Analgesic effects of balanced acupuncture versus body acupuncture in low-back and leg pain patients with lumbar disc herniation, as assessed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

Balanced acupuncture, a single-acupoint balance therapy, regulates the balance of the cerebral center, and is characterized by exerting quick effects and a short treatment course. A total of 20 low-back and leg pain patients with lumbar disc herniation were treated with balanced acupuncture or body acupuncture. Central mechanisms of vaded acupunctures were compared using resting-state functional MRI. Patients from both groups received functional MRI before and after acupuncture. Functional connectivity in brain regions that were strongly associated with the bilatera amygdala was analyzed utilizing AFNI software. Visual analogue scale scores were greater in the balanced acupuncture group compared with the body acupuncture group. Function of the endogenous pain regulation network was enhanced in patients in the balanced acupuncture group, but was not changed in the body acupuncture group. This result indicates that the analgesic effects of body acupuncture do not work through the central nervous system. These data suggest that balanced acupuncture exerts analgesic effects on low-back and leg pain patients with lumbar disc herniation by regulating the function of the endogenous pain regulation network.

Scalp and Body Acupuncture for Treatment of Senile Insomnia—A Report of 83 Cases

The author has in recent years treated 83 cases of senile insomnia with scalp and body acupuncture. Meanwhile, 35 cases in the control group were treated with western and Chinese drugs. The therapeutic results in the treatment group were superior to that of nitrazapam and An Shen Bu Nao Ye (安神补脑液Sedative and Brain-invigorating Fluid) used in the control group. A report of the treatment follows. ……

Effects of different acupuncture methods combined with routine rehabilitation on gait of stroke patients

BACKGROUND Stroke refers to a group of cerebrovascular diseases associated with organic braininjury. It is characterized by the sudden and rapid onset of focal or diffusedysfunction. In recent years, in addition to routine treatment, Chinese medicineacupuncture has been administered to patients with hemiplegia, and it can beconsidered a new treatment for rehabilitation.AIM To investigate the effects of eye acupuncture needle retention and bodyacupuncture combined with routine rehabilitation on gait performance andplantar pressure in patients recovering from stroke.METHODS Thirty-two stroke patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly dividedinto an experimental group and a control group, with 16 patients in each group.Both groups underwent routine rehabilitation. The experimental group wastreated by eye acupuncture needle retention, and the control group was treated bybody acupuncture. Before and after 4 wk of treatment, both groups underwentkinematic and plantar pressure synchronous tests to assess gait performance.RESULTS The step length, gait speed, step frequency, joint angles of the lower limbs, andground reaction force impulse in the anterior region of the affected foot in bothgroups significantly increased from before to after treatment (P < 0.05);the center of mass displacement, peak pressure values, and impulse in the anterior region ofthe healthy foot and posterior regions of both the affected and healthy feetsignificantly decreased from before to after treatment (P < 0.05). The patients inthe experimental group showed greater improvement in the following parametersthan the control group: Step length, gait speed, step frequency, lower extremityjoint angles, center of gravity displacement, and peak pressure values andimpulse in the anterior and posterior regions of both the affected and healthy feet(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION Eye acupuncture needle retention and body acupuncture combined with routinerehabilitation can effectively improve the gait performance of patients recoveringfrom stroke. Between these two treatments, eye acupuncture needle retentioncombined with routine treatment is better than body acupuncture, and it can beconsidered a practical and effective clinical treatment.

