Completed Projects
Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) Research
Project Titles:
Project 1: Complementary Medicine Approaches to TMD Pain Management
Project 2: Alternative Medicine Approaches for Women with TMD
Collaborating Institution: Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR)
Funding Agency: NIH/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Project 1 Description: This project compares the effectiveness of standardized acupuncture, individualized acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy and conventional care for treating TMD-related pain. Outcome measures include patient assessed TMD pain, symptoms and stress levels. Fifty patients in each of the five groups receive 10 treatments.
Project 1: Complementary Medicine Approaches to TMD Pain Management
Project 2: Alternative Medicine Approaches for Women with TMD
Collaborating Institution: Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR)
Funding Agency: NIH/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Project 1 Description: This project compares the effectiveness of standardized acupuncture, individualized acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy and conventional care for treating TMD-related pain. Outcome measures include patient assessed TMD pain, symptoms and stress levels. Fifty patients in each of the five groups receive 10 treatments.
Project 2 Description: This project compares the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (acupuncture and Chinese herbs), naturopathic medicine and conventional medicine for treatment of for treatment of women with TMD and other concurrent conditions, such as fibromyalgia, headaches, and depression. Outcome measures include patient assessed TMD pain, symptoms and stress levels. Fifty patients in each of the three groups receive 20 treatments.
Current Status: As of February 2005, subject recruitment has been completed for both Project 1 and Project 2.
Reliability of the Prognos A
Project Title: Reliability of acupuncture point measuring device Prognos A (Phase II)
Funding Agency: Oregon Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, supported by NIH/NCCAM.
Project Description: The purpose of this study is to determine how accurately the Prognos A performs when measuring electrical skin resistance at acupoints and whether repetitive measurements performed by different testers using the Prognos A are consistently reproducible. There will be a total of 30 subjects enrolled into the study and your participation is for approximately 2 hours.
Current Status: The results of this investigation led to the conclusion; ‘Prognos’ is a reliable device for measuring ESR at the Jing-well acupoints.
Principal Investigator: Richard Hammerschlag, PhD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine)
Co-Investigators: Agatha P. Colbert, MD, Post-doctoral research fellow, Oregon Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research.
Bioelectrical measurements of acupoints
Project Title: Bioelectrical measurements of acupuncture points and meridians
Collaborating institutions: Portland State University (PSU); Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR)
Funding Agency: NIH/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(Developmental project awarded through an NIH/NCCAM Center grant to KPCHR.)
Project Description: The project is part of a larger program aimed at determining whether electrical measurements at acupuncture points are reliable as clinical biomarkers. Prognos, a commercially available device, as well as a custom-made device are being used to measure electrical properties of the skin surface at acupuncture points and at surrounding areas.
Current Status: As of February 2005, the project has completed enrollment.
Principal Investigator: Richard Hammerschlag, PhD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine)
Co-Investigators: Agatha P Colbert, MD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine); James McNames, PhD (PSU)
Oregon College of Oriental Medicine Study Team: Meggan Baumgartner (Research Coordinator); Research practitioners: Gary Bonderant, LAc, Deb Espesete, LAc, Roger Lore, LAc, Cita Oudijk, LAc, Beth Yohalem -Ilsley, LAc.
PSU Study Team: Sean Pearson (Research assistant), Daniel Tsunami (Research assistant)
Variability of electrical skin resistance at the Ting points
Project Title: Physiologic variability of electrical skin resistance measurements at the Ting acupuncture points.
Funding Agency: Supported in part by Public Health Service grant 5 MO1 RR000334 and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine/National Institutes of Health grant AT00076 through the Oregon Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Project Description: A total of three goals were identified for this study 1) To determine intra-subject physiological variability of measurements at 24 specific acupuncture points over a 24-hour period 2) to determine inter-subject variability of measurements at 24 specific acupuncture points 3) to describe any inherent rhythm/s in these measurements over a 24 hour period.
Current status: Project is completed and results were published in Medical Acupuncture in January of this year. Colbert, AP, Hayes M, Aickin M, Hammerschlag R. Physiologic variability of electrical skin resistance measurements at the Ting acupuncture points. Medical Acupuncture. 2006;17:2, 12-19.
Principal Investigator: Agatha P. Colbert, MD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine)
Co-Investigators: Richard Hammerschlag, PhD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine), Megan Hayes. MD (OHSU), Mikel Aickin, PhD (NCNM)
Acupuncture Torque Sensor
Project Title: Acupuncture Needling Torque Sensor
Funding Agency: NIH/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Project Description: The purpose of this study is to test the ease of use of a newly-developed micro-sensor device that fits onto the handle of the acupuncture needle and measures the torque (twisting or turning force) associated with acupuncture needle manipulation. The perception of needle torque (how much force is necessary to rotate the needle) constitutes an important form of tactile feedback used by acupuncturists to determine whether de qi has been achieved. Responding to this feedback by appropriate adjustments in needle technique is thought to be an important component of an acupuncturist’s skill. We expect that the information gained from this study will help us to further improve the device, which is being developed to help teach needling techniques to acupuncture students.
