[A brief discussion on theoretical basis and clinical application of "treatment of orofacial diseases by using Hegu(LI4)"].

In traditional Chinese medicine, the well-known saying that "in the treatment of disorders of the orofacial region, Hegu(LI4)is usually taken" is a highly summary of functions of acupoint LI4, the Yuan-primary point of the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand Yangming. By consulting the related literature and viewing from the angle of differentiation of meridians, the present paper expounded the characteristics of location, the attributed meridian and clinical functions of LI4, and summarized its underlying mechanisms in the treatment of some orofacial disorders revealed by experimental researches. In addition, some examples of clinical application of LI4 were listed, including peripheral facial palsy, oral diseases, problems of the nose and headache.

[Treatment of Menopausal Syndrome by Combined Electroacupuncture, Acupoint-injection and Fire-needle Therapies].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of joint application of electroacupuncture (EA), acupointinjection and fire-needle in the treatment of menopausal syndrome (MS) women. METHODS: One hundred MS patients were randomized into control group and combined treatment group (n=50 patients in each). The combined treatment group was treated by joint application of EA, acupoint-injection and fire-needle stimulation, and the control group treated by EA stimulation alone. EA was applied to Shenshu (BL 23), Xinshu (BL15), Taixi (KI 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Laogong (PC 8), Pishu (BL 20), etc., for 30 min, once daily for 10 days. Point-injection of red ginseng-ophiopogon root injection (0.5 mL) or red-hot needle stimulation was applied to bilateral BL15, BL 20, SP 6 and BL 23 once daily for 10 days and once every other day for 5 times, respectively. The modified Kupperman index scale was used to evaluate symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats: 4 points; paresthesia, insomnia, dyspareunia, irritability and problems of urinary system: 2 point each; depression, dizziness, fatigue, joint pain or muscular pain, headache, palpitation, skin formication: 1 point each) of the perimenopausal syndrome, and 3 months' follow-up survey was conducted after the treatment. Each symptom score was calculated as the product of the symptom severity score (0, no; 1, mild; 2, moderate; 3, severe) multiplied by the points of symptom index. The total Kupperman score was the sum of the scores of all the items. The therapeutic effect was also evaluated according to the "Guiding Principles for Clinical Trials of New Drugs of Chinese Materia Medica" (2002). RESULTS: The Kupperman scores were significantly decreased following the 10 days' treatment and 3 months thereafter in both control and combined treatment groups in comparison with their individual pretreatment (P<0.05), and were obviously lower in the combined treatment group than in the control group after treatment (P<0.05). Of the both 50 patients in the control and combined treatment groups, 22(44%) and 35 (70%) experienced a remarkably improvement, 18(36%) and 12(24%) were effective, and 10(20%) and 3 (6%) ineffective, with the total effective rates being 80% and 94%, respectively. The therapeutic effect of the combined treatment group was notably superior to that of the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The joint application of electroacupuncture (EA), acupoint-injection and fire needle is significantly superior to that of simple EA in improving the symptoms of patients with menopausal syndrome.

