Acupuncture Society Research Articles

The Effects of Acupotomy Therapy on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Report of 4 Cases

The aim of this report was to show the effects of acupotomy in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Four patients were treated with acupotomy twice. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Tinel`s sign, Phalen`s test, Boston carpal tunnel syndrome questionnaire (BCTQ), muscular strength test, and a cross-sectional area of median nerve was measured using ultrasound before and after treatment. In all 4 cases, the VAS score, BCTQ score and cross-sectional area of median nerve, all decreased and muscular strength test score increased. Tinel`s sign and the Phalen`s test changed from a positive to a negative in most cases. This report shows that acupotomy is an effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome. Further larger are needed to fully evaluate the beneficial effects of this treatment. ⓒ2018 Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine Society. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Protocol for Systematic Review of Controlled Trials of Korean and Chinese Herbal Treatments for Stroke

Background: Many stroke patients receive traditional medical care in Korea and China. Stroke patients comprise the largest proportion of inpatients in traditional Korean medicine and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals. The purpose of this study is to identify the types and effects of Chinese medicine widely used in China and Korea, and to apply them to future studies of stroke. Methods: Nine Korean and Chinese databases will be surveyed for clinical studies of herbal medicines for stroke, published between the inception of the database and August 2017. Clinical studies of decoctions or modified decoctions will be included without restriction on study type. The frequencies and patterns of formulas or single herb usage and the any type of herbal medicine utilization will be analyzed. Dissemination: The results of the systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated electronically and in print. Updates of the review will be conducted to inform and guide healthcare practices. ⓒ2017 Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine Society. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Bmas Acupuncture Courses

THE BRITISH MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE SOCIETY runs foundation, foundation refresher and supplementary courses for regulated healthcare professionals. FOUNDATION COURSES last 4 days, either spread over 2 weekends or as a block of four consecutive days. While the historical aspects and traditional philosophy of acupuncture are discussed, the Foundation Course concentrates on a neurophysiological and evidence-based approach to the use of acupuncture as a technique following orthodox clinical diagnosis. Safe and effective needling are key features of this practical course, and the healthcare professionals attending should leave with the skills required to apply simple acupuncture techniques within their practice. ‘Earlybird’ discounted price for bookings made and paid for at least three months ahead of the start of the course. LONDON: NCVO, London N1 4/5 November & 2/3 December 2017 NORTHWICH Cheshire: BMAS House, Northwich CW8 1AQ 17/18 February & 17/18 March 2018 DUBLIN: Talbot Hotel, Stillorgan 10/11 March & 7/8 April 2018 LONDON: NCVO, London N1 Four weekdays: 26-29 March 2018 NORTHWICH Cheshire: BMAS House, Northwich CW8 …

후종인대 골화증의 국내 한의학적 연구 동향

Objectives The purpose of this review is to analyze domestic research trend of the ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament in Korean medicine. Methods We searched articles in Korean databases such as OASIS, RISS, NDSL and sorted the articles by journals, published year, institutions and research type. Results 9 suitable theses were reviewed. They were published between 2002 till 2011. Most of the theses were published in The Acupuncture, the journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine Society. There were 6 case reports, 2 case series and single disease review. Conclusions There were only 9 studies about the ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament in Korean medicine and most of them were case reports. To reinforce the evidence of effectiveness of Korean medicine, additional studies are required and well designed studies such as randomized controlled trials need to be carried out.

