[Verification of the theory of "Lieque (LU 7) for the disorders of the head and neck" based on infrared thermography].

Objective: To verify that whether or not through the effects of the externally and internally related meridians in treatment, Lieque (LU 7) is adopted specially for the disorders of the head and neck.
Methods: A total of 36 healthy volunteers were collected from the students of Gansu University of CM and were divided into a Lieque group and a Jingqu group according to the random number table, 18 cases in each one. In the Lieque group, Lieque (LU 7) on the unilateral side was punctured in the subjects. In the Jingqu group, Jingqu (LU 8) was taken as the control because it was located close to Lieque (LU 7) and on the same meridian. Before and after acupuncture in the two groups, separately, the infrared thermography was adopted to determine the temperature changes at the acupoints of the lung meridian of hand- taiyin , i.e. Jingqu (LU 8), Lieque (LU 7), Kongzui (LU 6), Chize (LU 5) and Tianfu (LU 3) as well as the acupoints of the large intestine meridian of hand- yangming , i.e., Wenliu (LI 7), Shousanli (LI 10), Quchi (LI 11), Shouwuli (LI 13) and Binao (LI 14).
Results: After acupuncture stimulation at Lieque (LU 7), the temperature at the acupoints of the lung meridian of hand- taiyin , i.e. Jingqu (LU 8), Lieque (LU 7), Kongzui (LU 6), Chize (LU 5) and Tianfu (LU 3) and the acupoints of the large intestine meridian of hand- yangming , i.e. Wenliu (LI 7), Shousanli (LI 10), Quchi (LI 11), Shouwuli (LI 13) and Binao (LI 14) was all higher obviously as compared with the temperature before acupuncture stimulation (all P <0.05). After acupuncture stimulation at Jingqu (LU 8), the temperature at the acupoints of the lung meridian of hand- taiyin was all increased obviously as compared with the temperature before acupuncture stimulation (all P <0.05), but there was no significant difference in the temperature at the large intestine meridian of hand- yangming (all P >0.05).
Conclusion: For the disorders of the head and neck, acupuncture at Lieque (LU 7) achieves the stimulation and communication of both the lung meridian and the large intestine meridians, so that it is applicable for the disorders of the externally and internally related meridians.