The process of pulse diagnosis was examined in a sample of 100 patients randomly selected from the author's acupuncture clinic. Patient symptoms, pulses (as utilised in traditional Chinese medicine), diagnostic criteria (as described in traditional Chinese medicine), acupuncture points selected and patient comments after each treatment were coded into a numerical format suitable for stepwise multiple regression and crosstabulation analysis. The analysis indicated that the interpretation of pulse qualities predicted the diagnostic criteria when used in accordance with the theories of acupuncture. The selection of acupuncture points could not be predicted from the diagnostic criteria when using pulse diagnosis. Additionally the analysis indicated that the patient comments after acupuncture were independent of the initial patient symptoms. More research is needed to more fully understand the process of pulse diagnosis. However the analysis does suggest that pulse diagnosis should be incorporated into acupuncture curricula in both traditional acupuncture courses and medical acupuncture courses.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / A dor à uma das principais causas do sofrimento humano, aflige a humanidade desde o inicio de sua existÃncia e, independentemente de seu carÃter agudo ou crÃnico, desencadeia no homem alteraÃÃes nos padrÃes de sono, apetite e libido, irritabilidade, diminuiÃÃo da capacidade de concentraÃÃo, alÃm de dificuldades em atividades familiares, profissionais e sociais. A fibromialgia (FB) à uma sÃndrome musculoesquelÃtica crÃnica caracterizada por dor generalizada, de etiologia ainda nÃo completamente esclarecida, que ocorre predominantemente em indivÃduos de cor branca, afetando 2,5% da populaÃÃo brasileira, com maior incidÃncia no sexo feminino, na fase produtiva (antes dos 50 anos de idade), podendo tambÃm afetar crianÃas e idosos. Na ausÃncia de marcadores especÃficos, o diagnÃstico da FB à baseado em achados clÃnicos conforme critÃrios estabelecidos pelo American College of Rheumatology: dor generalizada presente no esqueleto axial e em ambos os hemicorpos, acima e abaixo da cintura, presenÃa de 11 ou mais dos18 tender points e dor crÃnica por mais de 3 meses. O tratamento da FB tem como objetivo reduzir a dor e os sintomas associados e melhorar a qualidade de vida. Antidepressivos associados a tratamentos nÃo farmacolÃgicos incluindo exercÃcios aerÃbicos de baixo impacto, alongamentos, programas de fortalecimento ou relaxamento muscular, reabilitaÃÃo e fisioterapia tÃm sido usados com resultados nem sempre satisfatÃrios. Outras terapias sÃo recomendadas, como balneoterapia, termoterapia, terapia magnÃtica, homeopatia, manipulaÃÃo manual, dietoterapia, musicoterapia e acupuntura, pelos seus efeitos auto-reguladores, analgÃsicos e antiinflamatÃrios. Na busca de outras opÃÃes terapÃuticas, este estudo objetiva avaliar os efeitos da acupuntura, da eletro- acupuntura e da moxabustÃo sobre a dor e a qualidade de vida em mulheres fibromiÃlgicas. Participaram do estudo 30 mulheres com idades entre 20 e 60 anos (mÃdia 46,90Â9,24), selecionadas segundo critÃrios prÃ-definidos, portadoras de fibromialgia, que apresentavam dor de intensidade moderada a grave (Algometria de Fischer <4kg/cm2). As pacientes foram distribuÃdas aleatoriamente em trÃs grupos (n=10) e tratadas com acupuntura (AC) [G-1], eletroacupuntura (EAC) [G-2] e moxabustÃo (MX) [G-3], durante 8 semanas (sessÃes semanais). Agulhas de aÃo inoxidÃvel foram inseridas em acupontos especÃficos bilateralmente (Neiguan/PC-6, Hegu/IG-4, Yanglingquan/VB-34, Sanyinjiao/BP-6 e Taichong/F-3) em todas as pacientes e retidas por 30 minutos. Adicionalmente, foram aplicadas a EAC (G-2) ou a MX (G-3) durante 30 minutos. Para avaliaÃÃo da intensidade da dor foram utilizados o questionÃrio McGill, a Escala de Faces de Wong-Baker e o AlgÃmetro de Fischer. A qualidade de vida foi avaliada utilizando o questionÃrio The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), traduzido, adaptado e validado para a lÃngua portuguesa em 1999. Os dados foram tabulados utilizando-se o software Excel para Windows 2007 da Microsoft Corporation (U.S.A.) e analisados pelo programa de anÃlise estatÃstica GraphPad Prism v.5.00 (GraphPad Software, San Diego, CalifÃrnia, U.S.A). Os resultados mostram que nenhum dos trÃs mÃtodos de tratamento utilizados no estudo (AC, EAC, MX) promove reduÃÃo da dor em mulheres fibromiÃlgicas, apÃs 8 semanas de tratamento. Por outro lado, tanto a EAC como a MX melhoram a saÃde mental; a AC promove a melhora da vitalidade nessas pacientes. / Pain is one of the major causes of human suffering, afflicted humanity since the beginning of its existence and, regardless of its acute or chronic character, triggers in man changes in sleep patterns, appetite and libido, irritability, decreased ability to concentrate, in addition to difficulties in family, professional and social activities. Fibromyalgia (FB) is a syndrome characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, etiology not yet fully clarified, that occurs predominantly in white individuals, affecting 2.5% of the Brazilian population, with higher incidence in females, in the productive phase (before 50 years of age), and may also affect children and the elderly. In the absence of specific markers, the diagnosis of FB is based on clinical findings according to criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology: widespread pain present in the axial skeleton and in both hemibodies, above and below the waist, presence of 11 or more of the 18 tender points and chronic pain for more than 3 months. FB treatment aims to reduce pain and associated symptoms and improve quality of life. Antidepressants associated with non-pharmacological treatments including low impact aerobic, stretching, strengthening programs, or muscle relaxation, rehabilitation and physical therapy have been used with results not always satisfactory. Other therapies such as balneotherapy, thermotherapy, magnetic therapy, homeopathy, manual handling, dietotherapy, music therapy and acupuncture are recommended for its self-regulatory, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. In search of other therapeutic options, this study aims to evaluate the effects of acupuncture, electroacupuncture and moxibu stion on the pain and quality of life in fibromyalgic women. Thirty women aged between 20 and 60 years (mean age 46.90Â9.24), selected according to predefined criteria, with FB, who had pain of moderate to severe intensity (<4kg/cm2) were included in the study. The patients were randomized, distributed in three groups (n=10) and treated with acupuncture (AC) [G-1], electroacupuncture (EAC) [G-2] and moxibustion (MX) [G-3], during 8 weeks (weekly sessions). Stainless steel needles were inserted into specific acupoints bilaterally (Neiguan/PC-6, Hegu/G-4, Yanglingquan/VB-34, Sanyinjiao/BP-6 and Taichong/F-3) in all patients, and retained for 30 minutes. Additionally, EAC (G-2) or MX (G-3) were applied during 30 minutes. To evaluate the intensity of the pain the McGill questionnaire, the Wong-Baker Faces Scale and the Fischer Algometer device were used. The quality of life was assessed using the questionnaire The Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), translated, adapted and validated for the Portuguese language in 1999.The data was tabulated using the Excel 2007 software for Windows  from Microsoft Corporation (U.S.A). GraphPad Prism  v. 5.00 (GraphPad Software, San Diego, California, U.S.A) program was used for statistical analysis. The results show that none of the three treatment methods used in the study (AC, EAC, MX) promotes reduction of pain in fibromyalgic women, after 8 weeks of treatment. However, both EAC as MX treatments improve the mental health. Additionally, the AC improves vitality in these patients.