Clinical observation on moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) for treatment of refractory facial paralysis / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe clinical therapeutic effect of moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) on refractory facial paralysis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty cases were randomly divided into a test group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The control group were treated with acupuncture at Hegu (LI 4), Taichong (LR 3), Touwei (ST 8), etc. , and the test group with acupuncture at the same points as those in the control group plus moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) with a warm-heat sense transmitting into the depth of the point along the needle body for the patient.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate of 93.3% in the test group was significantly better than 76.7 in the control group (P < 0.05); in the test group, the total effective rate for the patients with needling sensation propagating along the channel was 100%, which was significantly superior to 80.00% in the patients with no needling sensation propagating along the channel (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Moxibustion and acupuncture at Zusanli (ST 36) activating sensation propagating along channel as main way has a better therapeutic effect on refractory facial paralysis.</p>