Clinical observation on deep needling at Xiaguan (ST 7) with round sharp needle combined with plum-blossom needle for trigeminal neuralgia of wind and heat / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical therapeutic effect between deep needling at Xiaguan (ST 7) with round sharp needle combined with plum-blossom needle and conventional acupuncture in patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) of wind and heat, and explore its mechanism.@*METHODS@#A total of 60 patients with TN of wind and heat were randomized into an observation group (30 cases) and a control group (30 cases). In the observation group, deep needling with round sharp needle was applied at Xiaguan (ST 7), and tapping with plum-blossom needle was applied at Yangbai (GB 14), Quanliao (SI 18), Dicang (ST 4), Sibai (ST 2), etc. of affected side. In the control group, conventional acupuncture was applied at the same acupoints selected in the observation group. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks in the both groups. Before and after treatment, the scores of short-form McGill pain questionnaire (SF-MPQ), TCM syndrome, patient global impression of change (PGIC) and comprehensive symptom were observed, the serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and β-endorphin (β-EP) were detected, and the adverse reaction was observed in the both groups.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the scores of PRI, PPI, VAS, TCM syndrome, PGIC and comprehensive symptom and the serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α and VIP were decreased compared before treatment in the both groups (@*CONCLUSION@#Deep needling at Xiaguan (ST 7) with round sharp needle combined with plum-blossom needle can effectively treat the trigeminal neuralgia of wind and heat and relieve pain, its therapeutic effect is superior to conventional acupuncture. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of serum IL-6, TNF-α, VIP and β-EP.

Herbal cake separated moxibustion combined with umbrella shaped acupuncture with round sharp needle for chronic scapulohumeral periarthritis of cold-damp stagnation / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the effective therapy for treating chronic scapulohumeral periarthritis of cold-damp stagnation.@*METHODS@#A total of 90 cases of patients with chronic scapulohumeral periarthritis of cold-damp stagnation were randomly divided into an acupuncture and moxibustion group, a herbal cake separated moxibustion group and a routine rehabilitation group, 30 cases in each group. The routine rehabilitation group was treated with diclofenac sodium sustained-release tablets (0.1 g each time, taken after breakfast) and rehabilitation exercise, once a day. On the basis of the treatment in the routine rehabilitation group, the herbal cake separated moxibustion group was treated with herbal cake separated moxibustion at the affected side of Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14) and Jianzhen (SI 9), once a day. On the basis of the treatment in the herbal cake separated moxibustion group, the acupuncture and moxibustion group was additionally given umbrella shaped acupuncture with round sharp needle at the affected side of Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14), Jianzhen (SI 9), Naohui (TE 13), Jianqian (Extra), Jugu (LI 16), etc. once every other day. Each group was treated for 10 d. Before and after treatment the pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score and activities of daily living (ADL) score, and degree of changes in shoulder joint activity were compared in each group, and the clinical effect was evaluated.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the pain VAS scores of three groups were decreased (@*CONCLUSION@#On the basis of routine rehabilitation training, herbal cake separated moxibustion combined with umbrella shaped acupuncture with round sharp needle treating chronic scapulohumeral periarthritis of cold-damp stagnation can significantly reduce shoulder joint pain and improve shoulder joint function.

Therapeutic Observation of Fire-needle plus Round-sharp-needle Acupuncture for Primary Trigeminal Neuralgia / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of fire-needle plus round-sharp-needle acupuncture in treating primary trigeminal neuralgia.Method Sixty-two patients with primary trigeminal neuralgia were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 31 cases in each group. The treatment group was intervened by fire-needle therapy at the trigger points followed by deep needling with round-sharp needle at Xiaguan (ST7), and the distal points Hegu (LI4) and Neiting (ST44) were also treated. The same acupoints were selected in the control group but treated with ordinary needling method. The clinical efficacies were evaluated after 2 treatment courses.Result The total effective rate was 93.5%(29/31) in the treatment group versus 77.4% (24/31) in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Fire-needle plus round-sharp-needle acupuncture is an effective approach in treating primary trigeminal neuralgia.