ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the effect of combined auricular acupuncture therapy on blood glucose in type 2 diabetic patients.Method Sixty type 2 diabetic patients were randomly allocated to a treatment and a control group, 30 cases each. The control group was intervened by conventional medication, while the treatment group by combined ear point therapy (ear point massage, bloodletting and seed embedding) in addition to the intervention given to the control group. After 3 months treatment, fasting blood glucose, 2-h postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured in the two groups before and after treatment.Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the indicators (fasting blood glucose, 2-h postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin) in the treatment group (P<0.01). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the indicators between the treatment and control group (P<0.01).Conclusions Combined auricular acupuncture therapy is an effective way to treat type 2 diabetes. It has a better hypoglycemic effect.