COMMENTS ON THE STUDY OF ACUPOINT COMBINATION AND REMEDIES FOR TREATMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS WITH ACUPUNCTURE AND MOXIBUSTION

In the present paper, the author reviews the progresses in the study on acumoxi (acupuncture-moxi-bustion) treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM) from Chinese ancient classical works, Chinese and foreign journals. The therapeutic results reveal that acupuncture treatment of DM is effective in improving DM patients' symptoms via vagal-nerve reflex, regulation of neuroendocrine and immune functions. The author holds that ① correct selection of acupoints in accordance with syndrome differentiation and the related meridians and combined application of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicines (for oral administration) are the key points for raising the therapeutic effect; and ② acupoint combination and curative methods need to be researched further.

Acupuncture plus Chinese Medicinal Fumigation and Washing for Edema of the Stroke-affected Limb

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture plus Chinese medicinal fumigation and washing in treating edema of the affected limb in post-stroke hemiplegia. Methods: Two hundred patients with edema of the stroke-affected limb from our hospital were randomized into two groups according to their visiting sequence. In the observation group, 100 subjects were intervened by acupuncture plus Chinese medicinal fumigation and washing in addition to oral administration of diuretics, while the other 100 subjects in the control group were only given diuretics. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated after successive 2-week treatments. Results: The total effective rate was 90.0% in the observation group, significantly higher than 66.0% in the control group, indicating that there was a significant difference in comparing the overall therapeutic effect(P<0.01). Conclusion: Acupuncture plus Chinese medicinal fumigation and washing in addition to oral administration of diuretics is effective in treating edema of the affected limb in post-stroke hemiplegia.

Clinical Observation of Acupuncture plus Patent Chinese Medicine for Post-stroke Constipation

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture plus patent Chinese medicine in treating post-stroke constipation. Methods: Sixty eligible patients with post-stroke constipation were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 30 in each group. The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture plus Ma Zi Ren pill, while the control group was by Ma Zi Ren pill alone. The symptoms of constipation were observed before and after intervention. Results: After 2-week treatment, the constipation condition was improved in both groups, and the improvement in the treatment group was statistically more significant than that in the control group(P<0.05); respectively two weeks and a month after the intervention, the treatment group was superior to the control group in comparing the constipation score(P<0.05). However, acupuncture didn't show marked effect in improving defecation speed, initial defecation time, and spontaneous discharge frequency. The treatment group had a significantly higher short-term markedly-effective rate compared with the control group(P<0.05); the long-term therapeutic efficacy of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05). The adverse events happened in the treatment group were significantly less than those in the control group(P<0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture at specific acupoints plus patent Chinese medicine can produce a content therapeutic efficacy.

Clinical Observation on Combination of Acupuncture and Medication in Treating Breast Hyperplasia

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with medication in treating breast hyperplasia. Methods: One hundred patients with breast hyperplasia who met the inclusion criteria were randomly divided into an acupuncture combined with traditional Chinese medicine(A&TCM) group and a traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) group, 50 cases in each group. The A&TCM group received acupuncture combined with oral TCM; the TCM group only received oral TCM. After two courses of treatment, the efficacy was observed. Results: During the two treatment courses, the recovery rates had been increasing in both groups. The recovery rate of the A&TCM group was 40.0% and the total effective rate was 98.0%. While the recovery rate of the TCM group was 18.0% and the total effective rate was 80.0%. According to statistical analysis, the differences of recovery rate and total effective rate between the two groups were statistically significant(P<0.01). Conclusion: Combination of acupuncture and TCM is more effective than simple oral TCM.