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MEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHYMEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHYMEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHYMEDICAL INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY

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ACUPUNCTUREACUPUNCTURE


AcupunctureAcupuncture

The main problem of modern acupuncture, which restricts its scientific development and makes difficult the integration of Western and Oriental medicines, is the fact that there is not a good and reliable scientific method to research the location and functional condition of the acupuncture point - the main object of acupuncture manipulations.Today there are a lot of methods for diagnosing the functional condition of the acupoint. Most of them are based on measuring of some electrical parameters of the acupoint. Using those methods, we have to consider that the acupuncture point is exactly located in the area of skin where we measure the electrical parameters. If this was false? What information we would receive if we were mistaken?



The acupuncture system is a very sensitive system and it quickly reacts to any disease. In this case both functional condition and location of acupoints change.Talking about location of the acupuncture point, we must take into consideration that there are positions of acupoints of statistical Chinese man, who lived in China territory more than 2000 years ago. World has changed since that time and the position of the acupoints might have changed too.


The second problem related to the application of diagnostic methods is that all of them are called "active" - it means, that the diagnostic device applies some influence (in this case - electrical power) on the patient's skin in the projection of the acupoint and the operator estimates the reaction of the skin under this influence. Because of this fact all electrical methods are difficult in repetition and can’t be considered as real scientific ones.



Thus, the method for researching the acupoints must have the following main features:

Passive measuring - i.e. the method must not have influence on the object (acupoint).

Non-specifity - i.e. the method must analyze one of the most universal physiologic parameters.

Repeatability - in repeated applications at some time intervals, the method must demonstrate equal results.

Technical simple – the method must be very simple to use and devices for its realization must be available for any doctors.

Only one method satisfies all these criteria:THE INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY




In fact, infrared thermography has the following unique characteristics, which are very useful to solve our problem:

1. Infrared thermography is a non-contact method and does not apply any influence on the researched object - this is a "passive" diagnostic method.

2. Temperature is one of the most universal physiologic reactions of the human body - this is non-specificity.

3. Thermovisual examination has a good repeatability - in case of absence of a strong external influence, temperature parameters of the acupoints are stable for a month and more.

4. Infrared thermography is a very simple method.




There are three main directions of application of infrared thermography in medicine:

Researching the location of acupuncture points – ACUPUNCTURE THERMODIAGNOSTICS.

Thermography application for controlling the effectiveness of the acupuncture treatment – THERMOVISUAL CONTROL.

Researching the temperature characteristics of the acupoints to diagnose common diseases – THERMOVISUAL ACUPUNCTURE REFLEXODIAGNOSTICS.




Acupuncture ThermodiagnosticsAcupuncture Thermodiagnostics

First of all, we have to consider that in the thermogram we shall look most of acupoints as blinking drops or stars above their anatomic positions. We are also supposed to look the acupuncture channels like thin lines connecting the acupoints. Actually the picture is not so simple.Researches have showed, that the acupoint can be in one of these three functional stable conditions:1. Hyperthermic condition, when its temperature is more than 0,6°C higher than that of the surrounding tissue - this is the "excess" condition in terms of Oriental medicine;2. Hypothermic condition, when its temperature is more than 0,6°C lower than the surrounding tissue - this is the "deficiency" condition;3. Isothermic condition, when the temperature gradient between the acupoint and surrounding tissue is in ± 0,6°C limits - in this case it indicates the "normal" functional condition of the acupoint.




Hyperthermia above Yang-Ling-Qiuan GB.34 acupoint

Hyperthermia above Yu-Ji LU.10 acupoint

Size and shape of thermal abnormal areas depend on the functional condition of the acupoint and anatomic features of the location. Usually in the case of hyperthermia, the temperature gradient is 0,8-1,5 °C.

Hyperthermia above Zu-San-Li ST.36 acupoint




Hypothermia above Wai-Guan TW.5 acupoint

Hypothermia above Shi-Xiuan acupoints

In the case of hypothermia, the temperature gradient is higher and can reach 3 °C.

Hypothermia above Shen-Men H.7 and Shao-Fu H.8 acupoints




Hyperthermia above Pi-Shu B.20acupoint

Hyperthermia above Shang-Liao B.31, Ji-Liao B.32 and Yao-Shu Du.2 acupoints

Often in thermovisual examinations we can see not only an acupoint, but several acupoints, located at the same or different acupuncture channels. In these cases on the thermogram we see a group of warm or cold spots, located above the acupoints.

Hypothermia above Yu-Tang Ren.18 and Ji-Gong Ren.19 acupoints




Hyperthermia of Jiu-Wei en.15 and right right acupoints of the Stomach Channel from 20 to 25.

