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Objective@#To explore the clinical therapeutic method and effect of the thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding therapy on treating insomnia with insufficiency of heart and spleen among breast cancer patients.@*Methods@#Totally 80 breast cancer patients with insomnia with insufficiency of heart and spleen treated in department of oncology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiao Tong University from March 2018 till November 2018 were selected and assigned into an experiment group and a control group by random number table, 40 cases in each one. The experiment group applied thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding therapy, selecting Shenmen, Sanyinjiao, Zusanli, Anmian as major acupoint and Taibai as assistant acupoint. The control group used fake needles at the same places. After four-week treatment, we evaluated the therapeutic effect using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and observed side effects.@*Results@#Before treatment, no significantly statistical differences were observed between the two groups on global and each dimension′s PSQI scores (P>0.05). After treatment, the PSQI scores and PSQI global score of the experiment group on sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction were (1.58±0.53), (1.72±0.33), (1.57±0.64), (1.61±0.68), (1.05±0.42), (1.27±0.53), (8.91±2.73) points respectively, which were (1.86±0.71), (1.90±0.41), (1.85±0.47), (1.97±0.83), (1.42±0.91), (1.56±0.45), (10.86±4.53) points respectively in the control group. There was significant difference between the two groups on PSQI global scores (t=1.998-2.637, P<0.05). The number of patients in the experiment group assessed as clinical cure, obviously effective, effective and noneffective were 8, 13, 9, 10 respectively, which were 1, 5, 12, 22 in the control group respectively. The clinical efficacy showed significant difference between the two groups (χ2=27.68, P<0.01). No side effects, such as infection, needle drop-off and etc. were observed.@*Conclusions@#The thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding therapy could improve sleep quality of breast cancer patients with insomnia with insufficiency of heart and spleen, and it′s easy to operate, safe with little side effects.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effects of subcutaneous embedding of thumb-tack needle combined with mytear and simple mytear on tear film in patients with dry eye.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty patients of dry eye (160 eyes) were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each group. The 0.1% sodium hyaluronate eye drop (alice) was applied in the control group, four times per day for two weeks. On the basis of the control group, the subcutaneous embedding of thumb-tack needle was used at ① Cuanzhu (BL 2), Sizhukong (SJ 23), Sibai (ST 2), ② Yintang (EX-HN 3), Yuyao (EX-HN 4), Taiyang (EX-HN 5). The two groups of acupoints were used alternately. The thumb-tack needle was placed for 2 to 3 days, once a week for two weeks. The subjective symptom score, Schirmer Ⅰ test (SⅠT), tear break-up time (BUT) and corneal fluorescein staining (CFS) were compared before treatment, after treatment and during 2-week follow-up visit in the two groups. The effects of the two groups were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared before treatment, the subjective symptom score and CFS were reduced but SⅠT and BUT were increased after treatment and during follow-up visit in the two groups (all <0.05), which in the observation group were superior to those in the control group (all <0.05). The total effective rate was 90.0% (36/40) in the observation group, which was superior to 85.0% (34/40) in the control group (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The subcutaneous embedding of thumb-tack needle could increase the amount of SIT, prolong BUT and repair pathological damage of cornea, which could relieve the symptoms of dry eye and improve visual quality.</p>
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Humans , Acupuncture Points , Acupuncture Therapy , Methods , Dry Eye Syndromes , Therapeutics , Needles , TearsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect difference between the skin needle embedding therapy and western medication for obese impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 300 cases of obese IGT were assigned into an embedding group and a western medication group by random number table, 150 cases in each one. Standardized diagnosis and treatment programs were applied to reduce blood pressure, lipid, weight, and exercise and scientific diet management were used. 0.25 g oral deltamine was prescribed three times a day in the western medication group. Thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding was at bilateral Weiwanxiashu (EX-B 3), Ganshu (BL 18), Pishu (BL 20), Tianshu (ST 25) and Zusanli (ST 36) for 36 to 48 hours on Monday and Thursday, 3 months as a session, with other acupoints differentiated. All the treatment was given for 2 years. The indexes included the blood sugar indexes [fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2 h PG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c)], incidence of hypoglycemia, obesity indexes [waist circumference, body mass index (BMI)], blood lipid indexes [serum total cholesterol (TC), serum triacylglycerol (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)], liver and kidney function indexes [serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and blood uric acid (UA), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT)] and TCM symptom score. The effects and the incidence of type 2 diabetes were evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, 2 h PG and HbA1c