title: Is there a difference between the effects of single and triple indirect moxibustion stimulations on skin temperature changes of the posterior trunk surface?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether any difference exists in responses to indirect moxibustion (IM) relative to thermal stimulation duration.
  
  
  METHODS
  In experiment 1, 9 subjects attended two experimental sessions consisting of single stimulation with IM or triple stimulation with IM, using a crossover design. A K-type thermocouple temperature probe was fixed on the skin surface at the GV14 acupuncture point. IM stimulation was administered to the top of the probe in order to measure the temperature curve. In addition, each subject evaluated his or her subjective feeling of heat on a visual analogue scale after each stimulation. Experiment 2 was conducted on 42 participants, divided into three groups according to the envelope allocation method: single stimulation with IM (n=20), triple stimulation with IM (n=11) and a control group (n=11). A thermograph was used to obtain the skin temperature on the posterior trunk of the participant. To analyse skin temperature, four arbitrary frames (the scapular, interscapular, lumbar and vertebral regions) were made on the posterior trunk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In experiment 1, no significant difference in maximum temperature was found in IM and subjective feeling of heat intensity between single and triple stimulation with IM. In experiment 2, increases in skin temperature occurred on the posterior trunk, but no differences in skin temperature occurred between the groups receiving single and triple stimulation with IM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No difference exists in the skin temperature response to moxibustion between the single and triple stimulation with IM.
authors.affiliation: Course of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Department of Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tsukuba University of Technology, Tsukuba, Japan.
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kuge
authors.forename: Tim Hideaki
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taniwaki
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohsawa
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001415:Back; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009071:Moxibustion / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012881:Skin Temperature; D013817:Thermography; D013697:Thermosensing; D055815:Young Adult