Changes In Electrical Skin Resistance Research Articles

Do changes in electrical skin resistance of acupuncture points reflect menstrual pain? A comparative study in healthy volunteers and primary dysmenorrhea patients.

Electrical skin resistance (ESR) measurements were performed with a four-electrode impedance detector at 10 points bilaterally on the first day of and the third day after menstruation in 48 healthy volunteers and 46 primary dysmenorrhea (PD) patients, to assess whether ESR changes of acupuncture points can reflect menstrual pain or not. The results showed statistical reductions in ESR imbalance ratio between left and right side that were detected at SP8 (Diji) and GB39 (Xuanzhong) (P < 0.05), and a statistical increase was detected at SP6 (Sanyinjiao) (P = 0.05) on the first day of menstruation compared with those values on the third day after menstruation in dysmenorrhea group. No significant differences were detected at other points within and between two groups (P > 0.05). This study showed that the imbalance of ESR at uterine-relevant points in PD patients is not significantly different from those of healthy women on both the 1st day of and the 3rd day after menstruation. The ESR imbalance ratio of certain points can either be lower or higher during menstruation in PD patients. The ESR property of acupuncture points needs to be investigated in further clinical trials with appropriate points, diseases, larger sample sizes, and optimal device.

Impact of Surgical Intervention and Postoperative Pain on Electrical Skin Resistance at Acupuncture Points: An Exploratory Study

One theory about acupuncture suggests that pathological processes can cause measurable changes in electrical skin resistance (ESR) at acupuncture points (APs). Although the theory has yet to be proven, ESR measurements (ESRMs) form a frequently used part of contemporary acupuncture. The aim of this study was to test the so-called 'electrical responsiveness' of APs in the setting of a defined operative trauma. ESRMs (n=424) were performed at the APs and surrounding skin of GB34 and ST38 in 163 participants using an impedance meter array developed for the purpose of ESRMs. For each group the percentage of measurements with a significantly different ESR between the APs and the surrounding skin was calculated and compared with each other. Measurements of four groups were compared: healthy control subjects (n=30) and patients after ophthalmic (n=29), hip (n=42) and shoulder (n=30) surgery. The influence of postoperative pain intensity was also assessed. Group comparison showed no significant differences for ST38. The ESRMs at GB34 had a significantly higher percentage of measurements with an increased ESR after ophthalmic (23.2%) and hip (22.2%) surgery, but not after shoulder surgery (7.5%). Subgroup analysis showed that an increase in pain intensity tended to lead to a decrease in the number of APs with ESR changes. These results suggest that reactive changes in ESR at APs might exist. Pain and alertness seem to have an impact on ESR at APs. However, the current data do not allow for conclusions to be drawn concerning the clinical use of ESRMs.

Changes in Electrical Skin Resistance at Gallbladder 34 (GB34)

Objective Electrodermal screening is widely used in the acupuncture community for point location, diagnosis and therapy. However the underlying theory that electrical skin resistance (ESR) of an area corresponding to an acupuncture point (AP) is lower than ESR of the surrounding areas is yet to be proven. The objective of this study was to evaluate and quantify the phenomenon of ESR changes at the Gallbladder 34 (GB34) Acupuncture Point (AP). Materials and Methods In this single-blinded study GB34 was measured bilaterally in 43 healthy volunteers. Electrical skin resistance measurements (ESRMs) were performed with a specially designed array consisting of 64 (8 × 8) electrodes on an area of 6 × 6 cm. Then the electrodes corresponding to the AP were identified and compared with those of the surrounding electrodes with Wilcoxon rank sum test. Values for p of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results Eighty-one ESRMs were evaluated. ESR was significantly different from the surrounding skin area in 27 (33.3%) cases with 15 (18.5%) points showing a lower and 12 (14.1%) points showing a higher ESR. Conclusion This shows that ESR changes at APs exist in one third of the measured points, a very low rate for a postulation that forms the basis of various diagnosis and therapy systems.

