Effect of Heat-sensitive Point Moxibustion on High-normal Blood Pressure in Persons with Yin or Yang Deficiency / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of heat-sensitive point moxibustion on high-normal blood pressure in persons with yin or yang deficiency.Methods Eighty-six persons with high-normal blood pressure were randomized to a treatment group (42 cases, 20 with yin deficiency and 22 with yang deficiency) and a control group (44 cases, 19 with yin deficiency and 25 with yang deficiency). The control group received health education and diet guidance and the treatment group, heat-sensitive point moxibustion in addition. Both groups were followed up twice a week with blood pressure measured. The clinical therapeutic effects, hypertension diagnosis rates and neutral constitution transformation percentages were compared between the two groups of persons with different constitutions after one month of treatment.Results The total efficacy rate was 90.0％ in persons with yin deficiency and 100％ in persons with yang deficiency of the treatment group and correspondingly 78.9％ and 92.0％ of the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Post-treatment hypertension diagnosis rate 15.0％ in persons with yin deficiency and 9.1％ in persons with yang deficiency of the treatment group and correspondingly 36.8％ and 16.0％ of the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Post-treatment neutral constitution transformation percentage was 23.3％ in persons with yin or yang deficiency of the treatment group and 13.6％ in those of the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusions Heat-sensitive point moxibustion can reduce high-normal blood pressure and hypertension incidence and effectively rectify biased constitution in persons with yin or yang deficiency.

Observations on the Efficacy of Heat-sensitive Point Moxibustion in Treating Functional Dyspepsia / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive point moxibustion in treating functional dyspepsia. Methods Fifty-six patients with functional dyspepsia were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 28 cases each. The treatment group received heat-sensitive point moxibustion and the control group took domperidone tablets. The symptoms were scored and plasma motilin was measured in the two groups before and after treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results The total efficacy rate was 89.3% in the treatment group and 82.1% in the control group; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the symptom score and plasma motilin in the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the symptom score and plasma motilin between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05).Conclusion Heat-sensitive point moxibustion is an effective way to treat functional dyspepsia.

Observations on the Therapeutic Effect of Heat-sensitive Point Thunder-fire Moxibustion on Knee Osteoarthritis / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive point thunder-fire moxibustion in treating knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Methods One hundred and forty-eight KOA patients were randomly allocated to treatment and control groups, 74 cases each. The treatment group received heat-sensitive point thunder-fire moxibustion and the control group took diclofenac sodium enteric-coated tablets. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score and 50 yards fastest walking time were observed in the two groups before and after 30 days of treatment. The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups. Results There were statistically significant pre-/post-treatment differences in the VAS score and WOMAC subscores in the two groups (P<0.01). There was a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference in 50 yards fastest walking time in the treatment group (P<0.05). There were statistically significant post-treatment differences in the VAS score, the WOMAC score and the WOMAC pain and stiffness scores between the treatment and control groups (P<0.01). There were statistically significant differences in the VAS and WOMAC scores at three months after treatment between the treatment and control groups (P<0.01). The total efficacy rate was 95.9%at the end of treatment and 95.6%at three months after treatment in the treatment group, and 86.1%at the end of treatment and 86.8%at three months after treatment in the control group; there were statistically significant differences between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Heat-sensitive point thunder-fire moxibustion is an effective way to treat knee osteoarthritis.

Clinical Observations on Heat-sensitive Point Dazhui (GV14) Moxibustion for the Treatment of Cervical Spondylotic Radiculopathy / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive point Dazhui(GV14) moxibustion in treating cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. Method Ninety-six patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were randomly allocated to a heat-sensitive point Dazhui moxibustion (observation) group of 30 cases, a non-heat-sensitive point Dazhui suspended moxibustion (control) group of 33 cases and a medication group of 33 cases. The observation group received heat-sensitive point Dazhui moxibustion; the control group, non-heat-sensitive point Dazhui suspended moxibustion; the medication group, oral administration of Jingtong granules. The clinical symptoms were assessed and serum hypersensitive C-reactive protein (HsCRP) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were measured in the three groups before and after 15 days of treatment. Result All the three treatments had a certain effect on cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. The therapeutic effect was best in the observation group (P0.05). Conclusion The therapeutic effect of heat-sensitive point Dazhui moxibustion is better than those of non-heat-sensitive point Dazhui suspended moxibustion and oral Jingtong granules. It is a more ideal way to treat cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. The mechanism of its action may be related to post-treatment decrease in inflammatory factors in the lesion.

Randomized Controlled Trial of Heat-sensitive Point Moxibustion plus Manipulative Reduction for the Treatment of Thoracic Facet Joint Disorder / 上海针灸杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive point moxibustion plus manipulative reduction in treating thoracic facet joint disorder. Method A single-blind randomized controlled trial was carried out. Eighty-two patients meeting the criteria were randomly allocated to an observation group of 42 cases and a control group of 40 cases. The observation group received heat-sensitive point moxibustion plus manipulative reduction and the control group, TDP plus manipulative reduction. Both groups were treated five times a week, five times as a course for a total of two courses (including the patients cured after less than two courses). The therapeutic effects were evaluated by using the McGill Pain Questionnaire the as the observation index, comparing pre-/post-treatment Pain Rating Index (PRI) scores, Visual Analogous Scale (VAS) scores and Present Pain Intensity (PPI) scores and referring to the Criteria of the Diagnosis of and the Therapeutic Effect on Syndromes in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Result After treatment, the PRI, VAS and PPI scores decreased significantly in both groups (P<0.01) and were lower in the observation group than in the control group (P<0.01). The cure rate was 57.1% (24/42) in the observation group, which was significantly higher than 27.5% in the control group (11/40,P<0.01). The total efficacy rate was 95.2% (40/42) in the observation group, which was significantly higher than 80.0% in the control group (32/40,P<0.01). Conclusion Heat-sensitive point moxibustion plus manipulative reduction has a very good therapeutic effect on thoracic facet joint disorder. The effect is significantly better than that in the control group.

Clinical Observations on Heat-sensitivePoint Yaoyangguan Moxibustion for Treatment of Sciatica / 上海针灸杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitivepoint Yaoyangguan(GV3)moxibustion for sciatica and preliminarily explore the mechanism of its action.MethodOne hundred and twelve sciatica patients were randomly allocated to heat-sensitive point Yaoyangguan moxibustion (observation), non-heat-sensitive point Yaoyangguan suspended moxibustion (control) and medication groups. The observation group received heat-sensitive point Yaoyangguan moxibustion; the control group, non-heat-sensitive point Yaoyangguan suspended moxibustion; the medication group, oral administration of Yaobitong capsules. The clinical symptoms were scored, the Pain Rating Index (PRI), the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Present Pain Intensity (PPI) scores were counted and serum IL-8 content was measured in the three groups beforeand after 15 days of treatment.ResultAfter 15 days of treatment, all the three treatments had a certain therapeutic effect on sciatica. The therapeutic effect was bestin the observation group (P0.05).ConclusionHeat-sensitive point Yaoyangguan moxibustion has a better therapeutic effect than non-heat-sensitive point Yaoyangguan suspended moxibustion and oral administration of Yaobitong capsules. This method is an ideal treatment for sciatica. The mechanism may be related to a posttreatment decrease in inflammatory factors in the diseased region.