title: Changes in skin impedance and heart rate variability with application of Acu-TENS to BL 13 (Feishu).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the change of skin impedance of acupoints along the Lung meridian in response to transcutaneous electrical nervous stimulation over an acupoint (Acu-TENS) over BL13 (Feishu).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a double-blinded, randomized, controlled crossover study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in a laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen (18) healthy individuals comprised the study subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  The intervention was a session of 45-minute Acu-TENS (application of TENS on BL13, Feishu) or placebo-TENS (similar to Acu-TENS but without electrical output).
  
  
  METHODS
  Skin impedance at 10 acupoints on the Lung meridian was recorded before and after the 45-minute intervention period. Heart rate variability during the intervention was analyzed from continuous heart rate monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Skin impedance at all acupoints along the lung meridian decreased significantly after Acu-TENS, when compared to placebo-TENS (p<0.05). A significant reduction in sympathetic activity was also observed after Acu-TENS (p=0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acu-TENS appears to modify skin impedance of acupoints along a related meridian and possibly modulates sympathovagal balance.
authors.affiliation: Center for East-meets-West in Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Shirley P C
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.forename: Alice Y M
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D016740:Meridians; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation