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Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of chronic urticaria and the change in the content of serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), and to discuss the effect of acupuncture on the imbalance of T helper (Th)1/Th2 cell function via observing the changes in the contents of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Methods: Ninety patients meeting the inclusion criteria of chronic urticaria were randomized into an acupuncture- medication group, an acupuncture group and a Western medication group by the random number table method. The acupuncture-medication group was intervened by acupuncture, cupping, collateral-pricking bloodletting and oral administration of cetirizine hydrochloride tablets; the acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture, cupping and collateral-pricking bloodletting; the Western medication group only received oral administration of cetirizine hydrochloride tablets. Before treatment and after 6-week treatment, the changes in the symptom scores and the contents of serum IgE, IFN-γ and IL-4 in the three groups were observed. Results: There were no significant differences in the total effective rate among the three groups (all P>0.05), but the cured and markedly effective rate was significantly higher in the acupuncture-medication group than that in the Western medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, the total symptom score decreased in the three groups (P<0.05), and the improvement of total symptom score in the acupuncture-medication group was more significant than that in the Western medication group (P<0.05). The component symptom scores all decreased after treatment in the three groups (all P<0.05); the improvements of the scores of itch intensity, and skin lesion size and number were more significant in the acupuncture-medication group than in the Western medication group (all P<0.05); the improvement of the skin lesion size score was more significant in the acupuncture group than in the Western medication group (P<0.01). The contents of IgE and IL-4 dropped (all P<0.05) and the content of IFN-γ increased (P<0.05) after treatment in the three groups; the post-treatment changes in the serum contents of IgE and IFN-γ were more significant in the acupuncture-medication group than in the Western medication group (both P<0.05). The incidence rate of adverse reactions was significantly lower in the acupuncture-medication group and acupuncture group than in the Western medication group (both P<0.05), and the relapse rate was significantly lower in the acupuncture-medication group than in the Western medication group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Combined acupuncture and medication can enhance the cured and markedly effective rate in treating chronic urticaria. Acupuncture is equivalent to cetirizine hydrochloride tablets comparing the clinical efficacy in treatment of chronic urticaria. Acupuncture plus medication and acupuncture alone both can effectively mitigate the clinical symptoms, with low incidence of adverse reactions. The relapse rate is low when using acupuncture together with medication. Acupuncture plus medication can work better in regulating the contents of IgE and IFN-γ and improving the imbalance of Th1/Th2 cell function.
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Objective The purpose of study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of theblood-letting and herbal-cupping therapy for lumbar spinal stenosis.Methods A multi-center prospective case series was performed.The LSS patients meeting the inclusion criteria received 8 treatments as a course and 4 courses in total.The primary outcomes were the symptom severity and physical function scale ofthe Swiss Spinal Stenosis Measurement (SSM,total score 0-5 for each domain).The secondary outcomes were thethe 12-item short form health survey (SF-12,total score 0-100),and Oswestry disability index (ODI,total score 0-100) at time of baseline,completion of last treatment of each course.The minimal clinically important differences (MCIDs) were calculated for estimating the percentage of improvement in the population.The adverse events were reported at any time of the intra-and post-operation.This was a phrase analysis of the studyat seven months.Results Forty-eight patientswere included,with 64.6％ (31/48) of LSS showing neurogenic claudication (walking distance ≤200 m).The average age was 63.1 ± 11.7 years,19 (39.6％) female,and the average BMI was 25.3 ± 3.3 kg/m2.The scores of symptom severity scale of SSM were 2.8 ± 0.6,2.6 ± 0.7,2.3 ± 0.6,1.9 ± 0.2 at baseline,1st,2nd,3rd course,and the scores of physical function scale were 2.5 ± 0.8,2.4 ± 0.7,2.1 ± 0.5,1.8 ± 0.3,and all the changes between baseline and each course showed significant improvement.The patient satisfaction of SSM,ODI and SF-12 showed significantimprovements after the 1st,2nd,3rd course (P＜0.05).The SF-12 subgroup physical composite scores after 3rd course and mental composite score after 1st showed no significant improvement.The minimal clinically important difference for the “SymptomSeverity scale” in the SSM was achieved withimprovement of 18.8％,40.6％,83.3％ in the LSS patient population after 1st,2nd,3rd course;and the "physical function scale" in SSM was achieved withimprovement of 22.9％,31.3％,50.0％.A total of 15 patients felt pain when they were micro-punctured with little blood at first time,but the symptom wereimmediately relieved without any treatment.Conelusions The Blood-letting and herbal-cupping therapy could benefit patients with lumbar spinal stenosis after third course of treatment in the fields of symptom relief and quality of life with no severe adverse event.However,this was a phrase analysis,so more evidence of this study and large comparative researches should be warranted in future.
