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Role of Parameter Setting in Electroacupuncture: Current Scenario and Future Prospects

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Abstract

Acupuncture is an ancient therapeutic method based on the theory of Chinese medicine (CM). Traditional acupuncture has many limitations; it is subjective and relies more on the experience of an acupuncturist, and the efficacy is sometimes irreproducible. In contrast, electroacupuncture (EA) has special characteristics in terms of objectivity and stability, thereby gaining considerable attention. Parameter setting plays a crucial role in EA practice. The current paper summarizes the current situation and limitations of parameter setting in EA practice. Objectification is the tendency and future of CM as well as EA. With the development of computerized technologies, such as wearable sensors, vast data, and artificial intelligence, CM syndromes can be successfully objectified. We propose the development of a novel self-feedback-adjust EA system, which may improve the parameter setting in EA and be beneficial to both the patients and clinicians.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Enago (www.enago.jp) for the English language review.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China

    Yuan-yuan Zhang

  2. Research Base of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, 350122, China

    Qi-liang Chen, Shan-shan Ding, Shu-nan Li, Shu-jiao Chen, Xue-juan Lin, Can-dong Li & Tetsuya Asakawa

  3. Hangzhou Changgentang Clinic of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China

    Qiong Wang

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Handayama, Hamamatsu-city, Shizuoka, 431-3192, Japan

    Tetsuya Asakawa

Authors
  1. Yuan-yuan Zhang
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  2. Qi-liang Chen
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  3. Qiong Wang
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  4. Shan-shan Ding
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  9. Tetsuya Asakawa
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Contributions

Asakawa T conceived the original ideas. Zhang YY, Chen QL, Qiong W, Ding SS, Li SN, Chen SJ, Lin XJ, and Lin XJ searched for the literatures and extracted the information. Chen QL, Zhang YY and Asakawa T wrote the draft; Asakawa T drew the figures, Li CD and Asakawa T supervised the review. All authors discussed and approved the final version for publication.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Can-dong Li or Tetsuya Asakawa.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in the present study.

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. U1705286), Fujian Province Center for Collaborative Innovation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Management 2011 (No. JG2018001), the Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists, Type B, No. 20791025 and Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research C, General, No. 24592157,15k10358 and 18K08991)

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Zhang, Yy., Chen, Ql., Wang, Q. et al. Role of Parameter Setting in Electroacupuncture: Current Scenario and Future Prospects. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 28, 953–960 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-020-3269-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-020-3269-2

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