Hyperthermia of Dai-Mai GB.26, Wei-Dao GB.28 and Jiu-Liao GB.29 acupoints

Hypothermia of Shui-Fen Ren.9 and Xia-Wan Ren.10 and hyperthermia of Guan-Yan Ren.4 and Shi-Men Ren.5 acupoints




The deviation of the acupoints location is a common phenomenon. The value of this deviation depends on the functional condition of the acupoint and is related to the acupuncture channel and anatomic features of the area. If we used thermovisual findings instead of the acupoints map, the effectiveness of the treatment will be increased many times. It’s well-known, in fact, that Shen-Men H.9 acupoint is located on the wrist fold. But in the thermogram we see, that actually this acupoint, in this person, has moved to the hypothenar area.




Tian-Shu ST.25 acupoint is very often used in treatments of intestinal dysbacteriosis. But in most cases, the hypothermic area related to Tian-Shu acupoint, is located lower than its standard

position. Using standard detection of Tian-Shu (found in manuscripts) the effectiveness of the acupuncture treatment of intestinal dysbacteriosis (moxibustion) does not exceeds 60%; while using thermovisual detection of this acupoint the effectiveness reaches 95% and the duration of the treatment usually decreases from 10-12 to 3-5 sessions.



Acupuncture Thermodiagnostics in Su-JokAcupuncture Thermodiagnostics in Su-Jok

Very interesting and useful is the application of infrared thermography for Su-Jok acupuncture (Su-Ji, manus-acupuncture, palm acupuncture). On the thermogram we can detect the individual position of acupoints with a changed functional condition (e.g. to make an acupuncture prescription, to choice the method of influence and to control its adequateness). On the basis of clinical data collected from more than 2000 thermograms, it was developed the Thermal Map of the palm with 27 active areas reflecting the condition of all principal internal organs and functional systems.




Now, with the help of modern infrared thermography, ancient Chinese acupuncture becomes

VISIAL ACUPUNCTURE



Thermovisual Acupuncture ReflexodiagnosticsThermovisual Acupuncture Reflexodiagnostics

Clinical data has showed that in many diseases thermograms have typical acupoints. This fact allows developing new direction in general medicine - thermovisual acupuncture reflexodiagnostics (TAR).First clinical application of TAR was the method of early diagnosing of secondary T-cell immunodeficiency syndrome. It was found that, in an immunodeficiency condition, on thermograms is detected an area of decreasing temperature in acupoints located above the thymus and along the Spleen Channel on the foot. The diagnostic criteria of immunodeficiency syndrome is the decreasing of temperature above one of these areas with a gradient higher than 0,6°C. In a series of experiments, it was detected a strong correlation of thermovisual signs with immune status. Moreover, in the cases where infrared thermography detected an immunodeficiency condition but blood analysis were in a normal range, patients showed clinical manifestations of immunodeficiency, such as recurrent infections, frequent cold,




chronic and latent infections. Thus, TAR allows performing early pre-laboratory diagnostics of the immunodeficiency condition.

So far, TAR criteria for more than 20 diseases and pathological conditions have been elaborated, including•secondary T-cell immunodeficiency condition;•intracranial hypertension;•cerebral astenia (chronic fatigue syndrome);•bronchial asthma;•infection of the urinary tract;•vegetative neurosis;•diskinesia of biliary ducts;•acute and chronic tonsillitis.




Good repeatability of infrared data has made acupuncture

SCIENTIFIC ACUPUNCTURE



Thermovisual ControlThermovisual Control

Using the infrared thermography we can objectively control the condition of the acupoint during the treatment. All that is possible because skin temperature above the acupoint is relatively stable. If an adequate treatment is performed, the condition of the acupoint changes and in a certain period of time, temperature above this point turns to isothermic, that means invisible on thermograms - it matches the normal functional condition of the acupoint. This condition correlates to clinical data. In the case of an inadequate treatment, temperature parameters above the acupoint remain the same or becomes more severe (increasing or reversing of the temperature gradient, increasing of the square of thermal abnormal area involving other acupoints or channels).




The thermovisual control can be made just along the acupuncture procedure. Temperature above the acupuncture point correlates with its functional condition. In most cases, 50% decreasing of the temperature gradient above the acupoint means adequateness of acupuncture manipulation.

Dynamic of the temperature above the “Stomach” area on the palm. Before needling, temperature gradient between this point and the center of the palm was 4,8 °C, after it was decreasing and became 2,2 °C in 15 minutes.




In other cases, it’s more effective to perform thermovisual control after a course of treatment. If the treatment has been performed correctly, the acupuncture point with an abnormal temperature disappears.

The dynamical change of temperature distribution over the acupuncture points in a patient’s chest for the case of immunodeficiency syndrome. The left thermogram shows the temperature distribution before the treatment whereas the right one shows the temperature gradient after 10 days from acupuncture.




Infrared thermography makes acupuncture

EASY ACUPUNCTURE


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