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Hemorrhoid refers to soft vein mass formed by varicosity of submucosal veins around the end of the rectum and subcutanceous veins of the anal canal. It is the most common anorectal disease. This article summarized the regular patterns, features and advantages of Professor Yu Hai-Bo's acupuncture-moxibustion therapy for hemorrhoids, in order to guide the acupuncture treatment for hemorrhoids.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of bloodletting and cupping at Fengchi (GB 20) plus acupuncture in treating peripheral facial paralysis in acute stage.Method Sixty patients with peripheral facial paralysis in acute stage (disease duration ≤7 d) were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by bloodletting and cupping at Fengchi (GB 20) plus acupuncture, while the control group was treated with ordinary acupuncture. The two groups were treated once a day, 5 times a week, 2 weeks as a treatment course and 3 treatment courses in total. The House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve grading system was observed before and after the intervention, and the clinical efficacies in the two groups were compared. Result The total effective rate was 96.7% in the treatment group versus 93.3% in the control group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the H-B score between the two groups respectively after 2 and 3 treatment courses (P<0.05).Conclusion Bloodletting and cupping at Fengchi (GB 20) plus acupuncture is an effective approach in treating peripheral facial paralysis in acute stage.
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Objective To compare the therapeutic efficacy between medicinal cupping and collateral-pricking bloodletting therapy in treating lumbar intervertebral disc herniation (LIDH) and non-specific low back pain.Method Sixty LIDH patients were randomized into treatment group 1 and control group 1, 30 cases in each group. Sixty non-specific low back pain patients were randomized into treatment group 2 and control group 2, 30 cases in each group. Treatment group 1 and 2 were intervened by medicinal cupping, while control group 1 and 2 were by collateral-pricking bloodletting. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were observed before and after intervention.Result The VAS and ODI scores were significantly changed after intervention in treatment group 1, treatment group 2, and control group 2 (P0.05). After treatment, there was a significant difference in comparing the ODI score between control group 1 and control group 2 (P<0.05).Conclusion Medicinal cupping and collateral-pricking bloodletting are both effective in treating chronic low back pain, and medicinal cupping has its advantage in improving ODI compared to the bloodletting therapy.
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Objective:This article collected, organized, and summarized the medical literatures of cupping therapy from three major Chinese databases including China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP (VIP), and WanFang, with cupping, moving cupping, flash cupping, pricking cupping, or medicinal cupping as the retrieve title or key words, and the retrieve range was from 1953 to July 15, 2015. This article was to give an overall review of cupping therapy from the clinical application and mechanism research based on its application form, indications, and mechanism research progress. The results showed that there are various types of cupping methods; its indications cover multiple subjects such as internal medicine, external medicine, gynecology and pediatrics; and its major action mechanisms include negative pressure suction, increasing pain threshold, promoting dermal blood flow and improving body immunity.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of bloodletting cupping at Dazhui (GV14) plus scraping in treating hordeolum. Method Forty-four patients with hordeolum were randomized into a control group and a treatment group, 22 cases in each group. The control group was intervened by bloodletting cupping at Dazhui, while the treatment group was by bloodletting cupping at Dazhui plus scraping. The size of the infection on eyelid was observed before and after treatment, and the recovery rate was calculated. Result The total effective rate was 81.8% in the control group versus 95.5% in the treatment group, and the total effective rate in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05); the sizes of the eyelid infection were significantly reduced in both groups after treatment (P<0.05), and the reduction in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Bloodletting cupping at Dazhui plus scraping can effectively improve the symptoms, reduce infection size, and enhance the clinical efficacy in treating hordeolum.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture-moxibustion plus bloodletting in treating chronic ankle sprain.Method Sixty-six patients with chronic ankle sprain were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 33 in each group. The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture with distal points plus warm needling and bloodletting method in the topical area; the control group was by warm needling plus ultrashort wave applied to the topical area. The ankle joint symptom and sign score was evaluated before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups.Result The recovery-markedly-effective rate in the treatment group was 51.6%, 74.2%, and 93.5% respectively after 1, 2, and 3 treatment courses, versus 26.7%, 46.7%, and 70.0% in the control group, and the between-group differences were statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture-moxibustion is an effective method in treating chronic ankle sprain.