Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture : YNSA
Background: Traditional Chinese acupuncture (TCA) is an effective alternative treatment in migraine headache. The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic effect of Yamamoto new scalp acupuncture (YNSA), a recently developed microcupuncture system, with TCA for the prophylaxis and treatment of migraine headache.
Yamamoto new scalp acupuncture : YNSA
YNSA is a special form of traditional acupuncture. The method is based on a somatotope on the scalp. In the same way as with ear or mouth acupuncture, the entire organism is projected here on a defined area of the scalp. The locomotor system is at the boundary of the forehead and hair, whereas the internal organs are represented via Ypsilon points on both temples. Scalp acupuncture distinguishes a yin somatotope at the front of the scalp and a yang somatotope at the back of the scalp. With the aid of the special Japanese neck diagnostics, the associated Ypsilon therapy points in the temples or the corresponding cranial nerve points are revealed via pressure-sensitive points in the neck region. As a representative of each meridian, there is a pressure point on the neck and an associated treatment point in the region of the temples. If, for example, the kidney point on the neck is sensitive to pressure the needle is applied to the corresponding Ypsilon point in the temple. If the needle has been correctly positioned in the temple region then the pressure sensitivity in the neck disappears consecutively and thus provides immediate verification for correct positioning of the needle.
The cranial nerve points are highly active acupuncture points on the frontal scalp. Using these points, disorders of the corresponding meridians and the cranial nerves can be treated. For example, the lung cranial nerve point, the glossopharyngeal point is used for the treatment of the swallowing disorders after stroke as well as pulmonary disorders of different origin. Based on the YNSA-Yin basic point A, 12 cranial nerve points are located in a row in the dorsal direction up to DuMai20 for approximately 6-8 cm. For the practical use, the cranial nerve points are identified by the adbdominal or neck palpation technique. The painful abdominal or neck points show the way to the corresponding cranial nerve points. After correct acupuncture of the relevant cranial nerve points, the pain intensity of the abdominal or neck sites should be reduced, similar to the Ypsylon points. Similar to the other YNSA points, the cranial nerve points display small treatment areas, which are identified using careful palpitation. Acupuncture is then performed at the point with the highest pain intensity. Similar to the basic, brain and Ypsilon points, a careful palpitation is necessary and important for the localization of the cranial nerve points. The known Ypsilon and cranial nerve points can be used alone and in combination. It is important that the treated acupuncture point is reported as painful by the patient. A site which is not painful should not be treated. The cranial nerve points have shown to be very suitable for treatment of motor and other neurological symptoms.
Eight of 17 patients felt subjectively better after the YNSA. The patients experienced a reduction of spasm and an improvement of the movement of the paralysed upper extremities. The 5 patients from whom the data were evaluated all showed subjectively clinical benefit after the YNSA treatment. Data from 13 healthy volunteers could be analysed without artefacts. In these subjects it was possible to perform a group analysis. In contrast to the patients, the volunteers displayed a decrease in cortical activation during YNSA. Without acupuncture: Cortical activation was shown in the motor cortex, cingulate gyrus and occipital lobe. Sham acupuncture: Cortical activation identical to that in subjects without acupuncture. Genuine acupuncture: No activation in the cingulate gyrus. The cingulate gyrus is part of the limbic system, a multimodal area with important afferent and efferent connections which is involved in planning of complex and difficult movements. Theoretically, a lack of activation in the cingulate gyrus could be a training effect or the result of selective inhibition of this area by YNSA. Without acupuncture or with sham acupuncture cortical activation was observed close to the region of the vertex of the scalp, where GV20 is situated. This activation is not seen after genuine acupuncture. So it is conceivable that this is a specific YNSA effect. The effects look promising but could be the result of generalised stimulation. The reliability of the data analysis must also be verified. The design of the study shows methodological deficits. For studies in the future the documentation has to be done even more thoroughly with objective methods of measurement. The following practical problems were seen during the conduct of this study: Patients were lying down still in the scanner for about one hour. This was very tiring and difficult for the patients. In addition, it is conceivable that patients had major concentration problems during the third block (genuine acupuncture). We assume the results of this study could potentially support the use of YNSA as an adjunctive measure in stroke rehabilitation. In view of the fact that eight patients felt subjectively better after the treatment and in view of the changes in the cortical activations in the motor, premotor and supplemental motor cortex we assume that this benefit justifies the hypothesis that the YNSA treatment itself had this positive influence and is the cause of the positive effects described by the patients. As stroke is the leading cause of disability in the western world we assume that it is justified to suggest further larger controlled clinical trials and fMRI studies with more participants to investigate the phenomenon we have seen in this investigation (Schockert et al., 2010).
