ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short-term and long-term clinical effects of otopoint pellet-pressing combined with medication in the treatment of patients with migraine without aura and its impact on plasma 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) and calcitonin gene-related peptide(CGRP) contents. METHODS: Patients with migraine without aura were randomly divided into medication(control) group(n=48) and otopoint pellet-pressing plus medication (treatment) group(n=49). Patients of the control group were given oral Flunarizine capsules(10 mg/time) twice a day, and those of the treatment group received same dosage of Flunarizine and pellet-pressing of otopoints Nao(Brain), Nie (Temporal), Shenmen(Shenmen), Jiaogan(Sympathy) and Pizhixia(Subcortex), 2 min/point, 3 times a day, simultaneously. The treatment was conducted for 1 month. The short-term and long-term clinical effects were evaluated according to Yang and colleagues' methods, and "Guiding principles for clinical research of new TCM drugs (trial)". The contents of plasma 5-HT and CGRP were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: After one month's treatment, of the 48 and 49 patients in the control and treatment groups, 10(20.83%)and 17(34.69%) were under control, 19(39.59%)and 23(46.94%) experienced marked improvement, 10(20.83%)and 7(14.29%)were effective, 9(18.75%) and 2(4.08%) failed, with the total effective rates being 81.25% and 95.92%, respectively. Six months' follow-up survey showed that of the 48 and 49 patients in the control and treatment groups, 4(8.33%)and 11(22.45%) were under control, 20(41.67%)and 24(48.98%)experienced marked improvement, 11(22.92%)and 9(18.37%)were effective, and 13(27.08%) and 5(10.20%)failed, with the total effective rates being 72.92% and 89.80%, respectively. The number of headache attacks, duration of each attack and the degree of headache were significantly decreased after 1 and 6 months' treatment in both groups in comparison with their own pre-treatment (P<0.05). The contents of plasma 5-HT at the time-points of 1 and 6 months were markedly increased (P<0.05), and those of plasma CGRP at the two time points markedly decreased in both groups in comparison with their own pre-treatment (P<0.05). The therapeutic effects of the treatment group were obviously superior to those of the control group in lowering the number of headache attacks, duration of each attack and the degree of headache and plasma CGRP content, as well as in increasing plasma 5-HT levels after 1 and 6 months' treatment (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Otopoint pellet-pressing combined with oral administration of Flunarizine can significantly improve the clinical symptoms in patients with migraine without aura, and possess a stable long-term clinical effect, which may be associated with its effect in increasing plasma 5-HT and decreasing CGRP levels.
Subject(s)
Migraine Disorders , Acupuncture Points , Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide , Headache , Humans , SerotoninABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the postoperative effect of auricular acupuncture on primipara with cesarean in order to promote postpartum rehabilitation. METHODS: A total of 120 primiparas with cesarean were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 60 cases in each group. The routine treatment and care after surgery were given in the two groups. On the basis treatment, auricular acupuncture was applied at penqiang (TF5), shenmen (TF4), jiaogan (AH6a), pizhixia (AT4), neishengzhiqi(TF2), pi(CO13), wei(CO4) in the observation group, even-needling technique at all points. The needles were retained for 30 min, 3 times a day, the acupuncture was alternately every other day for 5 days continuously. The postpartum pain, anus exhaust time, incidence of postpartum hemorrhage, urinary retention and constipation, and postpartum average hospitalization day were recorded and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Twenty-seven cases of postpartum uterine contraction pain (45.0%), 25 cases of wound pain (41.7%), 19 cases of breast distending pain (31.7%) and 11 cases of muscle soreness (18.3%) in the observation group, which was significantly lower than 38 cases (63.3%), 36 cases (60.0%), 30 cases (50.0%) and 21 cases (35.0%) respectively in the control group (P<0.05). The anus exhaust time in the observation group was earlier than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the average hospitalization time was shorter than that in the control group (P<0.05). The incidence of postpartum hemorrhage, urinary retention and constipation in the observation group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Auricular acupuncture can effectively relieve postpartum pain in primipara with cesarean, promote postpartum exhaust and shorten hospitalization days, and reduce the incidence of postpartum complications such as postpartum hemorrhage, urinary retention and constipation, it is conducive to postpartum rehabilitation.
