Therapeutic Observation of Superficial Needling for Temporomandibular Joint Disorder / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of superficial needling in treating temporomandibular joint disorder. Method Sixty patients with temporomandibular joint disorder were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 in each group. The treatment group was intervened by superficial needling, and the patients were asked to repeatedly open and close mouth after the treatment; the control group was intervened by regular acupuncture. The treatment was given once a day, 10 d as a treatment course. The clinical efficacies were compared after 2 treatment courses.Result After the first treatment course, the total effective rate was 89.7% in the treatment group versus 86.2% in the control group; after the second course, the total effective rate was 96.6% in the treatment group versus 93.1% in the control group. There was a significant difference in comparing the therapeutic efficacy between the two groups after the second course (P<0.05). The relapse rate was 5.0% in the treatment group versus 33.3% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05).Conclusion Superficial needling is an effective method in treating temporomandibular joint disorder.