Are acupuncture points tender? A blinded study of spleen 6

Objectives: To explore the methodology for investigating the tenderness of acupuncture points, with particular reference to the hypothesis that the point Spleen 6 (SP6) is more tender in women than in men. Design: Single-blind, observational study with volunteers. Setting: University of Exeter, U.K. Subjects: Student volunteers, 13 male and 13 female. Outcome measures: Pressure thresholds at SP6, a control acupuncture point Stomach 36, and two nonacupuncture control sites in each leg were measured weekly for 4 weeks. Results: No statistically significant differences were found between the pressure thresholds of SP6 in women and those in men. Conclusion: The present study provides no strong evidence to support the hypothesis that the acupuncture point SP6 is more tender in women and in men. Recommendations for further investigations are discussed.