In order to study the needling depth and the prolongated sensation along the meridian(PSM) and the presence of deqi in regions adjacent to the acupoint, acupuncture was performed at the Hapgok(LI-4) loci and at points 3㎜ and 5㎜ away from the Hapgok loci on the left side of 50 healthy subjects, both male and female.
Upon needling, we compared the differences of the needling depth of acupoint and their correlation to the length of the second phalanx of middle finger as Tong Shen Cun´s standard and PSM. And the sensation of deqi was classified into soreness, numbness, heaviness, and distension and was recorded. The PSM was also examed.
The results were as follows :
1. Upon needling at the Hapgok loci, 49(98%) expressed the effects of deqi, and upon needling at points 3㎜ superior, inferior, anterior, and posterior to the Hapgok loci, 44(88%), 43(86%), 40(80%), and 46(92%) of the subjects have expressed the effects of deqi, respectively. Upon needling at points 5㎜ superiar, inferior, anterior, and posterior to the Hapgok loci, 46(92%), 44(88%), 39(78%), and 45(90%) of the subjects, respectively, have expressed the effects of deqi.
2. Upon deqi, 27.5% professed soreness, 10.6% numbness, 54.8% heaviness, 5.6% distension, and 1.5% others.
3. The needling depth at the Hapgok loci was 0.7260±0.044 cun ; the depths at points 3㎜ superior, inferior, anterior, and posterior to the Hapgok loci were 0.6627±0.037 cun, 0.6560±0.037 cun, 0.6773±0.047 cun, and 0.6773±0.036 cun, respectively; those at points 5㎜ superior, inferior, anterior, and posterior to the Hapgok were 0.6620±0.039 cun, 0.7018±0.043cun, 0.6685±0.040 cun, and 0.6781±0.038 cun, respectively.
4. 16(32%) subjects experienced afferent conduction of stimulus, and 20(40%) of the subjects experienced efferent(i.e. towards the figers) conduction of sdmulus; 10(20%) subjects experienced conduction of stimulus along the upper limb, and 3(6%) subjects experienced a bidirectional conduction of stimuls.
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