The Progress of Advanced Engineering Materials in Acupuncture Needle

Abstract

In order to promote the development of acupuncture technique and improve the effect of acupuncture, acupuncturists have innovated and produced many new acupuncture needles using suitable engineering materials. This article aims to show the progress of advance engineering materials in acupuncture needles. We searched the international database PubMed, EI, and the Chinese database CNKI, Wangfang. The MESH and Key words were: acupuncture needle, needle implement, acupuncture implement, float needle, new nine needles, fire needle, laser acupuncture. And we classified the new needles into 5 related parts: name, inventor, function, materials and application. In this study, we had summarized common used 13 needles and 15 materials. The mainly used needles were Stone Needle, Metal needle, Stainless steel needle, New nine needles, Magnetic pole needle and Floating-Acupuncture. The mainly used materials were Si Bin floating stone, stainless steel, magnet, molybdenum, tungsten .Stainless steel needle is the most frequently used in clinic. In conclusion, there are not many advance engineering materials applied in acupuncture needles. A few materials help to promote the development of acupuncture but they are not frequently used enough. The development of acupuncture needs more suitable materials to improve the function of needle. An ideal needle may be painless but thicker enough to manipulate, and produce some material effect to produce enough stimulating quantity.