OBSERVATION OF THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF Zhìyīn(至阴BL 67) ON 110 CASES OF PRIMARY DYSMENORRHEA WITH ACU-MOXIBUSTION

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of primary dysmenorrhea treated with acu-moxibus- tion. Methods 220 cases of primary dysmenorrhea were randomized into control group and treatment group, 110 cases in each one. In control group, fenbid was administered. In treatment group, ZhiyTn （至阴 BL 67） was selected in combination of auricular-point pressing therapy. Results The total effective rate was 94.5% in treatment group and was 76. 4 % in control group, indicating very significant difference （P〈0. 01） in com- parison. Conclusion Acu-moxibustion on BL 67 in combination of auricular-point pressing therapy presents definite therapeutic effect on primary dysmenorrhea, thus, this therapy is worth to be promoted entirely in practice.

ANALYSIS ON THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT OF 2656 CASES OF PRIMARY TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

In the present paper, the clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture therapy for treatment of primary prosopalgia was observed and its influencing factors were analyzed in 2656 patients. Yuyao (EX HN 4), Touwei (ST 8), Sibai (ST 2), Quanliao (SI 18), Xiaguan (ST 7) and Jiachengjiang were punctured selectively according to the involvement of different branches of the trigeminal nerve. After treatment, of the 2656 cases, the trigeminal neuralgia disappeared in 1469 (55.31%), 727 (27.37%) had marked improvement, 430 (16.19%) had improvement and 30 (1.13%) had no any significant effect. The three years’ follow up visit in 245 cases showed a relapse in 187 cases (76.3%). We think that the therapeutic effect is closely related to the needling manipulations. Only when an electric shock like needling sensation appeared (i.e. “qi reaching the affected area") after inserting the acupuncture needle into the chief acupoints, a better therapeutic effect would be achieved.

INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT INTERVALS OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT ON BONE INTENSITY IN PRIMARY OSTEOPOROSIS PATIENTS

Objective: To observe the influence of different intervals of acupuncture treatment on bone intensity in primary osteoporosis subjects. Methods: A total of 45 cases of primary osteoporosis female patients were randomly divided into 1 treatment/week (1-T/W), 2 treatments/week (2-T/W) and 3 treatments/week (3-T/W) groups, with 15 cases being in each group. Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Shenshu (BL 23), Taixi (KI 3) and Pishu (BL 20) were used and stimulated with reinforcing needling manipulation. For patients with deficiency syndrome of kidney-yang, thermal acupuncture was applied to Shenshu (BL 23), and for patients with spleen-deficiency syndrome, thermal acupuncture applied to Zusanli (ST 36). Results: After 6 months’ treatment, in 1-T/W group, no apparent change of bone intensity was observed, while in 2-T/W and 3-T/W groups, the bone intensity was increased significantly (P<0.05, 0.01). Conclusion: Acupuncture plus moxibustion treatment twice or 3 times every week can obviously improve the bone intensity.

Past,present and future of primary systemic treatment in breast cancer

Primary systemic treatment is a fundamental part of breast cancer therapy, and it is applied to non-surgical and locally advanced tumours as well as surgical tumours to increase the likelihood of conservative treatment. Its aim is to achieve the best possible survival with better cosmetic results and with the lowest number of treatment-related secondary effects. Before treatment is started, it is necessary to attain the best knowledge of the biological features and locoregional extension of the tumour. To do so, it is necessary to obtain a biopsy of the lesion with a wide bore needle,as well as good radiological knowledge of the disease.Therefore, currently, the use of a dynamic magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) of the breast should be included in all cases. In addition, before it is started,especially in those tumours in which conservative treatment is considered, one or several radiopaque markers should be put into place to make it possible to locate the area to be treated if there is a considerable or complete response. Systemic treatment is mainly based on combined chemotherapy with anthracyclins and taxanes, in addition to some biological agents with demonstrated efficiency for increasing the likelihood of complete disease response(trastuzumab in patients with Her-2/neu overexpression). However, there is room for neoadjuvant hormone treatment, in patients with hormone receptor overexpression, especially in those cases in which chemotherapy is contraindicated as well as in elderly patients with a relatively short life expectancy. The assessment of preoperative treatment should be based on adequate radiological tests, and nowad these should include MRI before taking decisions about adequate surgical treatment. The objective of primary treatment is to be able to increase survival and improve the chances of local treatment in the case of locally advanced treatment, achieving results that are at least equal to those of adjuvant treatment in the case of surgical tumours, but with greater chances of conservative surgery. Although the objective is survival, achieving complete pathological response seems to be a reasonable related objective, although these are more closely linked in some tumour subtypes.

Controlled observation of posthemiplegic omalgia treated by acupuncture-moxibustion and rehabilitation

Objective To compare the efficacy difference between the acupuncture-moxibustion therapy for tonifying the primary and strengthening the shoulder and the rehabilitation therapy in the treatment of posthemiplegic omalgia （PO）. Methods Fifty-six cases of PO were randomized into an acupuncture-moxibustion group （30 cases） and a rehabilitation group （26 cases）. In the acupuncture-moxibustion group, the mild moxibustion with moxa stick was applied to Guānyuán （关元 CV 4）, Qìhǎi （气海 CV 6） and Zúsānlǐ （足三里 ST 36） and acupuncture was applied to Jiānzhēn （肩贞 SI 9）, Nàoshū （臑俞 SI 10）, Qūchí （曲池 LI 11）, etc. In the rehabilitation group, the conventional rehabilitation therapy was provided, including massaging local tissues, anti-cramping activity, etc. In both groups, the treatment was given once per day, 15 treatments made one session and two sessions were required totally. The visual analogue scale （VAS）, Fugl-Meyer assessment （FMA） and clinical neurologic impairment scale were adopted as the observation indicators for the evaluation of the analgesic effect and functional effect before and 30 days after treatment separately. Results The total analgesic effective rate was 100.0% （30/30） in the acupuncture-moxibustion group and was 96.2% （25/26） in the rehabilitation group, without presenting the statistical significant difference between two groups （P0.05）. VAS scores were all reduced significantly after treatment in both groups as compared with those before treatment （all P0.01）, but the comparison of the D-values before and after treatment did not reach the statistical significance between two groups （P0.05）. The scores of FMA and the clinical neurologic impairment scale were all improved significantly after treatment in both groups （all P0.01）. The improvements in the acupuncture-moxibustion group were superior to the rehabilitation group （all P0.01）. Conclusion Both therapies can achieve the analgesic effect on PO. The recovery of the motor and neurological functions after the impairment of the affected upper limb is superior in the treatment with the acupuncture and moxibustion therapy for tonifying the primary and strengthening the shoulder as compared with the rehabilitation therapy.