OBJECTIVE:To compare the therapeutic effect on sudden deafness between acupuncture and moxibustion therapy of excitation-focus transfer and routine medication.

METHODS:Eighty cases of sudden deafness were randomly divided into two groups, 40 cases in each one. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy of excitation-focus transfer was adopted in observation group on Yongquan (KI 1) (with reducing and slightly heavy manipulation), Tinggong (SI 19), Tinghui (GB 2) and Ermen (TE 21), and associated with suspending moxibustion for thermal sensitization on Yongquan (KI 1). In control group, the routine medications were given. The therapeutic effects of two groups were compared with each other.

RESULTS:After three sessions of treatment, dB value of hearing loss in two groups decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), but the improvement of hearing in observation group was superior to that in control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 80.0% (32/40) in observation group, which was better than that 55.0% (22/40) in control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy of excitation-focus transfer presents superior therapeutic effect on sudden deafness as compared with the routine western therapy.

OBJECTIVE:To compare the therapeutic effect on sudden deafness between acupuncture and moxibustion therapy of excitation-focus transfer and routine medication.

METHODS:Eighty cases of sudden deafness were randomly divided into two groups, 40 cases in each one. Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy of excitation-focus transfer was adopted in observation group on Yongquan (KI 1) (with reducing and slightly heavy manipulation), Tinggong (SI 19), Tinghui (GB 2) and Ermen (TE 21), and associated with suspending moxibustion for thermal sensitization on Yongquan (KI 1). In control group, the routine medications were given. The therapeutic effects of two groups were compared with each other.

RESULTS:After three sessions of treatment, dB value of hearing loss in two groups decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), but the improvement of hearing in observation group was superior to that in control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 80.0% (32/40) in observation group, which was better than that 55.0% (22/40) in control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:Acupuncture and moxibustion therapy of excitation-focus transfer presents superior therapeutic effect on sudden deafness as compared with the routine western therapy.

Migraine is a painful condition in which patients suffer from recurrent episodes of disabling pain, which could be very severe and can lead to grave psychological disturbances. There is no curative treatment for migraine, but there are various treatment modalities, though, with conflicting reports on their efficacy. This study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of electro acupuncture therapy and the conventional drug therapy on the psychological profile of migraneurs based on the assessment of quality of life and disability parameters. Migraneurs (n = 60) were recruited from the Psychiatry and Neurology OPD, Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, Delhi. Following a written consent, migraneurs were randomly allocated into 2 study groups--Group A received 10 sittings of electro acupuncture on selected acupuncture points over a period of 30 days, while for the same duration the Group D received a conventional drug therapy in the form of oral flunarizine 20 mg OD along with paracetamol 500 mg SOS. The patients were assessed twice, before and after completion of the treatment programme (30 days). The quality of life was assessed with WHOQOL BREF (WHO Quality of Life Biomedical Research and Education Foundation) questionnaire and the disability was assessed with MIDAS (Migraine Disability Assessment) questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measure's ANOVA with Tukey's test. Migraneurs were found to have lower quality of life and higher disability scores but following the treatment regimes, the 2 study groups showed a significant improvement in both the parameters studied. It was however observed, that the acupuncture group showed a better response and was thus found to be more effective as compared to the drug group (P = 0.005 to 0.000). We thus conclude that acupuncture is a better treatment option than the conventional drug therapy in not only relieving the pain of migraine but in also improving the psychological profile in migraneurs. Hence its use should be encouraged as an alternative/adjunct treatment for migraine.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of repeated acupuncture stimulation and local anaesthetic injection at the most painful points in patients with low back pain. METHOD: This randomised controlled clinical trial involved 26 patients with low back pain randomly allocated to either an acupuncture group (n = 13) or a local anaesthetic injection group (n = 13). Both acupuncture and anaesthetic injection were performed at two to five of the most painful points on the lower back once weekly for 4 weeks. In the acupuncture group, a 0.18 mm diameter stainless steel needle was inserted to a depth of 10-20 mm and manual stimulation was applied. In the local anaesthetic injection group, a 0.5 mm diameter needle was inserted to a depth of 10-20 mm and a local anaesthetic was injected. Participants evaluated pain using a Visual Analogue Scale immediately before and after the first treatment, before each subsequent treatment, and at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after completion of treatment. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the two groups in the change in Visual Analogue Scale pain scores (p<0.01), with acupuncture providing more favourable results than local anaesthetic injection. The reduction in pain score from baseline calculated at each time period was significantly different between the two groups after the first (p<0.05) and final (p<0.01) treatments, and during the follow-up period (after 2 weeks (p<0.01) and 4 weeks (p<0.05)). CONCLUSION: Both injection and acupuncture relieved pain, but acupuncture was superior for the immediate and sustained effects, suggesting that it is a useful treatment for low back pain. The difference in the effects may be attributable to differences in the mechanism of pain suppression.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of repeated acupuncture stimulation and local anaesthetic injection at the most painful points in patients with low back pain. METHOD: This randomised controlled clinical trial involved 26 patients with low back pain randomly allocated to either an acupuncture group (n = 13) or a local anaesthetic injection group (n = 13). Both acupuncture and anaesthetic injection were performed at two to five of the most painful points on the lower back once weekly for 4 weeks. In the acupuncture group, a 0.18 mm diameter stainless steel needle was inserted to a depth of 10-20 mm and manual stimulation was applied. In the local anaesthetic injection group, a 0.5 mm diameter needle was inserted to a depth of 10-20 mm and a local anaesthetic was injected. Participants evaluated pain using a Visual Analogue Scale immediately before and after the first treatment, before each subsequent treatment, and at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after completion of treatment. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the two groups in the change in Visual Analogue Scale pain scores (p<0.01), with acupuncture providing more favourable results than local anaesthetic injection. The reduction in pain score from baseline calculated at each time period was significantly different between the two groups after the first (p<0.05) and final (p<0.01) treatments, and during the follow-up period (after 2 weeks (p<0.01) and 4 weeks (p<0.05)). CONCLUSION: Both injection and acupuncture relieved pain, but acupuncture was superior for the immediate and sustained effects, suggesting that it is a useful treatment for low back pain. The difference in the effects may be attributable to differences in the mechanism of pain suppression.

