The Change in Cutaneous Temperature When Using Acupuncture at TB-3 and BL-65 Acupoints in Healthy Participants
Condition: Healthy Participants
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      For more than 2,500 years, traditional medicine, especially acupuncture, has been widely used
      in health care and recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to manage various
      diseases. Besides, many molecular biological mechanisms of acupuncture in pain management
      have been elucidated. Acupuncture is a safe, effective, and cost-effective therapy, reducing
      the overuse of opioid pain relievers. In neck pain treatment, many clinical studies used
      remote acupoints, which have specific effects on the neck. Among them, the Stream points in
      the Five Stream acupoints system are the most used acupuncture points in the treatment of
      neck pain. However, the relationship between these acupoints and the neck has not been
      proven. The goal of this trial is to compare the change in skin surface temperature at the
      neck and the cutaneous zone before and after using acupuncture at the control acupoint (SP3)
      and two research acupoints (TB3 and BL65) in healthy volunteers. The main questions it aims
      to answer are:

        -  Whether the Zhongzhu and Shugu acupoints change the skin temperature in the neck area?

        -  How does the change in temperature correlate with the cutaneous zone distribution of the
           Shaoyang and Taiyang meridians, respectively?
    

Detailed description: 
      Participants and Methods: The change in skin surface temperature before and after acupuncture
      at the control acupoint (SP3) and two research acupoints (TB3 and BL65) in healthy volunteers
      will be compared in a randomized, double-blinded, self-controlled trial. A total of 30
      participants will be assigned to 3 groups (A, B, and C), and the allocation will be 1:1:1.
      Every group will go through three trial stages spaced out by 24 hours, with each stage
      corresponding to one acupoint on both sides. Group A: In the first trial stage, acupuncture
      will apply at BL65, the second trial stage at TB3, and the third trial stage at SP3. Group B:
      In the first trial stage, acupuncture will apply at SP3, the second stage at BL65, and the
      third stage at TB3. Group C: In the first trial stage, acupuncture will apply to participants
      at TB3, the second stage at SP3, and the third stage at BL65. The primary outcome of
      acupuncture at the TB3, BL65, and SP3 acupoints will be the alteration in skin surface
      temperature at the neck area and the cutaneous zone. The skin surface temperature was
      measured by an Infrared Thermal Camera brand FLIR C5 and thermal images were analyzed by FLIR
      Thermal Studio software.
    

Intervention name(s): Fine needle acupuncture
Intervention type(s): Procedure
Intervention description(s): All participants underwent three 24-hour apart sessions. In each session, the acupuncturist inserted two sterile needles into the left and right acupoints with a 90-degree angle and 0.5 to 1 cun in depth for TB3, 0.3 to 0.5 cun for BL65, and 0.3 to 0.5 cun for SP3. The acupuncturist rotated the needle at an angle of 180-270 degrees within 1 minute, with a frequency of 60 - 120 times/minute for stimulation.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: acupuncture; skin surface temperature