[Frozen shoulder due to cold damp treated with acupuncture and moxibustion on tender points].

OBJECTIVE: To search for a better method for frozen shoulder due to cold damp. METHODS: Sixty cases of frozen shoulder were randomly divided into an acupuncture-moxibustion group (32 cases) and an acupuncture group (28 cases). Acupuncture was applied mainly at Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14) and Jianzhen (SI 9) in either group. In acupuncture-moxibustion group, moxibustion on tender points was supplemented. RESULTS: In acupuncture-moxibustion group, 7 cases were cured, 15 cases markedly effective, 9 cases improved and 1 case failed. The cured and markedly effective rate was 68.8% and the effective rate was 96.9%. In acupuncture group, 2 cases were cured, 9 cases markedly effective, 13 cases improved and 4 cases failed. The cured and markedly effective rate was 39.3% and the effective rate was 85.7%. The cured and markedly effective rate in acupuncture-moxibustion group was superior to that in acupuncture group (P < 0.05) and there was no significant difference in the effective rate statistically between two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with moxibustion on tender points is superior to that of simple acupuncture on frozen shoulder due to cold damp.