Evaluating Acupuncture Points With Scanning Kelvin Probe

Mass General Brigham

Status: Suspended

Conditions: Electrical Potential; Healthy Individuals; Acupuncture Points

Treatments: Other: not applicable in this study

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01545960

5R21AT005249-03

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to characterize the surface electrical potential of acupuncture points with a Scanning Kelvin Probe.

Full description

Acupuncture points are anatomical structures described by traditional Chinese medicine. To this day, however, their scientific and Western anatomical characterizations remain unclear. Past studies have suggested that acupuncture points are distinct electrically (increased electrical conductivity). To evaluate this claim, this study uses a Scanning Kelvin Probe to study the electrical potential of three acupuncture points and their respective adjacent controls in 24 healthy individuals. The Scanning Kelvin Probe is a novel device that measures the electrical potential of skin without actually touching the skin surface.

Enrollment: 24 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Individuals without chronic medical condition requiring daily medications (hypertension, diabetes, hypothyroidism, etc).

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals with autonomic disorders (sweating irregularities), skin disorders, extensive burns/scars on the hand, tremors, neuromuscular conditions, restless leg syndrome, movement disorders, and implanted cardiac defibrillator/pacemaker

Trial design

24 participants in 1 patient group

Healthy Volunteers

Treatment:

Other: not applicable in this study