reduced in the two groups (<0.01,<0.05) and the results in the embedding group were better (both<0.05). After treatment, the incidence of hypoglycemia in the embedding group was 0.7% (1/150), and that in the western medication group was 1.3% (2/150), without statistical difference (>0.05). After treatment, waist circumference and BMI reduced in the two groups (both<0.01) and the improvements in the embedding group were better (both<0.05). TC, TG and LDL-C after treatment were lower than those before treatment, and HDL-C were higher in the two groups (all<0.05), without statistical different values before and after treatment between the two groups (all>0.05). Scr, BUN, UA and ALT before and after treatment in the two groups had no statistical difference (all>0.05), without statistical difference after treatment between the two groups (all>0.05). The TCM score after treatment was lower than that before treatment in the embedding group (<0.05), and the difference was not statistical in the western medication group (>0.05). The different value of TCM score in the embedding group was better than that in the western medication group (<0.01). The total effective rate in the embedding group was 98.0% (147/150), which was superior to 92.7% (139/150) in the western medication group (<0.05). The incidence of type 2 diabetes was 2.0% (3/150) in the embedding group, and that was better than 7.3% (11/150) in the western medication group (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Thumb-tack needle for subcutaneous embedding for 2 years could apparent improve the indexes of IGT, which is better than western medication, without liver and kidney damage.</p>
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Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of thumb-tack needle therapy for the early and middle stages of senile knee osteoarthritis.Method Sixty patients were allocated, using a random number table, to observation and control groups, 30 cases each.Thecontrol group took meloxicam tablets7.5 mg once daily and the observation group received thumb-tack needle therapy8 hrs once daily inaddition.Liangqiu(ST34), Xiyangguan(GB33), Neixiyan(Ex-LE4), Dubi(ST35), Yinlingquan(SP9),Yanglingquan(GB34)and Ashipoint were selected forthumb-tack needle therapy.Both groups were treated five times a week for two consecutive weeks.The WOMAC score and the Lysholm score were recorded before and after treatment.Theclinical therapeutic effects were evaluated.Result The total efficacy rate was 93.3% inthe observation group and 80.0% in the control group.It was higher inthe observation group thanin the control group and there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). The WOMAC score decreased and the Lysholm score increased in both groups after treatment; there were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences (P<0.05).after treatment, the WOMAC score and the Lysholm score improved more inthe observation group than in the control group; there were statistically significant differences (P<0.05).Conclusion Thumb-tack needle therapyhas a definite effect on the early and middle stages of senile knee osteoarthritis.It can relieve the pain and improveknee functionin the patients.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the differences in the clinical therapeutic effects on chronic knee joint pain between the combination of the central-square needling technique of thumb-tack needles with the routine therapy of acupuncture, moxibustion andand the routine therapy of acupuncture, moxibustion and.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and twenty patients of chronic knee joint pain were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 60 cases in each one. In the control group, the routine therapy of acupuncture, moxibustion andwas adopted. In the observation group, at the end of treatment with the routine therapy of acupuncture, moxibustion and, the subcutaneous embedding therapy was followed with four thumb-tack needles at the sites 1 to 1.5 cm above, below and bilateral to the main point (point) separately, and the needles were retained for 24 h to 48 h. The treatment was given once every two days, three times a week, totally 6 times in two weeks; and the follow-up visit was done for 3 months in patients of the two groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score before and after each treatment, Lequesne index score before treatment and at the end of follow-up and the case numbers of proactive use of painkillers or receiving acupuncture treatment in the follow-up stage were compared and observed in the patients of the two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The VAS score was reduced gradually after treatment in the patients of the two groups. The differences were significant statistically after the second treatment as compared with those before the treatment in the two groups (all<0.05), in which, the improvements in VAS scores after the third treatment in the observation group were more obvious than those in the control group (all<0.05). At the end of follow-up visit, Lequesne index scores were all improved as compared with those before treatment in the two groups (both<0.05) and the improvements were similar between the two groups (>0.05). In the follow-up stage, there were 0 case in the observation group and 9 cases in the control group in terms of proactive use of painkillers (<0.05). There were 5 cases in the observation group and 1 case in the control group receiving acupuncture treatment again (>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The acupuncture scheme in assistance with the central-square needling technique of thumb-tack needles obviously relieves chronic knee joint pain, much better sustains the analgesic effects of acupuncture and improves patient compliance.</p>