Total parenteral nutrition or elemental diet can be used to induce remission of Crohn's disease. A randomized study has been conducted of 36 patients to assess the relative efficacy of the two techniques used without pharmacologic support; both were successful, and no significant differences emerged in the number of days to remission or the mean changes in Crohn's disease activity index, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, or serum albumin. The elemental diet is cheaper, simpler and safer. Uncontrolled clinical experience with 77 patients showed that personalized food exclusion diets were associated with an average annual relapse rate of only 11% for the first five years of diet alone; there have been six pregnancies and the longest remission is now 75 months. The use of elemental diet followed by the development of a personal food exclusion diet appears to be an effective long-term therapeutic strategy for Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of acupuncture and medication on primary simple premature ejaculation. METHODS: One hundred and eleven cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (n = 56) and a medication group (n = 55). The acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture with acupoint group I Xinshu (BL 15), Ganshu (BL 18), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and acupoint group II Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3), Taichong (LR 3) alternately selected, one acupoint group daily. The medication group was treated with oral administration of Sailete tablets, 20 mg each tablet, one tablet each night. After they were treated for one course, their therapeutic effects were compared. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 82.1% in the acupuncture group and 63.6% in the medication group; the cumulative score after treatment was 12.56 +/- 3.84 in the acupuncture group and 11.50 +/- 3.77 in the medication group, with a significant difference between the two groups in the therapeutic effect (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture has a better therapeutic effect on primary simple premature ejaculation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of acupuncture and medication on primary simple premature ejaculation. METHODS: One hundred and eleven cases were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (n = 56) and a medication group (n = 55). The acupuncture group was treated by acupuncture with acupoint group I Xinshu (BL 15), Ganshu (BL 18), Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23) and acupoint group II Guanyuan (CV 4), Zhongji (CV 3), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taixi (KI 3), Taichong (LR 3) alternately selected, one acupoint group daily. The medication group was treated with oral administration of Sailete tablets, 20 mg each tablet, one tablet each night. After they were treated for one course, their therapeutic effects were compared. RESULTS: The total effective rate was 82.1% in the acupuncture group and 63.6% in the medication group; the cumulative score after treatment was 12.56 +/- 3.84 in the acupuncture group and 11.50 +/- 3.77 in the medication group, with a significant difference between the two groups in the therapeutic effect (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture has a better therapeutic effect on primary simple premature ejaculation.