YNSA Yamamoto New Scalp AcupunctureDeveloped by Japanese doctor Toshikatsu Yamamoto, the YNSA scalp acupuncture method is a complete system for evaluation, diagnosis and treatment.Yamamotos YNSA method is the second-most prevalent microsystem in the world, behind only auriculotherapy.The system is very effective in treating both acute and chronic pain, as well as many neurological alterations such as after effects of a stroke. It is also very effective in many other pathologies.
In scalp acupuncture, several microsystems have been explored and developed since the 1950s in China. Jiao Shunfa, MD, Fang Yunpeng, MD, and Tang Songyan, MD, 3 major contributors, respectively, discovered different charts and scalp acupuncture groups. In the 1970s, Jiao established the concept of combining modern neurologic anatomy and physiology principles with traditional acupuncture techniques. Zhu Ming Qing, LAc, also developed his scalp acupuncture method in the 1970s, which was based on the origins of modern scalp acupuncture in the work of Huang Xuelong, MD, who introduced the concept of a relationship between the scalp and the cerebral cortex. He founded his method, Zhu's scalp acupuncture, and published a book in English in 1992.14
Toshikatsu Yamamoto, MD, PhD, established Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture (YNSA) in 1973 and distinguished it from traditional Chinese scalp acupuncture.15 YNSA is a somatotopic representative microsystem that shows the entire body anatomically and functionally on the scalp. YNSA has been recognized as an effective therapy for use during rehabilitation16 for pain relief in patients who have suffered stroke17 or have chronic pain.18 The efficacy of YNSA in migraine-related pain relief has been reported to be similar to that of traditional Chinese acupuncture.19
Another resource that can be applied to the treatment of low back pain is the acupuncture, in which needles are inserted at specific points on the skin (acupuncture points) in order to treat and prevent diseases and reduction of the pain 1414 Scognamillo-Szabó MVR, Bechara GH. Acupuntura: bases científicas e aplicações. Ciência rural. 2001; 31 (6):1091-99.1515 Martinez JE. Fibromialgia: o desafio do diagnóstico correto. Rev Bras Reumatol. 2006;46(1):1-2.1616 Mendonça CM, Vrabic J. Eficácia da acupuntura sobre a dor e a qualidade de vida em mulheres com fibromialgia. Revista PIBIC. 2006; 3(1):75-81.. The Yamamoto New Scalp Acupunture (YNSA) is one of the acupuncture techniques that can be used in the pain treatment. This technique was developed by Yamamoto and collaborators in the 70's and consists of a microsystem, in which the stimulation or puncture of points in the scalp causes effects in another corporal region, contributing to the treatment of diseases, especially the painful and neurological ones 1717 Yamamoto T, Yamamoto H, Yamamoto MM. Nova cranioacupuntura de Yamamoto. São Paulo: Roca, 2007..
Yamamoto New Scalp Acupuncture (YNSA) is an acupuncture method that involves the stimulation of acupuncture points on the scalp, and they are likely associated with other anatomical regions and meridians [10,11]. This technique has been developed for application in humans [11] and small animals to treat neurologic disorders and acute and chronic pain [10]. In patients suffering from osteoarthritis [12] and migraine [13], effective analgesia after YNSA is achieved. A controlled clinical study has reported that the addition of YNSA to a standard analgesic protocol reduces postoperative pain scores in cats undergoing OHE [9]. However, information about the use of YNSA as an adjunct therapy for perioperative pain management in small animal practice is limited. 041b061a72