Effects of electroacupuncture on a degenerated intervertebral disc using an in-vivo rat-tail model

A. LAI, Hung Kay Daniel CHOW, W.-S. SIU, A. D. HOLMES, F.-H. TANG, M. C. LEUNG

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlespeer-review

7 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Electroacupuncture (EA) has long been used as conservative treatment for low back pain (LBP). Its effect on relief of back pain has been demonstrated in many clinical studies. However, whether it has any effect on the biological properties of an intervertebral disc, which is one of the major causes of LBP, is still unclear. The aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate the effects of EA with different simulation frequencies on an intervertebral disc with simulated degeneration using an in-vivo rat-tail model. In this study, 33 rats were used. Disc degeneration was simulated in the rat caudal 8-9 disc via continuous static compressive loading of 11 N for 2 weeks. EA with a frequency of 2 or 100 Hz was then applied to the degenerated disc for 3 weeks with 3 sessionstweek and 20 min/session. The intervertebral disc height was measured before and after compression as well as after EA intervention for 3 weeks. The static compression was found to result in a reduction in the disc height of about 22 per cent. There was no evidence that this change could be reversed after resting or the EA intervention. However, EA at 100 Hz was found to induce a further decrease in disc height, which was not shown for the rats after resting or EA at 2 Hz. The results of this study showed that effects of EA on disc degeneration are frequency dependent and adverse effects could result if EA at a certain frequency was used. Copyright © 2008 IMechE .
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)241-248
JournalProceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine
Volume222
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2008

Citation

Lai, A., Chow, D. H. K., Siu, W.-S., Holmes, A. D., Tang, F.-H., & Leung, M. C. (2008). Effects of electroacupuncture on a degenerated intervertebral disc using an in-vivo rat-tail model. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 222(2), 241-248. doi: 10.1243/09544119JEIM282

Keywords

  • Electroacupuncture
  • Intervertebral disc degeneration
  • Disc height
  • Rat-tail model

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