[Clinical Trials of Triple-puncture Stimulation of Zhibian (BL 54), ctc. plus Moxibustion for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of triple-puncture stimulation of Zhibian (BL 54), etc. combined with moxibustion therapy for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: Two hundred patients with BPH who met the inclusive criteria were randomized into control (acupuncture) and treatment (acupuncture plus moxibustion) groups (n = 100 cases in each one). Patients of both the control and treatment groups were treated by puncturing the sensitive spot of bilateral Zhibian (BL 54, with triple filiform needles), and other main acupoints as Pang-Shuidao (ST 28, one cun beside ST 28), Pang-Guilai (ST 29, one cun beside ST 29), Shenshu (BL 23), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (GV 7), and some supplemented acupoints selected according to the syndrome identification. In addition, for patients of the treatment group, bird-pecking moxibustion was applied to bilateral Zhibian (BL 54), and the rest acupoints were punctured with filiform needles which were attached with ignited moxa stick-segments. The treatment was conducted for 30 min every time, once every day for 20 times, with 2 days' rest between the two 10 days' treatments. The state of the patients' prostate (micturation state) was evaluated according to the "International prostate symptom score" (I-PSS, 0 - 35 poins, 7 symptom questions) and quality of life (QOL, 0 - 6 points) score before and after the treatment. RESULTS: After the treatment, both l-PSS score and QOL score of the two groups were significantly decreased compared with pre-treatment in the same one group (P<0.01), and the effect of the treatment group was evidently superior to that of the control group in lowering I-PSS score and QOL score (P<0.01). Of the two 100 cases in the control and treatment groups, 23 (23.0%) and 42(42.0%) experienced a marked improvement, 51(51.0%) and 47 (47.0%) were effective, and 26 (26.0%) and 11(11.0%) invalid, with the effective rates being 74.0% and 89.0%, respectively. The therapeutic effect of the treatment group was obviously superior to that of the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture plus moxibustion treatment is effective in improving BPH patients' micturation symptoms, which is superior to the simple acupuncture intervention.

[Clinical observation of lumbar spinal stenosis treated with deep puncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2)].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical efficacy on lumbar spinal stenosis treated with deep puncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2) with round-sharp needle. METHODS: One hundred and fifty cases of lumbar spinal stenosis were divided randomly into a deep puncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2) group (deep puncture group) and a conventional needling group, 75 cases in each one. In deep puncture group, the round-sharp needle was used to puncture Jiaji (EX-B 2) deeply to the nerve root in vertebral canal. Additionally, the conventional acupuncture with filiform needle was applied at the acupoints selected according to the symptoms, such as Shenshu (BL 23), Weizhong (BL 40), Zusanli (ST 36) and Zhibian (BL 54), etc. In conventional needling group, acupuncture with filiform needle was adopted at the acupoints as those in deep puncture group. The clinical symptom scores and efficacies of the patients in two groups were observed after 4 weeks treatment and 3 months of follow-up visit separately. RESULTS: After treatment and in follow-up visit, the clinical symptom scores all increased apparently for the patients in two groups (all P < 0.01). The result in deep puncture group was superior to that in conventional needling group (both P < 0.01). In deep puncture group, the total effective rates were 100.0% (75/75) and 96.0 (72/75) after treatment and in follow-up visit respectively, which were all superior to 92.0% (69/75) and 84.0% (63/75) in conventional needling group (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The deep puncture at Jiaji (EX-B 2) with round-sharp needle achieves superior efficacy as compared with the conventional needling therapy in treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. The prognosis of it is better and the disease is hardly recurred.

[Clinical observation on three-combination needling method for treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into a better therapy for primary trigeminal neuralgia. METHODS: Eighty-six cases were randomly divided into an observation group (n = 46) and a control group (n = 40). The observation group were treated with the three-combination needling method, i. e. acupuncture, acupoint-injection and fire-needle therapy, and the control group with acupuncture and acupoint-injection. After treatment of 2 courses, their therapeutic effects were assessed. RESULTS: The total effective rate of 93.5% and the cured rate of 60.9% in the observation group were better than 65.0% and 22.5% in the control group, with significant differences (both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The three-combination needling method has obvious clinical therapeutic effect on primary trigeminal neuralgia.

[Clinical study on round-sharp needle therapy combined with massage for prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disk].

OBJECTIVE: To search for a better therapy for prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disk. METHODS: One hundred and sixteen cases were randomly divided into a treatment group treated with round sharp needle plus massage, and a control group with filiform needle plus massage, 58 cases in each group. Changes of symptoms and signs were observed before and after treatment. RESULTS: The effective rate was 98.2% in the treatment group and 82.8% in the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Round sharp needle combined with massage has a better therapeutic effect on prolapse of lumbar intervertebral disk.