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of HE’s needling method (three ways for unblocking) in treating mild simple obesity due to dampness from spleen deficiency.Method Forty eligible subjects with mild simple obesity due to dampness from spleen deficiency were randomized into group A and group B, 20 cases in each group. Group A was intervened by mild unblocking method plus intensive unblocking method from HE’s needling method, and group B was by mild unblocking method plus warm unblocking method. The obesity-related indexes were observed before and after treatment, and the clinical efficacies were compared.Result The body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were significantly changed after intervention in the treatment group (P0.05). The total effective rate was 55.0% in the treatment group versus 10.0% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01).Conclusion HE’s needling method is effective in treating mild simple obesity due to dampness from spleen deficiency, and mild unblocking method plus intensive unblocking method can produce a more significant efficacy compared to mild unblocking method plus warm unblocking method.
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Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Yang’s pricking-cupping bloodletting in treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and its effect on trapezius tension.Methods Seventy-eight patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 39 cases each. The treatment group received pricking-cupping bloodletting and the control group, conventional acupuncture plus cupping. The nerve function was scored, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was recorded and trapezius tension was measured in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the nerve function score, the VAS score and trapezius tension in the two groups (P0.05).Conclusions Yang’s pricking-cupping bloodletting can effectively improve pain symptoms and trapezius tension in patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.
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ObjectiveTo compare the clinical efficacies between bloodletting cupping plus acupuncture and acupuncture alone in treating hypertension.MethodSixty patients with primary hypertension were randomized into a treatment group and acontrol group, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by bloodletting cupping plus acupuncture, while the controlgroup was by acupuncture. The clinical symptoms, blood pressure, and hemorheological parameters were observed before and after intervention.ResultThe clinical symptoms were improved in both groups after intervention, and the total effective rate was 76.7%in the treatment group versus 63.3% in the control group; the blood pressure dropped in both groups, and the differences were statistically significant between the two groups (P<0.05); the treatment group was superior to the control group in improving the whole blood viscosity and erythrocyte sedimentation rate(P<0.01).ConclusionBloodletting cupping is effective in treating primary hypertension; regarding the short-term therapeutic efficacy, bloodletting cupping plus acupuncture can produce a more significant effect than acupuncture alone in improving the blood pressure, whole blood viscosity, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate in primary hypertension patients.
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ObjectiveTo evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of bleeding cupping with different acupoints and frequencies in treating acne vulgaris.MethodSixty-four patients were divided by using stratified randomization method into Dazhui (GV14) group of 32 cases (16 cases in the subgroup of once every week, and the other 16 cases in the subgroup of twice every week) and Geshu(BL17) group of 32 cases (16 cases in the subgroup of once every week, and the rest 16 cases in the subgroup of twice every week). Dazhui group received bleeding cupping once every week or twice every week, while Geshu group also received bleeding cuppingonce every week or twice every week. The acne symptoms scores and total score were observed before and after intervention to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy.ResultThe symptoms scores including oily condition, skin lesion nature, counts, color, and swelling pain were decreased after intervention in the two groups (P<0.01). The improvement of oily condition in Geshugroup was more significant than that in Dazhuigroup (P<0.05). The symptoms scores including oily condition, skin lesion nature, counts, color, and swelling pain were decreased after intervention in all the subgroups of different frequencies (P<0.01). The improvements of skin lesion nature and swelling pain were more significant in the subgroups of twice a week than that in the subgroups of once a week (P<0.05).ConclusionBleeding cupping with different acupoints and frequencies all can produce satisfactory efficacies; bleeding cupping at Geshucan produce a more significant efficacy than that at Dazhui;treatment at a frequency of twice a week can produce a more significant effect than once a week in improving skin lesion nature and swelling pain.
