3. 2. 2. 2 Acupoint injection
Acupoint injection, also known as "water-needling", is a therapy used to inject the medicated solution into an acupoint or a point with positive reaction to produce a syn-thetic effect of acupuncture and medicaments.
3.2, 2, 2. 1 Manipulations
The medicated solution is drawn with a suitable injec-tor and a syringe needle, inserted quickly to the subcuta-neous region of an acupoint and pushed it slowly to a cer-tain depth. When the needling sensation (such as aching and distention) is induced, the syringe needle is with-drawn a little and the medicated solution is injected if there is no blood drawn into the injector. For the patients with deficiency syndrome or poor constitution, the speed of injection should be slow; while for the patients with ex-cessive syndrome or good constitution, the injection can be quickened appropriately.
The injection dose for each acupoint depends on the location of the acupoint, pathological conditions of the pa-tient and the concentration of the medicated solution. Generally speaking, the injection dose for the acupoints located on the head and face is 0.3 - 0.5 ml, for those lo-cated on the chest and back region is 0.5 - 1 ml, and for those located on thick muscles of the limbs, waist and but-rocks is 2 - 5 ml. For injection with small dose, the dose is 1/10 - 1/2 of the original dose of medicated solution. Usually the injection can be given once a day or once every other day. Six to eight times make up one course of treatment. For the treatment of emergent syndromes, the injection is given once or twice a day.
3. 2. 2. 2. 2 Scope of application
Acupoint injection can be used to treat most of the diseases in all clinical departments and often be applied to obstructive syndrome, stomachache, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and hypertension.
3. 2. 2. 2. 3 Cautions
Strict sterilization is needed to avoid infection; atten-tion should be paid to the properties, pharmacological ac-tion, dosage, contraindication of compatibility, term of validity, side effect and allergic reactions of the drugs. As to the drugs which can induce allergic reaction, hypersen-sitive test should be done first. The vessels, articular cavity, and spinal column should in no case be injected with drugs. When the needle tip touches the trunk of the nerve and the patient feels like electricity shock, the nee-dle must be withdrawn, the angle of insertion must be changed and the drugs are injected after the trunk of nerve is avoided. This therapy should be used with great care to treat the aged, patients with poor constitution, pregnant women and infants.