To determine whether an elemental diet or prednisolone would be more effective for treating acute Crohn's disease, a controlled trial was conducted on 20 patients with acute Crohn's disease who had never received specific treatment. The first ten patients were put on an elemental diet and the remaining ten were prescribed prednisolone for six weeks at an initial dose of 0.7 mg/kg/day. Patients were assessed using the simple activity index, body weight, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and alpha 2 globulin, serum albumin, and radiographic findings of bowel lesions. At six weeks, the patients on the elemental diet showed a significantly greater improvement in the activity index, inflammatory signs such as C-reactive protein and alpha 2 globulin, and radiographic findings of bowel lesions than did those on the steroid. Patients who were given steroids for six weeks and then treated with the elemental diet for four weeks showed improvement in the radiographic findings of bowel lesions and inflammation. The present study strongly suggests that elemental diet is superior to steroids for treating active Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVES: In a randomized controlled multicenter trial extending over 24 weeks, we investigated whether acupuncture is as effective and safe as metoprolol in the prophylactic treatment of migraine under conditions similar to routine care. METHODS: One hundred fourteen migraine patients could be randomized to treatment over 12 weeks either with acupuncture (8 to 15 sessions) or metoprolol (100 to 200 mg daily). Main outcome measure was the difference in the number of migraine days between baseline and the weeks 9 to 12 after randomization (derived from a headache diary). RESULTS: Two of 59 patients randomized to acupuncture withdrew prematurely from the study compared to 18 of 55 randomized to metoprolol. The number of migraine days decreased by 2.5 +/- 2.9 days (baseline 5.8 +/- 2.5 days) in the acupuncture group compared to 2.2 +/- 2.7 days (baseline 5.8 +/- 2.9 days) in the metoprolol group (P= .721). The proportion of responders (reduction of migraine attacks by>or =50%) was 61% for acupuncture and 49% for metoprolol. Both physicians and patients reported fewer adverse effects in the acupuncture group. CONCLUSIONS: Due to missing the recruitment target (480 patients) and the high drop-out in the metoprolol group the results must be interpreted with caution. Still, they suggest that acupuncture might be an effective and safe treatment option for patients unwilling or unable to use drug prophylaxis.

OBJECTIVES: In a randomized controlled multicenter trial extending over 24 weeks, we investigated whether acupuncture is as effective and safe as metoprolol in the prophylactic treatment of migraine under conditions similar to routine care. METHODS: One hundred fourteen migraine patients could be randomized to treatment over 12 weeks either with acupuncture (8 to 15 sessions) or metoprolol (100 to 200 mg daily). Main outcome measure was the difference in the number of migraine days between baseline and the weeks 9 to 12 after randomization (derived from a headache diary). RESULTS: Two of 59 patients randomized to acupuncture withdrew prematurely from the study compared to 18 of 55 randomized to metoprolol. The number of migraine days decreased by 2.5 +/- 2.9 days (baseline 5.8 +/- 2.5 days) in the acupuncture group compared to 2.2 +/- 2.7 days (baseline 5.8 +/- 2.9 days) in the metoprolol group (P= .721). The proportion of responders (reduction of migraine attacks by>or =50%) was 61% for acupuncture and 49% for metoprolol. Both physicians and patients reported fewer adverse effects in the acupuncture group. CONCLUSIONS: Due to missing the recruitment target (480 patients) and the high drop-out in the metoprolol group the results must be interpreted with caution. Still, they suggest that acupuncture might be an effective and safe treatment option for patients unwilling or unable to use drug prophylaxis.

OBJECTIVE:To compare the acupuncture treatment and the medical treatment with antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on pain control, urinary symptoms, and quality of life of category IIIB chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP-CPPS).

METHODS:From November 2008 to May 2009, 54 male patients with category IIIB CP-CPPS were randomly divided into 2 groups: the medical treatment group (group 1, n = 28) and the acupuncture treatment group (group 2, n = 26). Group 1 took levofloxacin 500 mg daily and ibuprofen 200 mg twice a day for 6 weeks. In the acupuncture group (group 2), bilateral BL32 (Ciliao) and BL33 (Zhongliao) acupoints were used to stimulate the sacral nerve using an electrical pulse generator, twice a week for 7 weeks. The change in National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index scores from the baseline to the end of the treatment was observed.

RESULTS:The mean follow-up was 28 weeks from the baseline (range, 20-43 weeks). In acupuncture group, reduction of pain, urinary symptoms, quality of life, and total National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index score was higher compared with the medical group.

