ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture plus osteopathic manipulation in treating thoracic facet joint disorder.Methods Sixty patients with thoracic facet joint disorder were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 30 cases each. The treatment group received electroacupuncture plus osteopathic manipulation and the control group, osteopathic manipulation alone. Treatment was given 15 days as a course for a total of two courses. The pain rating index (PRI) score, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score and the Present Pain Intensity (PPI) scale score were recorded in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the groups.Results The cure rate and the total efficacy rate were 43.3% and 90.0%, respectively, in the treatment group and 26.7% and 73.3%, respectively, in the control group; there were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant pre-/post- treatment differences in the PRI score, the VAS score and the PPI score in the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the PRI score, the VAS score and the PPI score between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture plus osteopathic manipulation is an effective way to treat thoracic facet joint disorder.