A Study of Influencing Factors in Acupuncture De Qi Sensation

Shin, Kyung Min; Jung, Dal Lim; Kim, Eun Jung; Lee, Seung Deok; Shin, Kyung Min; Jung, Dal Lim; Kim, Eun Jung; Lee, Seung Deok

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

J Korean Med. 2013;34(1): 15-28.

A Study of Influencing Factors in Acupuncture De Qi Sensation

Kyung Min Shin¹, Dal Lim Jung², Eun Jung Kim³, and Seung Deok Lee³

¹Acupuncture, Moxibustion & Meridian Research Group, Division of Medical Research, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine
²Department of Oriental Medical Ophthalmology & Otolaryngology & Dermatology, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University
³Department of Acupuncture & Moxibustion Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University

Corresponding Author: Seung Deok Lee ,Tel: +82-31-961-9122, Fax: +82-31-961-9009, Email: chuckman@dongguk.edu

Received: June 25, 2012; Accepted: September 3, 2012.

ABSTRACT

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in kind, intensity and depth of de Qi sensation by patients’ gender, age, BMI and sensitivity.
Methods: Sixty-four healthy volunteers (mean age 26.51 ± 4.72, range 22–39) who had been studying anatomy, meridianology, acupuncture & moxibustion for more than five years at Dongguk University, Go-yang, Korea, were invited to take part in an investigation of the sensations associated with acupuncture needling. Needling was self-administered on Hegu (LI4) in the hand and Zusanli (ST36) in the leg randomly. After obtaining de Qi, the participants were asked the kind, intensity and depth of de Qi sensation.
Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the kind of de Qi sensation found by acupoints and needling
methods: (p>0.05). Hegu (LI4) was found to be significantly higher in the intensity (p<0.001), and the depth of de Qi sensation was significantly higher in Zusanli (ST36) than Hegu (LI4) (p<0.001). There was statistically significant difference found in the intensity of de Qi sensation by depth and sensitivity (p<0.05). In the depth of de Qi sensation, there was statistically significant difference found by sensitivity (p<0.05). In de Qi sensation of practitioners, there was statistically significant difference found by gender, BMI, the intensity of de Qi sensation (VAS) and sensitivity.
Conclusions: Further study involving acupuncture de Qi sensation and the influencing factors is needed.

Keywords: acupuncture | sensation | acupuncture points