Clinical Observation on the Treatment of Insomnia in Germany with Deficiency of Heart and Spleen by the Ear Bean Therapy

Objective: To observe the effect of insomnia patients with deficiency of heart and spleen in Germany by the therapy of ear points pressing with bean. Methods: A total of 80 cases of insomnia with deficiency of heart and spleen in Germany were divided into the observation group and the control group, with 40 cases in each group. The patients in the control group were treated with oral modified Guipi Decoction(归脾汤), while the patients in the observation group were treated with oral traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the therapy of ear points pressing with bean. The efficacy, sleep quality, the TCM syndromes score and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results: The effective rate in the observation group was higher than that in the control group, and there was statistical difference between the two group(P<0.05). After treatment, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index scale(PSQI) score, insomnia severity index(ISI) score and the TCM syndromes score in the two groups were decreased sharply(P<0.01), and those scores in the observation group were lower than that in the control group(P<0.05). There was no adverse reaction between the two groups. Conclusion: The therapy of ear points pressing with bean is effective on insomnia in Germany, which is worth further study and promotion.

Acupuncture combined with ear point taping and pressing for sleep disturbance in 30 children with mental retardation

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with ear point taping and pressing on sleep disturbance of the children with mental retardation. Method Thirty children of mental retardation with sleep disturbance were treated with acupuncture combined with ear point taping and pressing therapy, Sìshénzhēn （四神针）, Nǎosānzhēn （脑三针）, Zhìsānzhēn （智三针）, Nièsānzhēn （颞三针）, Shǒuzhìzhēn （手智针） were selected as main acupoints, and adjunct points were used according to symptoms and syndrome differentiation. For ear point taping and pressing, ěrshénmén （耳神门 MA-TF1）, Pízhìxià （皮质下 MA–AT1）, Jiāogǎn （交感 MA-AH7）, Xīn （心, heart）, Shèn （肾 kidney）, Pí （脾 spleen） were selected. The treatment was given two therapeutic courses, thrice each week, 36 sessions constituted one course. Child Sleep Habit Questionnaire （CSHQ） scale was used for assessment of sleep state before and after the treatment. Results After the treatment, among the 30 cases, 11 cases were markedly effective, 16 cases were effective and 3 cases were failed, the total effective rate was 90.0%; after the treatment, the children had significant improvement in the total time of sleep, the time of going to bed for sleep, sleep habit, sleep behavior, awaking state at night, getting-up state in the morning, sleep state in the daytime and the total score （P0.01, P0.001）. Conclusion Acupuncture combined with ear point taping and pressing therapy has a positive therapeutic effect on sleep disturbance and increases sleep quality in varying degrees in children with mental retardation.

Effect of Ear-Acupoint Pressing and Ear Apex(HX6,7)Bloodletting on Haemorheology in Chloasma Patients with Gan Depression Pattern

Objective： To explore the therapeutical effect of ear-acupoint pressing combined with Ear Apex （HX6,7） bloodletting on haemorheology in chloasma patients with Gan （Liver） depression pattern. Methods： A total of 180 chloasma patients were randomly assigned to three groups, 60 cases in each. Patients in the ear- acupuncture （EA） group were treated with ear-acupoint pressing combined with Ear Apex（HX6,7） bloodletting; vitamins C and E were put into practice in the Western medicine （WM） group together with 0.025% tretinoin cream for local external application; patients in the placebo group were treated with urea-cream by external use, while 30 healthy volunteers were in the control group. After a treatment course of 2 months, the changes of haemorheology, injury skin area, colour score and symptom score before and after the treatment were observed. Results： There was no significant difference on whole blood reduced viscosity （high shear, medium shear, and low shear）, erythrocyte aggregation index, hematocrit, plasma viscosity among the four groups （F=2.65, P〉0.05）. Compared with those before treatment, the whole blood viscosity （high shear） and whole blood reduced viscosity （high shear） after treatment in the EA group, the WM group and the placebo group were with no statistical significance （P〉0.05）. The injury skin area and colour score after treatment were significantly lower than those before treatment in the EA group and the WM group （P〈0.05）, while there was no significant difference in placebo group （P〉0.05）. Clinical symptoms of the EA group were obviously improved after the 2-month treatment, which was significantly different compared with those before treatment （P〈0.05）, there was significant difference compared with those of WM group and placebo group （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： There was no significant difference on haemorheology index between healthy people and chloasma patients without angionosis, cerebrovascular disease, hematopathy, metabolic disease or any other organic disease. Ear-acupoint pressing combined with Ear Apex （HX6,7） bloodletting can effectively improve concurrent symptoms, lighten chloasma and lower chloasma area in patients accompanied by Gan depression.