Alleviation of Symptoms in Blepharitis with Acupuncture and Vibration in an Oscillating Platform: A Case Report

Mario Bernardo-Filho ； Danúbia da Cunha de Sá-Caputo ； Alexandre de Gusmão Pedrini ； Shyang Chang

《Adaptive Medicine》 6卷1期 (2014/03) Pp. 32-37

https://doi.org/10.4247/AM.2014.ABD070

並列摘要

Acupuncture is a treatment procedure that is widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Its efficacy depends closely on the meridian system, i.e., the physiology of the body. Recently, the meridian system has been deciphered as the fractal continuum of neurovascular bundles and its smaller branches. Basically, this system is connected internally with visceral organs, and externally with peripheral limbs and sensory organs of the body. In addition, the meridian system can be easily accessed via specific points (acupoints) of the body. Since the eyes are important sensory organs, it is fitting to see if disorders of the eyes can also be treated with acupuncture. It is well known that blepharitis is an eye condition characterized by chronic inflammation of the eyelids with various symptoms. The treatment of blepharitis takes a long time and, in general, the clinical results are unsatisfactory. The aims of this study are (i) to evaluate, using the PubMed databank, if exercises can bring additional benefits to the diseases of the eyes in the acupuncture treatment, and (ii) to verify if the vibration generated in an oscillating platform combined with acupuncture using distant acupoints could be used to treat patients with blepharitis. For the first aim, searches in the PubMed on July 24th, 2013 were carried out to identify the scientific interest in studies involving blepharitis and acupuncture. As to the second aim, an adult man (age: 60 years, weight: 82 kg, height: 1.78 m) volunteered and provided informed consent to participate in this study. The volunteer has a chronic disorder in the eyes. He was evaluated by an ophthalmologist and diagnosed with blepharitis due to the clinical symptoms and clinical history. The subject was then treated by steel acupuncture needles at acupoints Liver-2 (LI2), Liver-3 (LI3), Kidney-3 (K3) and Gallblader-34 (GB34). In addition, he was asked to put both feet in the teeterboard of the platform that operated at the frequencies of 5, 6 and 7 Hz. The total time of each treatment was 9 min. The treatments under the same conditions were repeated for 6 weeks. The qualitative measurement of the effectiveness of the treatment was ascertained through visual analog scales (VAS). Since the vibration generated on the platform was capable of inducing vibrations continuously in the needle, the treatment can benefit the patient with the effects of (i) acupuncture, (ii) exercise, and (iii) stimulation of the needle due to the vibration. In all the sessions, the discomfort of the patient is decreased. Moreover, after the last session (July 23rd, 2013) a strong decrease of the discomfort was verified. To conclude, this combined treatment could be an option to treat patients with blepharitis and perhaps other diseases of the eyes.

並列關鍵字

acupuncture ； blepharitis ； traditional Chinese medicine ； vibration of oscillating platforms