Research on and Comparison of the Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions and Acupuncture

Abstract

Acupuncture and SPARC program have similar neuroscientific principles and therapeutic mechanisms. This paper introduces two therapies and their scientific principles and applications. The Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) program is a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Common Fund committed to exploring the interrelation between nerves and organs and treating diseases caused by neurological dysregulation through developing new neurostimulation devices and treatment protocols. Traditional Chinese acupuncture refers to a disease treatment method that silver needles are applied to stimulate specified sites on the body surface of patients via different manipulations, so as to regulate the neuro-endocrine-immune (NEI) system. Therefore, the SPARC program resembles acupuncture in terms of the therapeutic mechanism and stimulation site, but they are slightly different regarding the theoretical and ideological foundation, therapeutic range and manipulation method. The treatment thoughts of dominant diseases should be mutually referenced by the development of traditional Chinese and Western medicine, so as to provide new enlightenments for their own development. In this paper, the two therapies were compared in this paper, and the way to promote their advancement was explored.