Acupuncture in Physiotherapy: A Contemporary Uk Perspective

The current debate in the USA over professional ‘ownership’ of acupuncture, as detailed in the linked paper by Zhou et al 1 and reflected by the recent position paper from the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/ForPhysicians/AbouttheAAMA/AAMAPositionStatement), is in stark contrast to the diverse, multidisciplinary approach that is flourishing in the UK. Dispelling the myths of physiotherapy (physical therapy) led acupuncture is a task that is long overdue. Perhaps the argument “why physiotherapists should not deliver acupuncture” should be reframed “why not physiotherapists (or other healthcare professionals who are not physicians)?”. Chartered physiotherapists are placed at the forefront of modern healthcare, with >55 000 currently practising in the UK.2 As professionally regulated and autonomous healthcare professionals, there is huge opportunity for physiotherapists to deliver acupuncture as part of mainstream healthcare for patient benefit. Western medical acupuncture (WMA) practice by physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals in the UK and internationally has substantially increased in the last decade. The Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) was established in 1984 and membership is currently >6500,3 double that of any other UK acupuncture organisation. Physiotherapists also contribute to the membership of the British Medical Acupuncture Society. Collectively, physiotherapists are the largest professional group of acupuncture providers in the UK and are arguably leading the way in bringing acupuncture into mainstream healthcare. Physiotherapists have typically completed 3–4-year professional degrees, including extensive training in anatomy, physiology, pathology, and diagnostics. This provides an excellent foundation for learning acupuncture at an advanced level. Physiotherapy uses a holistic approach to patient care, which complements theories underpinning acupuncture. Most UK physiotherapists choose to study/practise WMA. Some complete masters degrees in acupuncture and a small proportion choose to study dry needling (DN) only. As one example, AACP education/training of physiotherapists in WMA is provided at an advanced (masters degree) level. …

Clinical practice guidelines of Korean medicine for facial palsy: An evidence-based approach

IntroductionFacial palsy is a common disease, and Korean medicine (KM) is widely used to treat facial palsy in Korea. However, there are no Korean multidisciplinary guidelines for facial palsy; thus, guidelines that are adequate for domestic circumstances are required. MethodsTo establish clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), professional group formation, plans for research progress and the situation regarding CPG development were analysed. Subsequently, data from the Korean and Western medical literature regarding the CPGs for facial palsy were collected and analysed. A draft of the Korean medicine CPGs for facial palsy was then developed. After review and amendment of the guidelines by a review committee, the Korean acupuncture and moxibustion medicine society reviewed and approved the guidelines. ResultsIn total, 24 recommendations were developed for the KM treatment of facial palsy. Six of the recommendations were primarily related to manual acupuncture and treatment methods. The other recommendations were related to electroacupuncture, thread embedding and other acupuncture techniques. ConclusionThe result of this project suggests a methodology to develop CPGs that is suitable for our environment of KM but that it lacks supporting evidence; in turn, this methodology will lead to the production of evidence and recommendations for patient care in actual KM clinical settings.

Compare the different electro-acupuncture on inflammatory response signals in cerebral ischemiareperfusion rats

Purpose: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes progressive hippocampus dysfunctions leading to the impairment of learning and memory ability and low level of uptake rate of glucose in hippocampus. What’ more, there is no effective treatment for AD. In this study, we evaluated the beneficial and protective effects of electro-acupuncture in senescenceaccelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8). Methods: We used the Morris water maze (Mwm) and microPET tests to evaluate the effect of elelctro-acupuncture on animal model of AD. In the electro-acupuncture paradigm, electro-acupuncture treatment was performed once a day for 15 days on 7.5-month-old SAMP8 male mice. The prescription of acupuncture points included DU20 Baihui, DU 26 Shuigou and EX-HN3 Yintang (the significant extra point). The locations of these points referred to the National Acupuncture Society for Experimental Research developed the “laboratory animal acupuncture atlas”. In the normal control paradigm and AD control group, 7.5-month-old SAMR1 male mice and SAMP8 male mice were grabbed and bandaged while electroacupuncture group therapy, in order to ensure the same treatment conditions, once a day, 15 days. Results: From theMorris watermaze (MWM) test, we found the treatment of electro-acupuncture can improve the spatial learning and memory ability of SAMP8 mouse; and from the micro-PET test, we proved that after the electro-acupuncture treatment the level of uptake rate of glucose in hippocampus was higher than normal control group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the treatment of electro-acupuncturemayprovide a viable treatment option for AD. Contact: Jing Jiang, yingxi7847@126.com

Effect of acupuncture in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis: results from a randomised controlled trial