CONCLUSION:However the treatment of CP-CPPS is challenging and difficult for the urologists. This clinical study showed that the acupuncture treatment is a safe and effective treatment of category IIIB CP-CPPS.

OBJECTIVE:To compare the acupuncture treatment and the medical treatment with antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on pain control, urinary symptoms, and quality of life of category IIIB chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP-CPPS).

METHODS:From November 2008 to May 2009, 54 male patients with category IIIB CP-CPPS were randomly divided into 2 groups: the medical treatment group (group 1, n = 28) and the acupuncture treatment group (group 2, n = 26). Group 1 took levofloxacin 500 mg daily and ibuprofen 200 mg twice a day for 6 weeks. In the acupuncture group (group 2), bilateral BL32 (Ciliao) and BL33 (Zhongliao) acupoints were used to stimulate the sacral nerve using an electrical pulse generator, twice a week for 7 weeks. The change in National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index scores from the baseline to the end of the treatment was observed.

RESULTS:The mean follow-up was 28 weeks from the baseline (range, 20-43 weeks). In acupuncture group, reduction of pain, urinary symptoms, quality of life, and total National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index score was higher compared with the medical group.

CONCLUSION:However the treatment of CP-CPPS is challenging and difficult for the urologists. This clinical study showed that the acupuncture treatment is a safe and effective treatment of category IIIB CP-CPPS.

OBJECTIVE:To compare the therapeutic differences among scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking, body acupuncture and western medication for treatment of vascular dementia (VD).

METHODS:Ninety cases were randomly divided into a combined therapy group (31 cases), a body acupuncture group (29 cases) and a western medication group (30 cases). The combined therapy group was treated with scalp acupuncture at forehead middle line, parieral middle line, temporal front line and temporal rear line as well as auricular point sticking at naogan (AT3,41), shen (CO10), shenmen (TF4), zhen (AT3), once a day; the body acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20), Zusanli (ST 36) and so on, once a day; the western medication group was treated with oral administration of aniracetam tablets, 0.2 g per time, twice a day. Fourteen days were considered as a treatment course, and totally 3 courses were required. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and activities of daily living (ADL) were applied to assess the changes of cognitive behavior ability before and after treatment among three groups. Also the efficacy among three groups were compared.

RESULTS:One case dropped out in the body acupuncture group and western medication group, respectively. The total effective rate was 90.334 (28/31) in the combined therapy group, which was superior to 85.734 (24/28) in the body acupuncture group and 79.3% (23/29) in the western medication group (both P<0.05). After the treatment, the scores of MMSE and ADL were all improved among three groups, which was the most significant in the combined therapy group (MMSE: 23.32 +/- 4.45 vs 21.23 +/- 4.13, P<0.05; 23.32 +/- 4.45 vs 20.41 +/- 4. 01, P<0.01; ADL: 53.18 +/- 21.55 vs 51.92 +/- 20.42, P<0.05; 53.18 +/- 21.55 vs 49.42 +/- 19.43, P<0.01).

CONCLUSION:The scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking could improve the clinical symptoms and cognitive behavior ability in patients with vascular dementia, which has superior total efficacy to body acupuncture and western medication aniracetam tablets.

OBJECTIVE:To compare the therapeutic differences among scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking, body acupuncture and western medication for treatment of vascular dementia (VD).

METHODS:Ninety cases were randomly divided into a combined therapy group (31 cases), a body acupuncture group (29 cases) and a western medication group (30 cases). The combined therapy group was treated with scalp acupuncture at forehead middle line, parieral middle line, temporal front line and temporal rear line as well as auricular point sticking at naogan (AT3,41), shen (CO10), shenmen (TF4), zhen (AT3), once a day; the body acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture at Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20), Zusanli (ST 36) and so on, once a day; the western medication group was treated with oral administration of aniracetam tablets, 0.2 g per time, twice a day. Fourteen days were considered as a treatment course, and totally 3 courses were required. The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and activities of daily living (ADL) were applied to assess the changes of cognitive behavior ability before and after treatment among three groups. Also the efficacy among three groups were compared.

