The effects of application of an ancient type of acupuncture needle on increase in urination of hospitalized oldest-old people

Abstract

The di-zhen (DZ) is an ancient type of acupuncture needle with a history dating back to more than 2000 years. Unlike modern acupuncture needles, the DZ is not inserted subcutaneously and is considered to be safe for common use, even at the bedside of terminally ill patients. In this case study, DZ application was selected and applied 14 times on a 92-year-old patient who had suffered severe oliguria along with administration of diuretics. Urine volume increased 12 out of 14 times following DZ treatment; however, the other two times it was ineffective. To investigate the reason and the differences in effective/ineffective DZ application, two internal conditions (effective vs ineffective) were compared by analyzing daily nursing reports (vital signs such as blood pressure, urine volume and body temperature) and weekly clinical data (including renal, liver and immune function, urea nitrogen, creatinine, ALT, AST, the ratio and number of leukocytes, erythrocytes). DZ application increased urine volume via a transient modification of the autonomic nervous system when internal homeostasis was maintained. Aging populations, who often have several diseases and medications, are rapidly increasing in developed countries. Therefore, the study and application of DZ may contribute to a reduction in medical costs, which have been rapidly and heavily expanding recently.