Y point needling for common-cold-induced cough

기침에 잘 듣는다는 혈자리?

Kawakita K, Shichidou T, Inoue E, Nabeta T, Kitakouji H, Aizawa S기타. Preventive and curative effects of acupuncture on the common cold: a multicentre randomized controlled trial in Japan. Complement Ther Med. 2004 12;12(4):181-188.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the preventive and curative effects of manual acupuncture on the symptoms of the common cold.

METHOD: Students and staff in five Japanese acupuncture schools (n=326) were randomly allocated to acupuncture and no-treatment control groups. A specific needling point (Y point) on the neck was used bilaterally. Fine acupuncture needles were gently manipulated for 15 s, evoking de qi sensation. Acupuncture treatments were performed four times during the 2-week experimental period with a 2-week follow-up period. A common cold diary was scored daily for 4 weeks, and a common cold questionnaire was scored before each acupuncture treatment and twice at weekly intervals. A reliability test for the questionnaire was performed on the last day of recording.

RESULTS: Five of the 326 subjects who were recruited dropped out. The diary score in the acupuncture group tended to decrease after treatment, but the difference between groups was not significant (Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, log rank test P=0.53, Cox regression analysis, P>0.05). Statistically significantly fewer symptoms were reported in the questionnaire by the acupuncture group than control group (P=0.024, general linear model, repeated measure). Significant inter-centre (P<0.001, general linear model) and sex (P=0.027, general linear model) differences were also detected. Reliability tests indicated that the questionnaire with 15 items was sufficiently reliable. No severe adverse event was reported. 

CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a multi-centre randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for symptoms of the common cold. A significantly positive effect of acupuncture was demonstrated in the summed questionnaire data, although a highly significant inter-centre difference was observed. Needling on the neck using the Japanese fine needle manipulating technique was shown to be effective and safe. The use of acupuncture for symptoms of the common cold symptoms should be considered, although further evidence from placebo controlled RCTs is required.

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In the full article of the research above, Y point was introduced as follows. "The points are located about 1.5 cun (the width of finger) lateral to the midline. The Y point was used by a famous Japanese acupuncturist, Yoneyama Hirohisa for treating pain in the throat. The anatomical structure of the Y point has not been clarified, but it is located near the submandibular triangle." The outcomes of this study were shown as the symptoms of common cold as a whole, and were not focused on individual symptoms.

I have frequently experienced sudden decrease of cough both in frequency and intensity after needling Y points. Needling at Y point works many times especially when administered to moderate to severe cough patients caused by recent common cold. However it hardly worked in case of moderate to severe chronic cough. I don't know the exact mechanism, but it might be relevant to the immune modulation to acute or sub-acute regional inflammation that leads cough around Y point. For some patients with common-cold-induced severe cough, Y point stimulation suddenly ceased cough for the time being. However, in general, cough continued some hours later after needles were removed from Y point. Therefore antitussive effect of Y point stimulation would be limited within a few hours. I think this procedure is useful in traditional medicine clinics for both inpatients and outpatients when the administration of the antitussive herbal medicine cannot be made instantly or when concomitant administration of Y point needling and herbal medicine is needed.

For the symptom of sore throat from common cold, Y point needling works quite well.

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