(Dept. Acupuncture & Moxibustion Oriental Medical college, Wokwang University)
Aqua-acupuncture therapy is a new acupuncture-therapy that cures diseases by needling with direct medication of oriental or western medicine at acupuncture points which are related to a disease, pressure pain points or positive reaction points according to meridian theory, followed by controlling one's body function and relieving the pathogenic state. Recently, the method is widely applied clinically owing to its handiness and usefulness, but it is pointed that it has some problems. Therefore, the present studies have been carried out to introduce history of the method, materia-medica which is ordinarily used, acupuncture points to be selected, handling method, mechanism of action, range of application and some points to be careful. Moreover, through the experiences that we have made by applying the method clinically, we suggest that the following study should be carried out : First, clinical application of needling with direct medication should be made by using materia-medica which is already proved safe. Second, it is essential to study the side-effects accompanying fever, pains, mass and hemolysis after the method is applied. Third, the study on the mechanism of action of the method should be accomplished continuously.