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Clinical Research & Application
Therapeutic Methods & Acupoints

A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE AT ZUSANLI(ST36) ON GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX IN HUMAN

Drazigost POKORN, Igor KRIZMAN
Institute of Hygiene, Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana. Ljubljana 1105, Slovenia.
Clinical Centre Ljubljana, Medical Department of Gastroenterology.

Aim: Acupuncture has been applied empirically in China for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders for many centuries. Continous gastric and oesophageal pH monitoring offers the opportunity to evaluate gastroesophageal reflux.
Methods: A clinical study of continuous gastric and oesophageal pH monitoring was performed in a healthy male volunteer of 53 years old by using 24-hour simultaneous gastric and oesophageal pH monitoring. The effect of acupuncture at ST36 on gastroesophageal reflux was performed 89 minutes after the beginning of the breakfast (8:11) and between breakfast and lunch (11:08). Some meals and drinks (beer, wine, spirit) wre taken during the 24-hour gastric and oesophageal monitoring period. The gastric and oesophageal acidity was evaluated on the strip chart recorder.
Results: Acupuncture (9:40¡­10:00) resulted in repeated gastroesophageal refluxes that lasted until the next lunch time.
Conclusion: We conclude that acupuncture at ST36 can cause gastroesophageal reflux which may not account for its therapeutic effect.

 

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