RE: [pa-l] What is sharp-hooked needling method in acupuncture

July 13, 2009

Hi All, & Andy,

I wrote:

> See the recent abstract, below. What is " sharp-hooked needling " method

> ireferred to in the paper?

>

> Does it use needles with a hook / barb at the iip? Would this not be

> problematic re pain / tissue trauma and difficulty in removing the

> needle afterwards? ... Jin CN, Zhang TS, Guan F, Ji LX, Li L, Li XH,

> Hao SF, Yuan Y. [standardized manipulations of sharp hooked needling

> for treating migraine and investigation on its mechanisms] [Article in

> Chinese] Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2009 Jun;29(6):508-9. AP and Moxibustion

> Institute of Shanxi Province, Taiyuan 030006, China.

> nizi010501 ...

Jack queried if the needle was bent into a U or V shape after insertion? I do

not think so, Jack. See below.

Andy Lininger wrote:

> Hi Phil, Do you have a link to the original Chinese [srtivle / term],

> that may offer an opportunity to understand this more? Andy

Thanks for the prompt, Andy.

http://tinyurl.com/mlkwtl is the homepage for the journal [Zhongguo Zhen

Jiu Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion]. Unfortunately, the

journal articles are not online, as far as I can see.

Therefore I could not locate the Chinese term for the sharp-hooked needle

there. However, your note prompted me to search other Chinese sites using

a combination of English [hooked needle] and the Hanzi term for needle

[Zhen ]. This led me to the answer.

The Chinese term for the special needle is [Feng-gou-zhen = sharp-

hooked needle]. There is an article in English & Chinese that details this

method [and other needling methods] at http://tinyurl.com/lyhehb

The needle must have a hooked / barbed head to cause micro-cutting of the

muscle and subcutaneous tissues underlying the chosen acupoints

because the article [Operation Instructions of the New Nine Acupuncture

Needles] says:

1. Method of operation:

a. Give the chosen point on the skin routine sterilization.

b. Press the point with the forefinger and the middle finger of your left hand

and stretch the skin to be needled in opposite directions. The space

between the two fingers measures l cm. Hold the needle with your right

hand the way you hold a Chinese writing brush, swiftly stabbing into

subcutaneous tissue after the point of the needle is vertical with the skin,

and hooking and cutting three to five times beneath the skin till the breaking

of muscular fibers is heard and blood seen. Press the place with sterilized

absorbent cotton ball swabs for a while.

2. Indications:

a. Partial functional disorders caused by chronic diseases, stubborn bodily

pains, scapulohumeral periarthritis, neuralgic headache, lumbar strain,

tenosynitis, sequels of cerebral artery troubles, gastric and intestinal

disorders, talagia.

b. Other illnesses such as acute conjunctivitis, tonsillitis, acute or chronic

throat inflammation, high fever.

3. Maintenance of the needle:

a. Take strict precautious against breaking and bump. Protect the point of

the needle. Don't hook and cut other things.

b. Wrap the sharp point up in the cotton after using it.

PHIL'S COMMENT: This suggests that the Fenggouzhen (hooked

needles) are RE-USED later.

Apart from the implied risk of causing more pain and locl tissue trauma, I

am vehemently opposed to needle re-use. Therefore, I would not be happy

to use such needles in my patients, whose tolerance of pain or unnecessary

tissue trauma is rather low.

Best regards,

July 14, 2009