Changes in electrical skin resistance at acupuncture points—General overview and current findings

Background The hypothesis that electrical skin resistance is lower at acupuncture points (APs) and meridians was brought forward in the 1950s. Subsequently, devices were developed that measured skin resistance not only to locate APs, but also for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. However, recent meta-analysis has shown that the available evidence on this topic is by no means as clear as has been generally assumed [Ahn AC et al. Bioelectromagnetics, 2008]. The aim of our study was thus to use an innovative measurement technique to examine whether changes in skin resistance can be detected at APs. Methods Skin resistance measurements were made at APs Pe6, 3E5, Lu6, Ma36, Gb39, and Mi6 in healthy subjects. Measurements were also made at Gb34 and Ma38 in subjects after hip, shoulder, or eye surgery (as surgery control group) and compared with healthy subjects. Gb34 is typically used to treat hip complaints, and Ma38 to treat shoulder complaints. Measurements were made using a device with 64 electrodes covering an area of 6 cm×6 cm, eliminating the most common sources of error encountered in measuring electrical skin resistance. Results A total of 631 measurements were made in healthy subjects and evaluated for changes in skin resistance. In total, 37.2% of the measurements showed significant changes in skin resistance at the investigated APs compared to the surrounding area. To evaluate symptomatic skin resistance changes, a total of 445 measurements were made at APs Gb34 and Ma38. At Gb34, significant changes in skin resistance were observed between the AP and surrounding area in 33% of measurements in control subjects, 41% of measurements in the eye-surgery group (surgery control), and 39% of measurements in the hip surgery group. At Ma38, significant differences were observed in 40% of measurements in the control group, 39% of measurements in the eye-surgery group (surgery control), and 36% of measurements in the shoulder-surgery group. There were no significant differences between the individual groups. Conclusion The majority of our measurements did not show any significant changes in skin resistance at the APs compared to the surrounding areas of skin. Electrical skin resistance at points Gb34 and Ma38 does not appear to be influenced by acute trauma (surgery) of the hip or shoulder. Overall, however, the percentage of significant changes at the investigated APs ranged from 35% to 40%, which is thus a promising sign for further research on this topic. At the same time, our findings indicate that the use of skin resistance measurements for diagnosis and treatment recommendations should be regarded with scepticism. This study is supported by the Deutschen Arztegesellschaft fur Akupunktur e.V. (DAGfA). References [2]Wiegele et al. (2006) Forsch Komplementarmed.

Skin reactions after breast-conserving therapy and prediction of late complications using physiological functions.

The temperature of the skin remains elevated long after breast-conserving treatment with irradiation, perhaps because evaporative cooling is impaired. We investigated physiological changes of the irradiated skin and reevaluated the radiosensitivity of sweat glands on a functional basis to determine whether severe complications can be predicted. Breast and axillary skin temperatures were measured with thermography and sweat production in response to local thermal stimuli was measured on the basis of changes in electrical skin resistance with a bridge circuit in 45 women before, during, and after breast irradiation for breast cancer. Breast and axillary skin temperatures were significantly increased after irradiation. In response to cutaneous thermal stimuli, the electric skin resistance of nonirradiated areas decreased significantly because of sweating, but that of irradiated areas was unchanged. Impairment of sweating may play an important role in skin damage after irradiation. Although glandular tissue is not usually radiosensitive, the results of our functional assessment suggest that sweat glands are more radiosensitive than expected.

Electrical skin resistance changes in meridians during ophthalmic surgery with local anesthesia.

Electrical skin resistance on Accumulation points in twelve meridians was measured during operation of cataract under local anesthesia. Electrical skin resistance increased an average of 15 percent in bladder, kidney, liver, stomach, gall bladder meridians, and decreased an average of 18 percent in lung, small intestine, heart, spleen-pancreas, heart constrictor, triple heater, large intestine meridians. When comparing the skin resistance values with those under acupuncture anesthesia during ophthalmic surgery, the skin resistance value under acupuncture anesthesia exhibited a marked decrease in all meridians (average 23 percent decrease) except the kidney meridian. On the other hand, the skin resistance under local anesthesia was only a 7.4 percent decrease in all meridians except the kidney meridian. It was speculated as one of the reasons for less changes of skin resistance under local anesthesia that sympathetic nervous activity did not occur so much because of pain relief due to local anesthesia.

Ocular absorption of naloxone in narcotic addicts.

Naloxone hydrochloride was administered by regional intravenous injection (three patients) or by instillation into the conjunctival sac (10 patients) in addicts receiving methadone maintenance. After the regional intravenous administration of 100 mug naloxone,no withdrawal symptoms occurred on release of the occluding tourniquets, nor were theresignificant changes in electrical skin resistance or sweating in the upper extremities. On the other hand, the conjunctival instillation of 2 to 3 mg naloxone produced withdrawal symptoms in five patients and frequently also caused pupillary dilatation whichwas usually equal on both sides.