Clinic Research On Metta-music Electro-accupunture Treatment Against Depression

Mental illness such as depression has a high chance being contracted; it also has a high relapse rate and results in high suicide rate. Although at present, modern medicine has effective measures against depression, but those drugs in use do have prominent anti-cholinergic side effects, CNS toxicity, as well as causing adverse reactions on cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and other systems. This restricts the use of such drugs on both elderly patients and patients who are stricken with both physical and mental diseases concurrently. Therefore, current clinical uses of anti-depressant drugs are limited. As such, a study on the use of electro-acupuncture with Metta music therapy is implemented so as to investigate how it can increase clinical efficacy of depression treatment, and eventually enhance treatment programs for patients stricken with depression.PURPOSE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE(1) Theoretical Research1 Depression is a modern disease name in the traditional Chinese and Western medicine.2 To affirm that studies made on depression in TCM literature and its originality were first found in Qin and Han dynasties, developed during Tang and Song dynasties, fully established in Ming and Qing dynasties and finally unified recently.3 To affirm that the location of illness of depression are related to brain and heart functional deficiencies and disorders. When disorder in qi flow and brain spirit results in disorder of visceral functions, and consequently depression syndromes manifest. As such, the treatment for depression starts with treating the disorder in brain and heart. When the brain's spirit is ordered and heart's blood is sufficient, depression shall subside and spirit shall be calmed.4 To affirm that the depression's pathogenic factors comprises of emotional upsets and qi stagnation, which in turn causes qi, blood, yin and yang disorder, and resulting in visceral function disorder, brain spirit abnormality. The mechanism of illness is thus:qi mechanism disorder resulting in brain spirit disorder, causing blood stasis, phlegm accumulation, essence insufficiency, qi, blood, yin and yang asthenia, such a series of chain reactions along the way, resulting in brain spirit disorder" shall be invoked as depression evolves with time.5 To affirm that current medical against into depression are focused on several areas: psychological and societal factors, genetic factors, nervous biochemical factors, nervous endocrinological factors and immunological factors.6 To study the effectiveness and advantage of electro-acupuncture with Metta music Therapy.7 Analysis of Buddhist Metta chant as electrotherapy for depression:i. Buddhism is the perfect education about us and the universe we live in. It is the teaching beyond worldly knowledge-of the highest wisdom that leads to the realization of true happiness. Buddha dharma is the wisdom of all people and the light of the world. It is a method to enable all sentient beings to attain perfect virtue and wisdom, and become the Enlightened One. Thus, Metta chant is used to propagate the Dharma, by employing graceful and enchanting melodies of Metta chant to eject to stream of miraculous medicine in the turbulent sea of emotional ups and downs.ii. The chant of Metta literature traces out little information, but also clinical studies have not been made, thus this is a special value and significant research. 8 To affirm the relation between Buddhism teaching and medical treatment and also the characteristics of Buddhism music used in musical therapy with its main characteristics being cultivating of embodying nature, probational nature, transmissive nature. Metta music based on Buddha's teaching with relation to his exposition of boundless love to universal beings have three characteristics:i. Loving Kindness; Compassion; Sympathetic joy; Equanimityii. Cease all evil deeds; to be heedful in wholesome deedsiii. On self reliance and helping others on the same path; self realization and lead others on the path of realization.iv. To move on with right mindfulness.9 Introduction and exploration of Metta music electro-acupuncture.10 The characteristics and advantage of Metta music electro-acupuncture11 From TCM perspective, such musical signal is able to tranquilize and hypnotize, relieves convulsion and pain, has anti-inflammation effect and reduces swelling, reduces numbness and is anti-hypertensive, prevents muscle atrophy etc.(2) Equipment Research and Design(3) Clinical Research1. Random selection of 60 depression cases from the period starting October 2008 to October 2009 in Puti Free Clinic and Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic outpatient records.2. Randomly divide the 60 patients into 30 patients in a treatment group and 30 patients in the placebo group. These 60 patients are of the same sex, belonging to the same age group, has similar course of depression illness and are all being diagnosed with depression by qualified doctors specializing in mental illnesses.In the treatment group, electro-acupuncture with Metta chant excitation are performed at the volume of 60dB on the following acu-points while Metta chant was playing, in the background for 30 minutes. Such treatment will be twice a week and will take 6 weeks to complete course.Primary acu-points:Bahui (GV20), Yintang (EX-HN3) Secondary acu-points:Dazhui (GV14), Shendao (GV11), Fengchi-both (GB20), Shenmen-both (HT7), Sanyinjiao (SP6)Flexible acu-points:Physician's choice of one to two extra acu-points in accordance with the syndromes manifested during treatment. The duration of treatment is 30 minutes, done at a frequency of twice a week for a course of 6 weeks.In the placebo group, only Metta chant is being played at a volume of 60dB with explanation of the meaning of Metta chant before the treatment begins. The duration of treatment is 30 minutes, done at a frequency of twice a week for a course of 6 weeks.At both the beginning and end of treatment in both groups, a 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) is being assessed by the physician and the standard questionnaire for self-rating depressive scale is done by the patient.(4) ConclusionFrom clinical research, after 6 weeks of Metta music electro-acupuncture theraphy, based on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), these results are achieved.●patients with obvious effectiveness●24 patients with some effectiveness ●1 patient with no effect I.e. effective rate of 96.67%For treatment with only Metta musical Theraphy, the following results are achived.●1 patient with obvious improvement●13 patients with some improvement●16 patient with new improvement I.e. effective rate of 46.67%The above results show that there is superior effectiveness of Metta musical theraphy combined with electro acupuncture treatment against treatment with just Metta music (x2=19.172,P<0.01)1. In conclusion, Metta musical threaphy combined with electroaccupuncture on governor vessels such as Bai Hui (GV20), Yin Tang (EX-NW3) etc serves to achieve ying-yang balance, enlighten thoughts and smoothen emotions. Applying acupuncture on Bai Hui acu-point can improve blood supply to the brain and elasticity of the blood vessel; reflex regulation of autonomous nerve via the skin layer of the brain and with healing effects on nerve system disease, suppress the unusual excitement to recover and regulate the troubled brain to a balanced state.2. Metta musical theraphy combined with electro-accupuncture have a soothing effects on the patients suffering from depression. With the metta musical theraphy complementing the electro-accupuncture and increasing the effectiveness of the treatment. Therefore, it is worthwhile to explore further these combined treatment through more clinical researches.