Association Between 2-Hz Electroacupuncture Stimulation Near the Cervical Sympathetic Trunk and Nasal Skin Temperature: A Randomized Crossover Study.

Abstract

Objective: Human nasal vessels are innervated by sympathetic vasoconstrictors. This study examined the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation near the cervical sympathetic ganglion on human nasal skin temperature. Materials and Methods: This prospective, single center study was conducted at Teikyo Heisei University, in Tokyo, Japan, with 20 healthy adults (17 men and 3 women). The subjects were assigned randomly to an untreated group or an EA group in a crossover trial. The washout period was 2 weeks. In both groups, after 5 minutes of rest, a 5-minute additional rest or an EA stimulus was delivered, followed by 5 minutes more of rest. The EA was delivered near the cervical ganglia at the level of the sixth cervical vertebra on the left side. The EA stimulus was set to 2\u2009Hz, and the stimulation intensity was set to a level at which no pain was felt by the subjects. Results: The EA group had significant decreases in nasal skin temperature during the intervention, compared with that temperature before the intervention. Additionally, the EA group had significant decreases in nasal skin temperature, compared with those in the untreated group. Conclusions: Stimulation with 2-Hz EA in the vicinity of the cervical sympathetic trunk decreases nasal skin temperature and activates sympathetic nerves. Future studies should assess EA s effectiveness for conditions such as allergic rhinitis.