During acupuncture treatment, acupuncture needles are inserted and manipulated until a characteristic local tissue reaction termed "de qi" is observed. De qi can be perceived by the acupuncturist in the form of "needle grasp", a mechanical gripping of the needle by the tissue. De qi is considered essential to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture. Therefore, the investigator proposes that understanding this local tissue reaction will lead to an understanding of how the therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy arises. Specifically, it is hypothesized that needle manipulation causes winding of collagen and elastic fibers around the needle. This action induces tension in the collagen network surrounding the needling site and results in a mechanical signal that is transduced into local cells. The objective of the current work is to use ultrasound elastography, a recently developed ultrasound imaging technique, to visualize and quantify changes in the elastic properties of skin and subcutaneous tissue in 12 healthy human volunteers as a result of acupuncture needle manipulation.

Condition	Treatment or Intervention
Healthy	Device: Acupuncture

Ages Eligible for Study:  18 Years   -   55 Years,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy

Vermont
      University of Vermont, Burlington,  Vermont,  05401,  United States

Study ID Numbers:  NCRR-M01RR00109-0745; M01RR00109
Record last reviewed:  November 2001
Last Updated:  October 13, 2004
Record first received:  June 1, 2000
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:  NCT00005770
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on 2005-04-08