Comparative Study on Selecting Points Along and not Along Meridian in Treating Migraine / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the different analgesic effects of acupuncture by selecting points along and not along the meridian in treating migraine, analyze the necessity of selecting points along the meridian in the treatment of migraine with acupuncture, and to provide evidence for the acupuncture treatment for migraine.Method Sixty-nine migraine patients were selected as the study subjects and randomized into Shaoyang meridian group, Yangming meridian group and a non-meridian point group by adopting a complete randomized design, 23 cases in each group, to respectively receive acupuncture at the Yuan-primary point of Foot Shaoyang Meridian Qiuxu (GB40), the Yuan-primary point of Foot Yangming Meridian Chongyang (ST42), and a non-meridian point at the midpoint between Qiuxu and Chongyang. Of the three groups, only Shaoyang meridian group selected point along the meridian. The improvements of pain intensity in the three groups were compared, and the pain intensity was measured by using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Nonparametric test was used to analyze whether there were significant differences in comparing the improvements of pain in the three groups.Result According to the statistical analyses, the pain intensities were improved significantly in each group (P<0.001), while there were no significant between-group differences in comparing the improvement of pain intensity (P>0.05).Conclusion In the treatment of migraine with acupuncture, selecting points along the meridian and not along the meridian (including non-meridian point) produces equivalent analgesic effect.

Comparative Study on Selecting Points Along and not Along Meridian in Treating Migraine / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the different analgesic effects of acupuncture by selecting points along and not along the meridian in treating migraine, analyze the necessity of selecting points along the meridian in the treatment of migraine with acupuncture, and to provide evidence for the acupuncture treatment for migraine.Method Sixty-nine migraine patients were selected as the study subjects and randomized into Shaoyang meridian group, Yangming meridian group and a non-meridian point group by adopting a complete randomized design, 23 cases in each group, to respectively receive acupuncture at the Yuan-primary point of Foot Shaoyang Meridian Qiuxu (GB40), the Yuan-primary point of Foot Yangming Meridian Chongyang (ST42), and a non-meridian point at the midpoint between Qiuxu and Chongyang. Of the three groups, only Shaoyang meridian group selected point along the meridian. The improvements of pain intensity in the three groups were compared, and the pain intensity was measured by using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Nonparametric test was used to analyze whether there were significant differences in comparing the improvements of pain in the three groups.Result According to the statistical analyses, the pain intensities were improved significantly in each group (P<0.001), while there were no significant between-group differences in comparing the improvement of pain intensity (P>0.05).Conclusion In the treatment of migraine with acupuncture, selecting points along the meridian and not along the meridian (including non-meridian point) produces equivalent analgesic effect.