Abstract
BackgroundDue to controversially discussed results in scientific literature concerning changes of electrical skin impedance before and during acupuncture a new measurement system has been developed.MethodsThe prototype measures and analyzes the electrical skin impedance computer-based and simultaneously in 48 channels within a 2.5×3.5 cm matrix. Preliminary measurements in one person were performed using metal needle and violet laser (405 nm) acupuncture at the acupoint Kongzui (LU6). The new system is an improvement on devices previously developed by other researchers for this purpose.ResultsSkin impedance in the immediate surroundings of the acupoint was lowered reproducibly following needle stimulation and also violet laser stimulation.ConclusionsA new instrumentation for skin impedance measurements is presented. The following hypotheses suggested by our results will have to be tested in further studies: Needle acupuncture causes significant, specific local changes of electrical skin impedance parameters. Optical stimulation (violet laser) at an acupoint causes direct electrical biosignal changes.
Highlights
Due to controversially discussed results in scientific literature concerning changes of electrical skin impedance before and during acupuncture a new measurement system has been developed
The following hypotheses suggested by our results will have to be tested in further studies: Needle acupuncture causes significant, specific local changes of electrical skin impedance parameters
In case of violet laser stimulation these phenomena could be observed in an evidence-based manner (Figure 4)
Summary
Due to controversially discussed results in scientific literature concerning changes of electrical skin impedance before and during acupuncture a new measurement system has been developed. For the first time we are able to investigate possible acupuncture-specific changes in the activity of the autonomic nervous system using a newly developed prototype which measures and analyzes the electric skin impedance computer-based and simultaneously in 48 spots within a 2.5×3.5 cm matrix. A review of scientific literature on the topic yields 320 publications dealing with electrical skin impedance measurements. Considering only those using methods of evidence-based medicine, this number is reduced to 18 relevant studies [2]. Five of the acupuncture studies found a lowered skin impedance in the area of an acupuncture point, four studies yielded contrary results
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