with ginger. For the type of kidney injured by fear and fright, only KI7, SP6, CV4 or BL15, ST36 and BL52 were selected. For the type of liver Qi stagnation, LV3, PC6, CV3 or BL18, GB34 and BL30 were selected. For the type of damp and heat downward, CV3, SP9, LV8 or BL28, BL32, SP6 were selected.
Results: 62.5% of the 48 were cured, 31.25% improved, 6.25% were ineffective. The total effective rate was 93.75%. The follow-up visit to the cured patients was made once a year, totally 2 times. Of 21 cured cases, 8 relapsed with mostly Ming-Men fire deficiency type; in which, 5 was treated again, 3 cured, 2 improved.
Conclusion: This article demonstrated that the original cause of impotence is kidney deficiency, mostly kidney-yang deficiency. The impotence due to heart, spleen, liver and external pathogens is also related to kidney and induces kidney deficiency. So, the treatment principle should always focus on tonifying kidney, and differentiating other factors and treating them as well.

Experimental Research
Mechanisms of Acupuncture Analgesia

A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN ELECTRO-ACUPUNCTURE
AND LASER STIMULATION INDUCED ANALGESIA

Troy W. SING, Mabel M.P. YANG
Department of Physiology, University of Hong Kong. 5 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.

Aim: The suppression of pain by electro-acupuncture (EA) or laser stimulation (LS) was investigated by the jaw opening reflex test (JOR) on conscious rabbits. Pharmacological antagonists to endorphin and serotonin were employed to demonstrate pain inhibitory pathway.
Methods: EA was delivered at 2¡­10 volts, 4 Hz intermittent stimulation for 20 minutes. LS was delivered by a Gallium Aluminum Arsenide diode 830 nm, 40 mw, energy density 2.4 J/point. Stimulation was given to acupuncture point ST7 (Xiaguan) and ST6 (Jiache). The JOR test was recorded over 120 minutes for EA (n=4), LS (n=4) and control (n=4) groups.
Results: Results showed EA gradually increased pain threshold for 30 minutes. EA group was antagonized by naloxone (4 mg/kg) and the serotonergic antagonist, 5,6 dihydroxytryptamine. In contrast, LS demonstrated a prolonged analgesic response, which was not reversed by naloxone, demonstrating a non-endorphin analgesia.
Conclusion: Contrary to reports that EA and LS share the same analgesic pathway, these results suggest EA and LS activate different analgesic mechanisms.

Qi, Qigong, Daoyin & Massage

SIMPLE AUTOMASSAGE FOR GOOD HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Grace W.P. YU
Flat A-1 10/F 22 Paterson Street, Hong Kong

A. Principle: We massage or percuss the acupoints of the three Yin and three Yang channels of the hand and the foot, the acupoints of Ren and Du channels as well as the acupoints of the face, then we can rehabilitate and promote the functions of muscles and joints of the entire body.
B. Characteristics: (1) The exercise is simple and easy to learn. (2) The exercise can be done one by one according to person, place and circumstance. (3) The exercise perfectly combines good health, health protection, prevention and treatment of disease as well as cosmetology into a whole body.
C. Function: Harmonize energy and blood, balance Yin and Yang, people are not only to live long, to have a healthy physique and mind but also can keep beauty on figure on figure and face.
D. Effective Steps: (1) Exercise of eyes. (2) Exercise of face-rubbing. (3) Exercise of neck. (4) Exercise of ear. (5) Exercise of pressing head and facial skins. (6) Exercise of combing hair. (7) Exercise of extremities, knocking teeth, stirring tongue. (8) Massaging chest and abdomen. (9) Exercise of pounding back. (10) Exercise of lifting the two lower orifices.