针灸并用结合康复训练治疗中风后肩手综合征临床疗效观察

Objective:To compare the clinical effects of body acupuncture,moxibustion,and body acupuncture plus moxibustion in the treatment of post-stroke shoulder hand syndrome(SHS).Methods:A total of 90 SHS patients after stroke were randomly divided into the body acupuncture group,the moxibustion group,and the body acupuncture plus moxibustion group,with 30 cases in each.On the basis of rehabilitation and routine treatment,the patients in different groups were treated with body acupuncture,moxibustion,and body acupuncture plus moxibustion respectively.Treatment was given once a day,5 times a week,and 4 weeks in all.The visual analogue scale(VAS)scores,edema grading scores,and simplified Fugl-Meyer assessment(FMA)scores were evaluated before and after treatment,and the therapeutic effects of patients were evaluated as well.Results:After treatment,the VAS and edema grading scores of the three groups were all lower and the FMA scores were all higher than those before treatment,with statistically significant differences(all P<0.05).The VAS and edema grading scores of the acupuncture plus moxibustion group were lower and the FMA score was higher than those of the body acupuncture group and the moxibustion group,with statistically significant differences(all P<0.05).The total effective rate of the acupuncture plus moxibustion group was 96.7%,higher than 80.0%of the body acupuncture group and 83.3%of the moxibustion group,with statistically significant differences(both P<0.05).Conclusion:Body acupuncture,moxibustion,and body acupuncture plus moxibustion are all effective for post-stroke SHS,while the effect of acupuncture plus moxibustion is the best in relieving the pain and swelling,and improving effectively the joint movement of post-stroke SHS patients,which should be popularized in clinical practice.

头针联合体针对帕金森病运动症状的治疗效应:随机临床研究

Objective:To observe the therapeutic effect of combined scalp and body acupuncture on the motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease(PD),and on the score of levodopa equivalent dose(LED).Methods:This is a randomized,single blind trial.Sixty-six patients with PD were randomized into an acupuncture+medication group(33 patients)and a medication group(33 patients).The patients were aware of allocation and the assessors were blinded to group assignment and therapeutic regimen.AntiPD drugs were administered in both groups.In the acupuncture+medication group,scalp and body acupuncture therapy was added.Treatments were applied for 8 weeks.In scalp acupuncture,the anterior oblique line of the vertex-temporal(MS6),lateral line 1 of the vertex(MS8),lateral line 2 of the vertex(MS9),and lower-lateral line of the occiput(MS14)were selected.In the body acupuncture,the acupoints included Bǎihuì(百会GV20),Sìshéncōng(四神聪EX-HN1),and Dàzhuī(大椎GV14),as well as the bilateral Fēngchí(风池GB20),Nèiguān(内关PC6),Hégǔ(合谷LI4),Gānshū(肝俞BL18),Shènshū(肾俞BL23),Yánglíngquán(阳陵泉GB34),Zúsānlǐ(足三里ST36),Fēnglóng(丰隆ST40),Sānyīnjiāo(三阴交SP6),Tàixī(太溪KI3),and Tàichōng(太冲LR3).Before and after treatments,the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale(UPDRS),3section of the UPDRS(UPDRS-Ⅲ),and motor dysfunction rating scale for Parkinson’s disease(MDRSPD)were scored in the patients.The therapeutic effect of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and LED score were compared between both groups.Results:Thirty-three cases were included in data analysis in each group.After treatment,UPDRS scores were(28.77±8.85)and(36.58±10.16)points,UPDRS-Ⅲscores were(12.16±1.97)and(17.47±2.93)points and MDRSPD scores were(15.56±3.31)and(19.13±4.87)points in the acupuncture+medication and medication groups respectively.The UPDRS,UPDRS-Ⅲ,and MDRSPD scores all reduced after treatments in both groups(all P<0.05).All three scores were lower in the acupuncture+medication group than in the medication group(all P<0.05).When examining the therapeutic effects of TCM,the total effective rate was 87.88%in the acupuncture+medication group and 75.76%in the medication group(P<0.05).After treatment,the LED scores were(387.55±146.24)points and(437.42±183.16)points in the acupuncture+medication and medication groups,respectively.The LED dose differences before and after treatment for the acupuncture+medication and medication groups were(40.36±16.33)points and(95.88±35.79)points,respectively.The LED scores in both groups were higher than the pre-treatment scores(P<0.05).However,the post-treatment LED score was lower in the acupuncture+medication group than in the medication group(P<0.05),as was the dose difference before and after treatment(P<0.05).No relevant adverse reaction was found in each group.Conclusion:In addition to anti-PD medication,the scalp and body acupuncture may effectively relieve the motor symptoms of PD and improve the control of LED score.