RESULTS:One case dropped out in the body acupuncture group and western medication group, respectively. The total effective rate was 90.334 (28/31) in the combined therapy group, which was superior to 85.734 (24/28) in the body acupuncture group and 79.3% (23/29) in the western medication group (both P<0.05). After the treatment, the scores of MMSE and ADL were all improved among three groups, which was the most significant in the combined therapy group (MMSE: 23.32 +/- 4.45 vs 21.23 +/- 4.13, P<0.05; 23.32 +/- 4.45 vs 20.41 +/- 4. 01, P<0.01; ADL: 53.18 +/- 21.55 vs 51.92 +/- 20.42, P<0.05; 53.18 +/- 21.55 vs 49.42 +/- 19.43, P<0.01).

CONCLUSION:The scalp acupuncture combined with auricular point sticking could improve the clinical symptoms and cognitive behavior ability in patients with vascular dementia, which has superior total efficacy to body acupuncture and western medication aniracetam tablets.

This study compared the efficacies of acupuncture and anti-inflammatory treatment in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Fifty patients with mild to moderate CTS were randomly divided into two groups. Both groups received night wrist splints as the standard conservative treatment for 1 month. The acupuncture group also received eight sessions of acupuncture therapy (twice a week for 4 weeks). The control group received 400 mg of ibuprofen three times a day for 10 days. The visual analog scale (VAS) score, the score on the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire for Functional Status and Symptom Severity (BCTQ FUNCT and SYMPT), and the electrodiagnostic findings were evaluated at baseline and 1 month after treatment. At the final follow up, significant improvements were found in both groups (p < 0.05). Statistically significant improvements were observed in the VAS score, the score on the global BCTQ FUNCT and SYMPT, and the electrodiagnostic findings, but not in the distal motor latency (DML), in the acupuncture group (p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that acupuncture affected the score on the global BCTQ FUNCT and SYMPT, the VAS score, and the electrodiagnostic findings, except the DML, more than ibuprofen did and that acupuncture might be an effective treatment for CTS.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the differences in the clinical efficacy on menopausal irritability between acupuncture and medication.

METHODS:Sixty cases of menopausal irritability were randomized into an acupuncture group (31 cases) and a medication group (29 cases). In the acupuncture group, the warming needling manipulation was applied at the key acupoints such as Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3), once a day, 10 treatments made one session. Totally, 2 sessions were required. In the medication group, 2.5 mg diazepam tablets were prescribed, three times a day, for 23 days totally. The clinical efficacy, the modified Kupperman score and self-rated health measurement scale (SRHMS) were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS The total effective rate was 87. 1% (27/31) in the acupuncture group and 82.8% (24/29) in the medication group. The difference in the clinical efficacy was not significant between the two groups (P>0.05). The modified Kupperman score and SRHMS score were both reduced obviously after treatment in the two groups, indicating the significant difference (all P<0.05). The reduction of two scores in the acupuncture group was more obvious than those in the medication group (Kupperman: 15.23 +/- 6.19 vs 18.45 +/- 5.37; SRHMS: 116.29 +/- 38.24 vs 140.34 +/- 42.15, both P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:The acupuncture and medication are effective in the treatment of menopausal irritability, but the efficacy of warming needling manipulation is better than that of diazepam tablets.

OBJECTIVE:To observe the differences in the clinical efficacy on menopausal irritability between acupuncture and medication.

METHODS:Sixty cases of menopausal irritability were randomized into an acupuncture group (31 cases) and a medication group (29 cases). In the acupuncture group, the warming needling manipulation was applied at the key acupoints such as Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR 3), once a day, 10 treatments made one session. Totally, 2 sessions were required. In the medication group, 2.5 mg diazepam tablets were prescribed, three times a day, for 23 days totally. The clinical efficacy, the modified Kupperman score and self-rated health measurement scale (SRHMS) were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS The total effective rate was 87. 1% (27/31) in the acupuncture group and 82.8% (24/29) in the medication group. The difference in the clinical efficacy was not significant between the two groups (P>0.05). The modified Kupperman score and SRHMS score were both reduced obviously after treatment in the two groups, indicating the significant difference (all P<0.05). The reduction of two scores in the acupuncture group was more obvious than those in the medication group (Kupperman: 15.23 +/- 6.19 vs 18.45 +/- 5.37; SRHMS: 116.29 +/- 38.24 vs 140.34 +/- 42.15, both P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:The acupuncture and medication are effective in the treatment of menopausal irritability, but the efficacy of warming needling manipulation is better than that of diazepam tablets.