Purpose: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) causes progressive hippocampus dysfunctions leading to the impairment of learning and memory ability and low level of uptake rate of glucose in hippocampus. What’ more, there is no effective treatment for AD. In this study, we evaluated the beneficial and protective effects of electro-acupuncture in senescenceaccelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8). Methods: We used the Morris water maze (Mwm) and microPET tests to evaluate the effect of elelctro-acupuncture on animal model of AD. In the electro-acupuncture paradigm, electro-acupuncture treatment was performed once a day for 15 days on 7.5-month-old SAMP8 male mice. The prescription of acupuncture points included DU20 Baihui, DU 26 Shuigou and EX-HN3 Yintang (the significant extra point). The locations of these points referred to the National Acupuncture Society for Experimental Research developed the “laboratory animal acupuncture atlas”. In the normal control paradigm and AD control group, 7.5-month-old SAMR1 male mice and SAMP8 male mice were grabbed and bandaged while electroacupuncture group therapy, in order to ensure the same treatment conditions, once a day, 15 days. Results: From theMorris watermaze (MWM) test, we found the treatment of electro-acupuncture can improve the spatial learning and memory ability of SAMP8 mouse; and from the micro-PET test, we proved that after the electro-acupuncture treatment the level of uptake rate of glucose in hippocampus was higher than normal control group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the treatment of electro-acupuncturemayprovide a viable treatment option for AD. Contact: Jing Jiang, yingxi7847@126.com

Research on Korean Pharmacopuncture in South Korea since 2007.

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to investigate the current trends in research on pharmacopuncture in Korea since 2007.Methods:A literature review was performed by using the search engines ‘Science and Technology Society Village’, ‘Korean Studies Information Service System’, ‘National Discovery for Science Leaders’, and ‘Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System’ in Korea from January 2007 to December 2013. Searched key words were ‘pharmacopuncture’, ‘herbal acupuncture’, ‘aqua-acupuncture’, and ‘bee venom’. Finally, we selected 457 papers, including Korean experimental studies and clinical studies. Selected papers were classified according to year of publication, type of pharmacopuncture, disease & topic, research type and the publishing journal.Results:One hundred fifty pharmacopunctures were studied in 457 papers. Single compound pharmacopuncture was the most studied pharmacopuncture in experimental studies while animal-based pharmacopuncture was the most studied pharmacopuncture in clinical studies. Bee venom placed first among the various pharmacopunctures, followed by placenta, sweet bee venom, mountain-ginseng, and anti-inflammatory pharmacopunctures. Experimental research on pharmacopuncture has fallen since 2007 when 55 papers were published. However, clinical research has been increasing steadily. In clinical studies, case reports were numerous than randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Musculoskeletal diseases were the most frequently-treated diseases in studies on pharmacopuncture; among the musculoskeletal diseases, rheumatoid arthritis was the most frequently-treated disease in experimental studies and low back pain was the most frequently-treated condition in clinical studies. Since 2007, 45 different journals have published studies on pharmacopuncture, with the Journal of the Korean Acupuncture and Moxibustion Medicine Society having the largest number of papers on pharmacopuncture and the Journal of Pharmacopuncture the second largest number.Conclusion:The trends in research on pharmacopuncture published in studies from 2007 to 2013 were similar to those in studies published before 2006. Many studies on pharmacopuncture focused on bee venom and musculoskeletal diseases. Additional studies on diverse types of and indications for pharmacopuncture are needed.

국내 한의학 학술지에 게재된 매선요법 관련 논문들의 현황 분석

Objective : To search the trend of studying thread-embedding therapy in Korean medicine academia up to now and to expand the range of using thread-embedding therapy in the future, this study was designed. Methods : Using search portal sites the following; http://oasis.kiom.re.kr, http://www.riss.re.kr, collected 37 articles and devided those three parts and classificated those into four subsection as follows; total analysis, original article, case report. Results : The number of articles are 8 review articles, 14 original articles, 15 case reports. In the year 2013, 14 articles were published and ranked highest(37.8%). The journal of acupuncture & moxibustion medicine society ranked highest(40.5%). 5 persons ranked highest(32.4%) in number of author. Facial beauty care ranked highest(21.6%) in clssification of disease. Remedy item ranked highest(50.0%) in classification of subjects of 8 review articles. No more than 25 persons ranked highest(66.7%) and 6~12months of treatment period ranked highest(33.3%) in 14 original articles. Conclusions : Thread-embedding therapy is considered very useful on various part of Korean medicine clinic. We need to expand application scope of thread-embedding therapy in the future.

