ABSTRACT
[Objective] To observe the different effects of acupuncture combined with blood-letting theraphy and conventional western medicine for postherpetic neuralgia.[Methods] Choose 80 cases patients with neuralgia after herpes zoster from our hospital 's clinic and wards and then divide them randomly into two groups—the acupuncture bleeding group and the medicine group. The patients in the acupuncture bleeding group were treated mainly by local multiple-superficial needling. They were acupunctured with Ashi points in herpes zoster local as the centre using disaposable acupuncture needles five times a week. The needle point aimed at the lesion and the inserted body skin shallowly along superficial fascia. Meanwhile, pricking pain part with skin needles combined with blood letting and cupping were performed on the patients twice a week. In the medicine group, the patients took Tetrandrine three times a day with 40mg at a time. After four weeks, observe and evaluate the curative effects.[Result] In the acupuncture bleeding group, 8 patients were cured, 22 markedly improved,10 effective, 0 ineffective and the apparent recovey rate was 75%. In the medical group, 2 patients were cured, 10 markedly improved,20 effective, 8 ineffective and the apparent effective rate was 30%. There was a signifcant difference in curative effects between two groups with statistical significance( P<0.05). [Conclusion] Acupuncture bleeding method is an effective treatment for postherpetic neuralgia, which is superior to conventional western medicine treatment.