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Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of fire acupuncture plus herbal medicine in treating acute gouty arthritis. Method Eighty-nine patients with acute gouty arthritis were randomized into a treatment group of 45 cases and a control group of 44 cases. The treatment group was intervened by fire acupuncture plus orally taking herbal medicine, while the control group was by oral administration of Diclofenac sodium and Allopurinol. The average pain score was observed before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared between the two groups.Result The total effective rate was 95.6% in the treatment group versus 81.8% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The average pain score was significantly changed in both groups after intervention (P<0.01). After treatment, there was a significant difference in comparing the average pain score between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Fire acupuncture plus herbal medicine is an effective approach in treating acute gouty arthritis.
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Objective:To observe the clinical effect of electroacupuncture (EA) plus pricking-cupping bloodletting therapy for herpes zoster. Methods:A total of 43 patients with herpes zoster were randomly divided into two groups, 23 cases in the treatment group and 20 cases in the control group. The treatment group was given EA plus pricking-cupping bloodletting therapy. The control group was given oral administration of Aciclovir Tablets, Diclofenac Sodium Dual Release Enteric-coated Capsules, Methylcobalamin Dispersible Tablets, and V itamin B12. Results: The total effective rate was 87.0% in the treatment group and 70.0% in the control group, with a statistical significance in difference of the total effective rate between the two groups (P Conclusion:The clinical effect is better in the treatment of herpes zoster by EA plus pricking-cupping bloodletting therapy than by medications.
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Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of abdominal acupuncture plus pricking bloodletting in treating diabetes-associated herpes zoster. Methods One hundred diabetes patients were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 50 cases each. Both groups took oral hypoglycemics and acyclovir. In addition, the treatment group received abdominal acupuncture plus pricking bloodletting and control group, electroacupuncture plus local surround needling. The time for blister disappearance, the time for pain relief and the time for scabbing were observed in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. Results The total efficacy rate was 92.0%in the treatment group and 86.0%in the control group;there were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the time for blister disappearance, the time for pain relief and the time for scabbing between the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). Conclusion Abdominal acupuncture plus pricking bloodletting is an effective way to treat diabetes-associated herpes zoster.
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Objective:To observe the clinical effects of collateral-pricking and cupping therapy plus moxibustion for localized neurodermatitis. Methods:A total of 94 cases with localized neurodermatitis were randomly divided into two groups by their visit order, 47 cases in each group. The cases in the treatment group were treated by bleeding method with a plum blossom needle, cupping method and moxibustion. The cases in the control group were treated by subcutaneous injection of Triamcinolone Acetonide Acetate Injection. Results:After treatment, the curative rate and total effective rate were respectively 80.9% and 100% in the treatment group and were 48.9% and 87.2% in the control group. The differences in the curative rate and total effective rate between the two groups were statistically significant (P Conclusion:Bleeding method by a plum blossom needle, in combination with cupping method and moxibustion, is an effective therapy for localized neurodermatitis.
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ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy of pricking cupping in treating herpes zoster at acute stage.MethodSixty patients with herpes zoster at acute stage were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 in each group. The treatment group was intervened by pricking cupping, while the control group was by oral administration of Western medicine. The total effective rate and the improvement of symptoms and pain at different stages were observed afterintervention.ResultThe total effective rate was 90.0% in the treatment group versus 86.7% in the control group, and the difference was statistically insignificant (P>0.05); after the first treatment course, the decreases of symptom score and pain indexin the treatment group were significantly superior to that in the control group (P0.05).ConclusionPricking cupping is an effective approach in treating herpes zoster of the acute stage, as it can produce a comparatively higher total effective rate and also significantly improve the symptoms and pain.