John Warburton Thompson

It is with a very great personal sense of loss and deep sadness among all in BMAS who knew John that we learned of his death aged 88 on 27 November 2012. John was a highly respected senior and Honorary member of the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) who had been an active contributor to the main committee, as well as serving on the research and accreditation committees and lecturing to scientific meetings. He made an enormous contribution to the society over many years. ![Graphic][1] Born on 7 November 1924 in East London at Guy's Hospital, he decided at the early age of seven that he wanted to study medicine. He was a choral scholar at the City of London School and studied medicine at The London Hospital, gaining honours in surgery, forensic medicine and public health. He retained a forensic, scientific approach to each area of clinical and academic work that he pursued as a … [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif

Obituary: David Bowsher Ma Md Scd Phd Frcp Ed Frc Path

It is with very great sadness that the Society learnt of David Bowsher's death on 17 June 2011 at the age of 86. David, an honorary member of the Society (he was also a member of both the research committee and the international editorial board), made many important contributions to the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) by way of presenting talks, publishing papers and chapters on acupuncture, as well as on forms of stimulation-induced analgesia. He willingly and generously gave valuable advice, help, guidance, encouragement and inspiration to members and others. Those who were fortunate enough to hear him present a lecture or to have a discussion with him, quickly realised that he was someone with a multitude of exceptional gifts. …

Webwise

Acupuncture is one of the most common complementary therapies in the UK. The website of the British Medical Acupuncture Society helps distinguish between the two theoretical modes of delivery: western acupuncture and acupuncture in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) paradigm.

Medical acupuncture foundation course

I have always been interested in Western medical acupuncture and its potential role in primary care. Patients often ask for alternative treatment options that don’t involve drugs. The British Medical Acupuncture Society course was recommended to me by a couple of colleagues, one who had already been on it and another who was planning to attend it. The aspect of acupuncture that most interested me was its use in the management of musculoskeletal pain, because I felt that there is scope for its use in primary care. The course is run by the British Medical Acupuncture Society. It takes place over …

The Acupuncture Treatment for Postmenopausal Hot Flushes (Acuflash) Study: Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnoses and Acupuncture Points Used, and Their Relation to the Treatment Response

the multicentre, pragmatic, randomised controlled Acuflash study evaluated the effect of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupuncture on postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms and health-related quality of life. It concluded that use of acupuncture in addition to self-care can contribute to a clinically relevant reduction of hot flushes and increased health-related quality of life. This article reports on the TCM syndrome diagnoses and acupuncture points used and their relation to the treatment response, and on treatment reactions and adverse events. the acupuncture group (n = 134) received 10 acupuncture treatment sessions and advice on self-care; the control group (n = 133) received advice on self-care only. The study acupuncturists met the current membership criteria of the Norwegian Acupuncture Society, and had at least 3 years' experience of practising TCM acupuncture. They were free to diagnose and select acupuncture points for each participant, after initial discussion. fifty per cent of the participants in the acupuncture group were diagnosed with Kidney Yin Xu as their primary TCM syndrome diagnosis. No statistically significant differences were demonstrated between the syndrome groups regarding the distribution of responders and non-responders, nor regarding the change in health-related quality of life scores. A core of common acupuncture points (SP6, HT6, KI7, KI6, CV4, LU7, LI4, and LR3) were used in all the syndromes, and in addition multiple idiosyncratic points. Core point selection and frequency of use did not differ between responders and non-responders. No serious adverse events were reported. factors other than the TCM syndrome diagnoses and the point selection may be of importance regarding the outcome of the treatment.