Current Status: Currently analyzing data.
Principal Investigator: Richard Hammerschlag, PhD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine)
Co-Investigators: Robert Davis, LAc, Helen e Langevin, MD, LAc, David Churchill, PhD, Bonnie Povolny, LAc
Current Status: As of February 2005, subject recruitment has been completed for both Project 1 and Project 2.
Reliability of the Prognos A
Project Title: Reliability of acupuncture point measuring device Prognos A (Phase II)
Funding Agency: Oregon Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, supported by NIH/NCCAM.
Project Description: The purpose of this study is to determine how accurately the Prognos A performs when measuring electrical skin resistance at acupoints and whether repetitive measurements performed by different testers using the Prognos A are consistently reproducible. There will be a total of 30 subjects enrolled into the study and your participation is for approximately 2 hours.
Current Status: The results of this investigation led to the conclusion; ‘Prognos’ is a reliable device for measuring ESR at the Jing-well acupoints.
Principal Investigator: Richard Hammerschlag, PhD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine)
Co-Investigators: Agatha P. Colbert, MD, Post-doctoral research fellow, Oregon Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research.
Bioelectrical measurements of acupoints
Project Title: Bioelectrical measurements of acupuncture points and meridians
Collaborating institutions: Portland State University (PSU); Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR)
Funding Agency: NIH/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
(Developmental project awarded through an NIH/NCCAM Center grant to KPCHR.)
Project Description: The project is part of a larger program aimed at determining whether electrical measurements at acupuncture points are reliable as clinical biomarkers. Prognos, a commercially available device, as well as a custom-made device are being used to measure electrical properties of the skin surface at acupuncture points and at surrounding areas.
Current Status: As of February 2005, the project has completed enrollment.
Principal Investigator: Richard Hammerschlag, PhD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine)
Co-Investigators: Agatha P Colbert, MD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine); James McNames, PhD (PSU)
Oregon College of Oriental Medicine Study Team: Meggan Baumgartner (Research Coordinator); Research practitioners: Gary Bonderant, LAc, Deb Espesete, LAc, Roger Lore, LAc, Cita Oudijk, LAc, Beth Yohalem -Ilsley, LAc.
PSU Study Team: Sean Pearson (Research assistant), Daniel Tsunami (Research assistant)
Variability of electrical skin resistance at the Ting points
Project Title: Physiologic variability of electrical skin resistance measurements at the Ting acupuncture points.
Funding Agency: Supported in part by Public Health Service grant 5 MO1 RR000334 and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine/National Institutes of Health grant AT00076 through the Oregon Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Project Description: A total of three goals were identified for this study 1) To determine intra-subject physiological variability of measurements at 24 specific acupuncture points over a 24-hour period 2) to determine inter-subject variability of measurements at 24 specific acupuncture points 3) to describe any inherent rhythm/s in these measurements over a 24 hour period.
Current status: Project is completed and results were published in Medical Acupuncture in January of this year. Colbert, AP, Hayes M, Aickin M, Hammerschlag R. Physiologic variability of electrical skin resistance measurements at the Ting acupuncture points. Medical Acupuncture. 2006;17:2, 12-19.
Principal Investigator: Agatha P. Colbert, MD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine)
Co-Investigators: Richard Hammerschlag, PhD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine), Megan Hayes. MD (OHSU), Mikel Aickin, PhD (NCNM)
Acupuncture Torque Sensor
Project Title: Acupuncture Needling Torque Sensor
Funding Agency: NIH/National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Project Description: The purpose of this study is to test the ease of use of a newly-developed micro-sensor device that fits onto the handle of the acupuncture needle and measures the torque (twisting or turning force) associated with acupuncture needle manipulation. The perception of needle torque (how much force is necessary to rotate the needle) constitutes an important form of tactile feedback used by acupuncturists to determine whether de qi has been achieved. Responding to this feedback by appropriate adjustments in needle technique is thought to be an important component of an acupuncturist’s skill. We expect that the information gained from this study will help us to further improve the device, which is being developed to help teach needling techniques to acupuncture students.
Current Status: Currently analyzing data.
Principal Investigator: Richard Hammerschlag, PhD (Oregon College of Oriental Medicine)
Co-Investigators: Robert Davis, LAc, Helen e Langevin, MD, LAc, David Churchill, PhD, Bonnie Povolny, LAc