A comparison between acute pressure block of the sciatic nerve and acupressure: methodology, analgesia, and mechanism involved

Acupressure is an alternative medicine methodology that originated in ancient China. Treatment effects are achieved by stimulating acupuncture points using acute pressure. Acute pressure block of the sciatic nerve is a newly reported analgesic method based on a current neuroscience concept: stimulation of the peripheral nerves increases the pain threshold. Both methods use pressure as an intervention method. Herein, we compare the methodology and mechanism of these two methods, which exhibit several similarities and differences. Acupressure entails variation in the duration of manipulation, and the analgesic effect achieved can be short-or long-term. The acute effect attained with acupressure presents a scope that is very different from that of the chronic effect attained after long-term treatment. This acute effect appears to have some similarities to that achieved with acute pressure block of the sciatic nerve, both in methodology and mechanism. More evidence is needed to determine whether there is a relationship between the two methods

A new analgesic method, two-minute sciatic nerve press, for immediate pain relief: a randomized trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Current analgesics have drawbacks such as delays in acquisition, lag-times for effect, and side effects. We recently presented a preliminary report of a new analgesic method involving a two-minute sciatic nerve press, which resulted in immediate short-term relief of pain associated with dental and renal diseases. The present study investigated whether this technique was effective for pain associated with other disease types, and whether the relief was effective for up to one hour.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial was conducted in four hospitals in Anhui Province, China. Patients with pain were sequentially recruited by participating physicians during clinic visits, and 135 patients aged 15 – 80 years were enrolled. Dental disease patients included those with acute pulpitis and periapical abscesses. Renal disease patients included those with kidney infections and/or stones. Tumor patients included those with nose, breast, stomach and liver cancers, while Emergency Room patients had various pathologies. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a "sciatic nerve press" in which pressure was applied simultaneously to the sciatic nerves at the back of both thighs, or a "placebo press" in which pressure was applied to a parallel region on the front of the thighs. Each fist applied a pressure of 11 – 20 kg for 2 minutes. Patients rated their level of pain before and after the procedure.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The "sciatic nerve press" produced immediate relief of pain in all patient groups. Emergency patients reported a 43.5% reduction in pain (p < 0.001). Significant pain relief for dental, renal and tumor patients lasted for 60 minutes (p < 0.001). The peak pain relief occurred at the 10 – 20^thminutes, and the relief decreased 47% by the 60^thminutes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Two minutes of pressure on both sciatic nerves produced immediate significant short-term conduction analgesia. This technique is a convenient, safe and powerful method for the short-term treatment of clinical pain associated with a diverse range of pathologies.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ACTRN012606000439549</p

Immediate and short-term pain relief by acute sciatic nerve press: a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite much research, an immediately available, instantly effective and harmless pain relief technique has not been discovered. This study describes a new manipulation: a "2-minute sciatic nerve press", for rapid short-term relief of pain brought on by various dental and renal diseases.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial ran in three hospitals in Anhui Province, China, with an enrollment of 66 out of 111 solicited patients aged 16 to 74 years. Patients were recruited sequentially, by specific participating physicians at their clinic visits to three independent hospitals. The diseases in enrolled dental patients included dental caries, periodontal diseases and dental trauma. Renal diseases in recruits included kidney infections, stones and some other conditions. Patients were randomly assigned to receive the "2-minute sciatic nerve press" or the "placebo press". For the "2-minute sciatic nerve press", pressure was applied simultaneously to the sciatic nerves at the back of the thighs, using the fists while patients lay prone. For the "placebo press", pressure was applied simultaneously to a parallel spot on the front of the thighs, using the fists while patients lay supine. Each fist applied a pressure of 11 to 20 kg for 2 minutes, after which, patients arose to rate pain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The "2-minute sciatic nerve press" produced greater pain relief than the "placebo press". Within the first 10 minutes after sciatic pressure, immediate pain relief ratings averaged 66.4% (p < 0.001) for the dental patients, versus pain relief of 20% for the placebo press, and, 52.2% (p < 0.01) for the renal patients, versus relief of 14% for the placebo press, in median. The method worked excellently for dental caries and periodontal diseases, but poorly for dental trauma. Forty percent of renal patients with renal colic did not report any pain relief after the treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Two minutes of pressure on both sciatic nerves can produce immediate significant conduction analgesia, providing a convenient, safe and powerful way to overcome clinical pain brought on by dental diseases and renal diseases for short term purposes.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ACTR 12606000439549</p

Acanthopagrus latus migration patterns and habitat use in Wanshan Islands, Pearl River Estuary, determined using otolith microchemical analysis

IntroductionThe waters surrounding the Wanshan Islands are important traditional fishing grounds in China, with rich habitat types. Acanthopagrus latus is an economically important species in this area; however, the distribution of its spawning grounds and habitat use patterns remain unknown.MethodsThus 100 otolith samples of A. latus were collected from three geographic areas (MW: Qi’ao Island Mangrove Water Habitat; OW: Yamen Estuary Oyster Farm Water Habitat; RW: Dong’ao-Guishan Island Reef Water Habitat), and the concentrations of Sr and Ca along the shortest axis of the vertical otolith annual or lunar rings were measured to span the entire life cycle of A. latus, with the core and edge areas corresponding to environmental characteristics at birth and capture, respectively.Results and discussionAnalysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the ratios of Sr/Ca in otolith edges of RW samples are significantly higher than those of OW and MW samples; however, both the values of Sr/Ca ratio in otolith cores collected from OW and MW are comparable with those of RW samples. Cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) indicated that at the juvenile stage, RW and MW individuals in the two main clusters belonged to the same cluster. There was no significant difference between the cores of the RW samples and the edges of the MW and OW samples. Therefore, the spawning area of A. latus in the Wanshan Islands is thought to have originated from low to medium-salinity waters with mangroves and oyster farm habitats in the Pearl River Estuary. A. latus from RW was found to have three distinct habitat-use patterns: 1) Marine Resident (7.2% of sampled fish) fish that remain in marine habitats for life; 2) Marine Migrant (16.4% of sampled fish) juveniles inhabit low to moderate salinity habitats and migrate to marine habitats as they grow; 3) Estuarine Visitor (76.4% of sampled fish) repeated migration between low to moderate salinity and marine habitats. This suggests widespread migration between estuarine and marine habitats throughout the ontogeny. The plasticity of this habitat use and the protection of spawning grounds should be considered in future fisheries management because A. Latus in this area has been the victim of the overexploitation of resources

An Opinion on Mosquitoes’ Role in HIV Transmission

The concept that mosquitos do not transmit HIV was established in the 1980s. The present paper examined the early studies used in formulating the concept, and showed there were significant problems with the studies. The present paper demonstrates a consistent correlation between mosquitoes and HIV over a broad range of data worldwide, and suggested that, mosquitoes are a significant risk factor in HIV transmission.</jats:p