Objective To examine the distribution of heat-sensitive acupoints below the elbow and knee joints of the Yangming Meridians in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis(PAR).Methods A total of 27 PAR volunteers 16-55 years in age were recruited in the present study.In a quiet room

the patient was ordered to take a recumbent or sitting position

and the operator held an ignited moxa-stick to make a circling(about 2 min)

sparrow-pecking(2 min)and forwards-backwards moving(1 min)moxibustion perpendicularly over the skin(about 3 cm away)along the running course of the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand Yangming below the elbow joints and the Stomach Meridian of Foot Yangming below the knee joints on both sides.The procedures were repeated again and again until the moxibustion sensation disappeared.The patient was asked to carefully perceive the heat diffusion

diathermic

extending

athermal(cool and itching)feelings

at the heated loci.If one or more of the feelings appeared

it was considered as the thermosensitive phenomenon and that spot was marked as the"thermosensitive spot"or"thermosensitive acupoint".Results In those 27 PAR patients

the thermosensitive response was found at Quchi(LI 11)

Shousanli(LI 10)

Hegu(LI 4)

Sanjian(LI 3)

and Zusanli(ST 36)

constituting 59.25%(16/27)

85.18%(23/27)

44.44%(12/27)

55.55%(15/27)

and 11.11%(3/27)

respectively

being 92.59%in total.Of the 27 patients

2

2

9

8

5 and 1 cases had0

1

2

3

4 and 5 thermosenitive acupoints appeared

accounting for 7.41%

7.41%

33.33%

29.63%

18.52% and3.70%

respectively.Conclusion There is a certain occurrence rate of the thermosensitive acupoints below the elbow and knee joints of the Yangming Meridians in PAR patients

which may provide a target-point for treating PAR.