Lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion treated with Santong tuina therapy: a multi-central randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the difference in the efficacy on lumbar intervertebral disc protrusion (LIDP) between Santong tuina therapy and conventional tuina therapy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Multi-central, random and controlled clinical trial was carried out. One hundred and twenty cases of LIDP were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 60 cases in each one. In observation group, Santong tuina therapy was used. In control group, conventional tuina therapy was adopted. The clinical efficacy was observed in two groups, and lumbar vertebral function was scaled before and after treatment in two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 95.0% (57/60) in observation group and was 96.7% (58/60) in control group, without significant statistical difference in comparison (P > 0.05). The cured and markedly effective rate was 81.7% (49/60) in observation group and was 63.3% (38/60) in control group, indicating significant statistical difference in comparison (P < 0.05). The self-comparison of lumbar vertebral function before and after treatment presented statistical significance in either observation group (12.25 +/- 3.15, 25.56 +/- 5.27) or control group (13.32 +/- 3.26, 20.46 +/- 4.25, both P < 0.05); additionally, there was significant difference in the comparison between groups after treatment (P < 0.05). The therapy adopted in observation group improved lumbar vertebral function much significantly.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>In the treatment of LIDP, Santong tuina therapy achieves much better clinical efficacy as compared with conventional tuina therapy.</p>

Effect of botulinum toxin type A injection into the masseter muscle on mandibular development in rats / 中华整形外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injection into the masseter muscle on mandibular development in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>12 28-day-old Wistar rats were divided into two groups as Botox group (n= 6) and control group (n = 6) which received anesthesia only. In Botox group, Botox was injected into the right masseter muscle, while only sterile saline into the left muscle. When the rats were 75-day-old, CT scan and 3D reconstruction were performed for cephalometry. The masseter muscles at both sides were weighed. Histologic study of masseter muscle and mandible was also performed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The weight of right masseter muscle was (0.4575 +/- 0.0940) g in Botox group, and (0.8899 +/- 0.1030) g in control group (< 0.05). The mandibular height II and III was (10.8 +/- 0.8) mm and (9.5 +/- 0.6) mm in Botox group and (12.5 +/- 0.6) mm and (10.7 +/- 0.4) mm in control group, respectively (P < 0.05). The intergonial distance was (11.6 +/- 0.6) mm and (12.4 +/- 0. 6) mm in Botox and control group, respectively (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>When the rats receive Botox injection into the masseter muscle at young age, the grown-up rats have a decreased mandibular height, but the mandibular length and intergonial distance are not affected.</p>

Effects of different acupuncture treatment on mean blood flow velocity of middle cerebral artery on the affected side and rehabilitation of hemiparalysis caused by cerebral infarction / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of two different acupuncture treatment on cerebral blood flow velocity and early rehabilitation of hemiparalysis caused by cerebral infarction.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty patients were randomly divided into an alternate acupuncture group (n = 40) and a routine acupuncture group (n = 40). Both of the groups were treated with routine neurology medicine and application of good limb position combined with acupuncture. The patients in the alternate acupuncture group were treated by opposing needling and non-opposing needling, i. e. acupuncture at acupoints on both the healthy and affected sides alternately, twice each day, respectively. The routine acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture at the affected side, once daily. Scores of Scandinavian Stroke Scale (SSS) were evaluated before and after treatment in the two groups, and the mean blood flow velocity of middle cerebral artery (MCA) on the affected side was monitored during two different acupuncture treatment by using Transcranial Doppler (TCD).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cured and markedly effective rate was 65.0% in the alternate acupuncture group and 37.5% in the routine acupuncture group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). After treatment, the SSS score in the alternate acupuncture group was significantly lower than that in the routine acupuncture group (P < 0.01). The mean blood flow velocity of MCA during two different acupuncture treatment was both decreased significantly (both P < 0.05) and the mean blood flow velocity of MCA before the last treatment was decreased significantly in the alternate acupuncture group than those in the routine acupuncture group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The therapeutic effect of the alternate acupuncture program for hemiparalysis caused by cerebral infarction is superior to that of the routine acupuncture program. It is suggested that the mechanism of acupuncture in treating hemiparalysis caused by cerebral infarction is to dilate cerebral blood vessels and improve cerebral perfusion.</p>

Observation on therapeutic effect of Jingjin therapy on migraine / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe therapeutic effect of Jingjin therapy on migraine and search for an ideal way for non-medical treatment of migraine.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred cases of migraine were randomly divided into a observation group and a control group, 50 cases in each group. The observation group were treated with Jingjin therapy, and the control group with oral administration of Nimodipine.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate was 100.0% in the observation group and 70.0% in the control group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.01). The therapeutic effect for attacking times, attacking lasting time, headache index and accompanied symptoms in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Jingjin therapy has an obvious therapeutic effect on migraine.</p>