Alterations in Bioelectric Activity at Acupuncture Points Following CV4 Cranial Manipulation

This study is designed to measure bioelectrical activity at acupuncture Ting (Jing-Well) points immediately before and after employing a specific Osteopathic Cranial Manipulative Medicine (OCMM) technique called CV4 (Compression of the 4th Ventricle) vs. a Sham treatment. Ting (Jing-Well) points are acupuncture points located at the proximal edges of the finger- and toenails that represent the beginning and end of 14 acupuncture meridians as described in Traditional Chinese Medicine and Japanese systems. Measurement of electrical activity at Ting points is performed by a physicist who has extensive experience using a device known as the Apparatus for Meridian Identification (AMI). Data collected and analyzed by the AMI for both CV4 and Sham groups is compared statistically for significant differences in before vs. after electrical activity and specific acupuncture meridians affected. One particular analysis of After Polarization (AP) potentials correlates with changes in autonomic nervous system activity.