Abstract:
Currently, the issue of stress has a highly negative effect to health. Medically, there are many ways to relieve stress through various methods such as meditation, listening to music, or even acupuncture therapy.
Objective This research, researcher aims to study the dynamics of stress and change of the electroencephalogram (EEG) after acupuncture at Shenmen (TF4) point by using tests to measure stress for Thai people(Thai stress test) and to measure the change of EEG as a measuring tool of such occurred change.
Materials and Methods The Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial in Crossover design study was conducted among the same volunteers.The volunteers were selected from the personnel in emergency division and critical patient unit at Dr. Hann Hospital with both male and female subjects and age range of 20-50 years old and they do not have any underlying disease or any states affecting the experiment. 16 volunteers were randomized from the group consistent with the criteria, terms and condition. The study was conducted by starting from stimulating the participants to have stress by watching a clip video regarding with disasters and then they did a questionnaire about stress (Thai stress test) consisting of 2 sets and each set contained 12 questionnaire. The first set was measuring negative feelings while another was to measure positive feelings. Electroencephalogram (Emotiv EEG Neuroheadset 14 channels) was attatched and monitored before acupuncture. After that, needles were punctured at Shenmen (TF4) point through skin for approximately 30 minutes. When it was due, the participants retook the stress questionnaire again and post-acupuncture EEG was recorded. Three days later, the same experiment was performed again but using placebo acupuncture instead. When it ended, the result was recorded to compare acupuncture at Shenmen (TF4) point and Placebo acupuncture by referring from stress score in Thai stress test and the changes of brain wave activities.
Results From Thai stress test, the comparative result of the test to measure feelings and stress levels of 16 people as sample group after placebo acupuncture and actual acupuncture (Shenmen Acupuncture) found that the result of the test with positive feeling when comparing between acupuncture is 10.13 (± 4.19) and placebo acupuncture is 7.81 (± 2.71) has statistically significant difference at the level of 0.05 (t = -0.56; p = 0.013 *). Besides, the result of the test with negative feeling after receiving the acupuncture is 6.88 (± 5.98) compared to placebo acupuncture is 7.50 (± 4.31), and there has no statistically significant difference at the level of 0.05 (t = -0.64; p = 0.529). While from the analysis of the Thai stress test showed that when compared the number in volunteers of those who received placebo acupuncture with those who received the acupuncture at Shenmen (TF4) point found that the volunteers who stress level in the group of very stressful and slightly stress ,were decrease in numbers. For those on a regular basis stress group is increases in numbers, and for those who in very good basis group is same in number. These statistically significant changes are at p = 0.049 * and capable to be concluded that acupuncture at Shenmen (TF4) point can help to relax and relieve stress.
For comparison of types of electroencephalogram (EEG) showed that the Gamma Brainwave type after acupuncture at Shenmen (TF4) point while the eyes are open tend to increase, and in the Placebo group also slightly increase. However, there is no statistically significant difference between the two groups in the eyes-opened measurement (t = 0.43, p = 0.676), in terms of the measurement while the eyes are closed, the acupuncture at Shenmen (TF4) point, the Gamma Brainwave type is likely decrease but the Placebo tends to increase. When comparing the two groups found that the measurement after the experiments between the two different groups has statistically significant difference at the value (t = -2.34, p = 0.034 *).
While other types of electroencephalogram (EEG) including Alpha brainwave, Beta brainwave, Theta brainwave and Delta Brainwave, found that there are changes in both when eyes are opened and closed before and after acupuncture and placebo acupuncture, but this change has no statistically significant difference.
Conclusion This study showed that the acupuncture at Shenmen (TF4) point could reduce stress, especially in the positive feeling scale of Thai Stress Test between Shenmen (TF4) point and Placebo acupuncture. However, there are changes of brainwave activities in both when eyes are opened and closed before and after Shenmen (TF4)and placebo acupuncture, but this change has no statistically significant difference.