Observations on the Therapeutic Effect of Electronic Moxibustion on Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of electronic moxibustion in treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy (liver-kidney deficiency type).Methods Ninety patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (liver-kidney deficiency type) were randomized to a treatment group (44 cases) and a control group (46 cases).The treatment group received electronic moxibustion and the control group,Chinese herbal fumigation of feet.Both groups were treated 10 times as a course for a total of three courses.The TCM symptom total score and the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) score were recorded in the two groups before and after treatment.The clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.Results There was a statistically significant pre-/post-treatment difference in the TCM symptom total score in both groups after one,two and three courses of treatment (P＜0.01).The TCM symptom total score improvement rate was (60.9±16.7)％ in the treatment group and (56.6±19.2)％ in the control group;there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.01).The total efficacy rate was 97.7％ in the treatment group and 95.7％ in the control group;there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P＞0.05).The pre-/post-treatment MNSI score difference value was (2.98±3.66) in the treatment group and (0.78±2.92) in the control group;there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P＜0.01).Conclusions Electronic moxibustion is an effective way to treat diabetic peripheral neuropathy.Its therapeutic effect is slightly better than that of Chinese herbal fumigation.