The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of high intensity, high frequency microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation(MENS) of auricular and somatic acupuncture points and low intensity, low frequency microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation(MENS) of auricular and somatic acupuncture points on experimental pressure threshold at the elbow according to the time. Fifty healthy adults, aged 19 to 26 years, were assigned randomly to one of five groups: 1) the high intensity, high frequency somatic group(n=10) received MENS to somatic acupuncture points, 2) the high intensity, high frequency auricular group(n=10) received MENS to auricular acupuncture points, 3) the low intensity, low frequency somatic group(n=10) received MENS to somatic acupuncture points, 4) the low intensity, low frequency somatic group(n=10) receive MENS to somatic acupuncture points, and 5) the placebo group(n=10) received placebo treatment and served as controls. Pressure threshold was measured before, after, 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes. Pressure threshold has increased significantly(p<.05) in the high intensity, high frequency auricular group following treatment after 5 minutes, with no statistically significant differences in pressure threshold change scores among five groups, Only the high intensity, high frequency auricular group demonstrated statistically significant change score in pressure threshold following treatment after, 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes after compared to the placebo group. The results indicated that MENS applied to the high intensity, high frequency auricular group increases pressure threshold.

The purposes of this study were 1) to determine the changes between pre-treatment and post-treatment of four groups of 15 persons each and 2) to compare the effect of conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS) and laser at auricular acupuncture points on experimental pain threshold measured at the wrist. Sixty healthy adult men and women(M:32, F:28), aged 20 to 28 years, were assigned randomly to one of four groups. Group 1 received TENS to the appropriate auricular point for wrist pain, Group 2 received laser to the appropriate auricular point for wrist pain, Group 3 received placebo TENS to the appropriate auricular point for wrist pain, Group 4 received no treatment and served as controls. Experimental pain threshold at the wrist was determined with a painful electrical stimulus before and 20 minutes after ear stimulation. Group 1 was the only group that showed a stastically significant increase (p<0.05) in pain threshold after treatment whereas the Group 2,3 and 4 did not. These results suggest that TENS has the capability to higher pain threshold but laser does not.

의료용 디지털 영상 및 통신 표준과 3차원 의료 영상 프로그램을 이용하여 외이도의 해부학적 특징들을 비교하였다. 실험은 연령과 성별이 다른 63귀의 영상을 이용하여 외이도의 횡축 길이, 내부 직경 둘레, 상 하부 굴곡 각도를 측정한 후 비교하였다. 실험 결과 외이도 형태는 연령과 성별뿐 만 아니라 동일인의 좌. 우에서도 다르게 나타났다. 성별 비교에서 남자 35귀, 여자 28귀에 대한 평균 길이는 남자가 4.75mm 길게 나타났다. 외이도 직경 둘레는 하부 굴곡 각도를 중심으로 내측이 외측 보다 평균 37.2% 감소된 형태로 나타났다. 상하부 굴곡 각도는 상부가 평균적으로 25.7° 높았으나 4귀에서 하부 각도가 높고, 연령이 낮은(4~ 14세) 8귀에서 상하부 굴곡 각도 차이가 크게 나타났다. 이는 성장하면서 외이도 굴곡 모양이 변화됨을 나타냈다. 본 연구는 기존 귀본 채취를 통한 간접 측정과 물리적 방법에 의한 직접 측정과 비교하여 안전성과 정밀성을 높일 수 있는 방법이다. 이는 3차원 의료 영상 표현 기술이 실제에 가깝게 표현할 수 있는 기술 향상 때문이며 더 발전하여 외이도 형태의 표준화 연구에도 활용될 수 있는 측정 방법이라 판단된다.