겨우살이 암치료제의 임상의학적 중요성과 한의학적 겨우살이 약침제제 개발 및 적용 가능성에 관한 고찰

Objectives : Mistletoe extracts have been in use for around 85 years, predominantly in the area of cancer therapy. Today mistletoe preparations are among the most prescribed drugs in cancer medicine, thus constituting a standard biological therapy in the area of oncology. The purpose of this study is to analyze the practical implications of mistletoe cancer therapy, their clinical status, their preparation techniques and companies. Contents : Mistletoe therapy for cancer has been developed within the context of anthroposophical medicine. One major effect of mistletoe extract is that it stimulates the immune system and cancer defences. In Germany, a total of eight different mistletoe preparations are available, five developed by Anthroposophic Medicine and three evolved from research in phytotherapy. Therapy always consists of an introductory phase in order to test the patient`s tolerance, find the right dosage and choose the most suitable preparation. This paper covers the background of mistletoe medical plant materials, mistletoe therapy for cancer, the anthroposophical medicine and clinical research, the practical regulation of treatment, preparation of mistletoe drugs. Result & suggestion : Mistletoe extracts are a complementary teratment of cancer, widely used in intergrative cancer care. The study of the integration of korean mistletoe extracts to oriental cancer medicine, its development and feasibility in Korea are urgently needed. The products, substances, compositions of european mistletoe drugs are very similar to those of oriental medicine theory. Applying the mistletoe cancer therapy and its preparation techniques to oriental medicine, the herbal acupuncture preparation should be modernized and korean mistletoe products are to be developed. To this end, government and herbal acupuncture society need to interact each other for the development of oriental mistletoe cancer medicine.

당뇨의 한의학적 치료에 대한 최근 연구동향

Objective The purpose of this study was to analyze the directions of Korean Medicine treatment of diabetes mellitus. Methods We reviewed the 52 studies about diabetes mellitus which had been published from 2000 to 2007. We selected those studies from the search engine of the web site of five journals. Those were the Journal of Korean Oriental Medical Society, Korean Journal of Oriental Physiology & Pathology, the Journal of Korean Acupuncture & Moxibustion Society, Korean Journal of Oriental Internal Medicine and the Journal of Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute. Results 1. The types of diabetes mellitus model in studies were the model used Alloxan(2cases), the model used Streptozotocin(41cases), NOD mice(1case), ob/ob mice(1case), db/db mice(5cases) and rats fed highfat diet(2cases). 2. The types of method in studies were pharmacopuncture(8cases), herbal medcine(47case) and both pharmacopuncture and herbal medcine(3cases). the types of materials in studies were single herb(24cases), multiple herbs(32cases) and both single and multiple herbs(4cases). 3. The types of evaluation criteria in studies were glucose, pancreas, liver, kidney, serum lipid, oxidative stress, nervous system, vascular system and immunity. Conclusions There have been reported many studies of diabetes mellitus in Korean Medicine. It requires to study further types of diabetes mellitus, kinds of herbs and complications of diabetes mellitus for Korean Medicine treatment of diabetes mellitus was covered the ground.

Investigating the Safety of Electroacupuncture with a Picoscope™

Our wish to know more about the paths taken by electrical currents in electroacupuncture (EA) with special reference to the heart, particularly in patients with an implanted pacemaker, prompted us to undertake this study. Using ourselves as subjects, we have developed a safe oscillographic method to detect, visualise and record the EA currents that avoids the use of equipment requiring mains electricity. After two trials with unsatisfactory equipment, we found that the newly developed model 3425 PicoScopeTM (Pico Technology Ltd), with a four channel differential amplifier input connected to a laptop PC operating in battery mode, satisfied our criteria. With this recording system, we carried out two sets of experiments in which EA was provided by a Cefar acus4TM stimulator. The results confirm that the placement of a pair of acupuncture needles for EA can be used to predict the paths taken by the stimulating currents, and thus their areas of likely influence. When the needles are placed in closely adjacent acupuncture points in a limb, there is little or no detectable spread of the currents along the limb or into the chest. By contrast, when the needles are placed far apart, the electrical currents spread widely. Thus, when each of a pair of needles is placed in a point on opposite arms, the electrical currents recorded in the area of the pectoral muscles is of an order that might trigger an abnormal cardiac rhythm in a susceptible heart or activate a cardiac pacemaker incorporating an intracardiac defibrillator (ICD). Our results confirm the guidelines for EA safe practice recommended by the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) to avoid adverse events, ie EA should not be applied such that the current is likely to traverse the heart. We can now be confident that electric fields generated by pairs of needles below the knee or elbow do not create detectable currents in the chest. It is likely that similar results would be obtained with the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) but this remains to be established by additional experiments.

동종요법의 임상적 의미와 한의학적 응용 가능성에 관한 고찰

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze the practical implications of homeopathic medicines, their status, their preparation systems and registration rules, recognized by the European Union and other countries. Contents : This paper covers the background of homeopathic medical principle, homeopathy throughout the world, the medicine status and clinical research, increases of the drug potency, the practical regulation of treatment, preparation techniques of homeopathic drugs and registration rules and the clinical practice. Homeopathy has been currently practised in over eighty countries throughout the world, especially in Europe. It had attracted considerable attentions in South and North America (notably in USA, Brazil, and Argentina), India and Pakistan. Although it is not dominantly popular in North America, constant growth has been nevertheless noted. Over the last thirty years, homeopathy has also developed or appeared in South Africa, Tunisia, Morocco, Venezuela, Israel, and Australia, etc. Result & suggestion : As over 300 million patients have put their trust in homeopathy, the study of the integration of homeopathy to oriental medicine, its development and feasibility in Korea are urgently needed. The products, substances, compositions of Homeopathic drugs are very similar to those of oriental medicine theory. Therefore their preparations and applications should prescribed and practised exclusively by oriental doctors. Applying the homeopathic theory and its preparation techniques to oriental medicine, the herbal acupuncture preparation should be modernized and various oriental products are to be developed. To this end, government and herbal acupuncture society need to interact each other for the development of oriental medicine.

Acupuncture for controlling the gag reflex during upper alginate impression

Background A pronounced gag reflex (GR) can be a problem to both the acceptance and delivery of dental treatment. Despite a range of management strategies, some patients cannot accept even simple dental treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of acupuncture point CV-24 in controlling a profound gag reflex during dental treatment requiring an upper alginate impression. Method Members of the British Dental Acupuncture Society were invited to take part in an audit of the role of acupuncture point CV-24 in controlling the gag reflex. They were issued with patient inclusion criteria, a standardised procedure instruction sheet and a recording form. All patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria had an upper dental alginate impression taken (or an attempt made at it) before acupuncture, and a second upper alginate impression taken immediately after acupuncture of point CV-24. The GR assessment was undertaken prior to insertion of the acupuncture needle using the Gagging Severity Index (GSI); and after the acupuncture and impression taking using the Gagging Prevention Index (GPI). Both the GSI and GPI were recorded at three stages of the dental impression taking procedure, ie, when the empty impression tray was tried in the mouth, when the loaded tray was inserted into the mouth, and on completion of the impression taking. Results Twenty-one dentists submitted 64 case reports of which 37 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Prior to acupuncture all 37 patients (20 females and 17 males with a mean age of 46.8 years) were unable to accept the impression taking. After acupuncture of point CV-24, an improvement of between 51-55% (mean 53%) for the three stages of impression taking was noticed. Thirty patients (81%) were able to accept the impression taking, whereas seven (19%) remained unable to tolerate the procedure. Assessed by the GSI and GPI, there was a significant decrease in GR scores at all three stages of the impression taking procedure (median 3 vs 1; 4 vs 2; 4 vs 2; p < 0.0001). Thus before acupuncture, the patients had moderate to severe GR and after acupuncture the GR had reduced to a level which only complicated dental treatment slightly. Conclusion Our results indicate that acupuncture of point CV-24 is an effective method of controlling severe GR during dental treatment including impression taking. However, the results of the current audit need to be tested in a randomised controlled study in order to substantiate the effectiveness of this method.