Digest Number 1299, Fu acupuncture

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Huang, y, Fu, Z-H, Xia, D-B, Wu, RK. Introduction to floating acupuncture:

clinical study on the treatment of lateral epicondylitis. Amer J Acup. 26

(1):27-32,1998.

Floating acupuncture was devised by Dr. Zhonghua Fu, based on wrist-ankle

acupuncture. The tender Ashi point in each zone must be found exactly, at or

just distal to the epicondyle. A study was done with 48 patients treated this

way compared to 45 with routine acupuncture. The patients had " tennis elbow "

(lateral epicondylitis). The Ashi was located, and a point distal to it by 5-8

cm., where a 5 cm needle is shallowly inserted and directed toward the Ashi

point (if 2 points, do the same for both). The needle lies flat on the skin

surface if correctly placed. There is no manipulation and it is taped in place

for 1-2 days. For routine acupuncture, SJ (TH) 5, LI 11, and SI 9 were used

for electroacupuncture. Of the floating acupuncture group, 8 1 % had complete

relief and 10% " marked " within 3 days after a single treatment vs 22% and 3

3 % for the control.

Comment: The authors state they have found, in contradistinction to another

report, that retained needles can elevate pain threshold in animals and

humans. The reported relief is short term (20 days followup), randomization

appeared very thorough, and the rate of relief after one treatment is

impressive.

How much medical-legal distress would be caused by leaving a 5 cm needle

subcutaneously for one to two days in the USA?