[Effect of elongated-needle by Hui-puncture method on piriformis syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of elongated needle by Hui-puncture method in the treatment of piriformis syndrome. METHODS: A total of 100 piriformis syndrome patients were randomly divided into routine acupuncture group (n＝50) and elongated needle by Hui-puncture method (Hui-puncture) group (n＝50). For patients of the routine acupuncture group, Huantiao (GB30), Juliao (GB29), Zhibian (BL54), Weizhong (BL40), Yanglingquan (GB34), Juegu (GB39) and Ashi-point on the affected side of the body were punctured with filiform needles for 30 min. And for those of the Hui-puncture group, elongated needles were respectively inserted into GB30 and Ashi-point. The treatment was conducted once every other day for 10 times. The visual analog scale (VAS) pain score and the severity scores of symptoms (hip pain, lower limb pain, walking ability, straight leg elevation test, piriformis muscle tension test, piriformis muscle tenderness, 0-15 points) were measured before and after the treatment. The therapeutic effect was assessed by Criteria for Diagnosis and Assessment of Therapeutic Effect of Syndromes or Illnesses of Traditional Chinese Medicine (1994). RESULTS: After the treatment, the scores of symptoms and VAS scores of both routine acupuncture and Hui-puncture groups were significantly decreased in comparison with their own pre-treatment (P<0.05), and the scores of the two indexes of the Hui-puncture group were evidently lower than those of the routine acupuncture group (P<0.05). Of the two 50 cases in the routine acupuncture and Hui-puncture groups, 39 and 47 were effective, with the effective rate being 78.00% and 94.00%, respectively. The comprehensive therapeutic effect of the Hui-puncture group was significantly superior to that of the routine acupuncture group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Elongated-needle by Hui-puncture method has significant effect in treating piriformis syndrome patients and is worthy of promotion.

Effects of electroacupuncture on muscle state and electrophysiological changes in rabbits with lumbar nerve root compression.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on force-displacement value (FDV) of muscle state and electrophysiology of the muscle in rabbits with lumbar nerve root compression. METHODS: Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into a control, a model, an electro-acupuncture acupoints (EAA), a medication, and an electro-acupuncture un-acupoints (EAU) group. All rabbits except those in the control group were subject to modeling (surgical lumbar nerve root compression). The control group was sham-operated without nerve root compression. The EAA group received electro-acupuncture at bilateral Shenshu (BL23) and Dachangshu (BL25) that were located 1.5 cun lateral to the posterior midline on the lower border of the spinous process of the 2nd and 4th lumbar vertebra, respectively. The EA was 15 mm deep and the frequency was 2 Hz. Each session lasted for 20 min per day for a total of 14 times. The medication group was treated with Loxoprofen sodium by gastrogavage at 4 mg/kg per day for 14 days. The EAU group received electro-acupuncture identical to the EAA group with regard to the treatment frequency and duration except a different acupoint at the tip of rabbit tail. Muscle states were determined by measuring FDVs of the bilateral biceps femoris using the Myotonometer® fast muscle state detector. Meanwhile, the prolonged and non-prolonged insertion potentials were measured by electromyography before and after modeling and after treatment. Latency, amplitude (Amp) of evoked potential, motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) were also determined after treatment. RESULTS: (1) After modeling, FDVs of right side activation (RSA, P=0.003) and right side relaxation (RSR) in the model group (P=0.000) were significantly decreased in comparison to the control group. The number of rabbits with non-prolonged insertion potentials in the model group was also significantly decreased (P=0.015) in comparison to the control group. (2) After treatment, FDVs of RSR were significantly increased in the EAA (P=0.000) and medication groups (P=0.018) in comparison to the model group. The increase in FDVs of RSR in the EAA group was significantly higher than that in EAU (P=0.000) and medication groups (P=0.002). MNCV in the model group was reduced compared with the control group (P=0.000). The reduction in MNCV after modeling was reversed in the EAA group (P=0.000) and medication group (P=0.008) after treatment and the increases were significant in both treatment groups in comparison to the model group. The EAA group had a greater MNCV recovery than the medication group (P=0.022). CONCLUSION: Electro-acupuncture could improve the rehabilitation and regeneration of FDVs and the electrophysiology index of the muscle with nerve control impairment.

[Correlation study on effects of electroacupuncture on the muscle condition and MNCV in rabbits with lumbar nerve root compression].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture on the muscle condition and electrophysiology of the muscle in rabbits with lumbar nerve root compression and to explore potential mechanisms. METHODS: Twenty-four New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a medication group and an electroacupuncture group. The rabbit model with lumbar nerve root compression was established in the model group, the medication group and the electroacupuncture group. The model and the treatment were not produced in the normal group. The medication group was treated with oral administration of Loxoprofen tablets at a dose of 30 mg each day for 14 days. The electroacupuncture group was treated with electroacupuncture at "Jiaji" (EX-B 2) of L5 and L6 for 14 days. The hibateral muscle condition before and after making model and after treatment was detected and the electromyogram and the nerve conduction velocity (NCV) were observed. RESULTS: The spontaneous potential and the insertion potential were increased in the model group, the medication group and the electroacupuncture group after making model. The value of the activation and the relaxed condition of the strength-creep (ARCSC) in the right muscle was significantly decreased. The motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) and the wave amplitude of evoked potential (WAEP) were significantly decreased in the model group, the medication group and the electroacupuncture group after treatment, but the value of MNCV and WAEP in the electroacupuncture group, and ARCSC in the right muscle in the electroacupuncture group and the medicine group were closed to those level in the normal group, among them, the relaxed condition in the electroacupuncture group was more close to the level in the normal group. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture can improve the strength-creep condition of the muscle that damage nerve place controls and the electrophysiology of the muscle can recover the MNCV and the wave amplitude of evoked potential in the compression nerve root.

[Observation on therapeutic effect of acupuncture at pain points for treatment of myofascial pain syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of acupuncture at pain points and massage combined with medicine on myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). METHODS: One hundred and fifty cases were randomly divided into an observation group (n=90) and a control group (n=60). The observation group was treated with needle-sticking method combined with single-finger meditation pushing therapy at pain points, and the control group with local application of Votalin Emulgel combined with Tuina. All the patients were treated for 1 course and followed up after 3 months and their therapeutic effects were compared. RESULTS: There were significant differences in cumulative scores of symptoms before and after treatment in the two groups (both P < 0.01), and there were no significant differences in the pain and pressure pain between the two groups (P > 0.05), and there were significant differences in the muscle spasm and joint range of motion between the two groups (P < 0.05); after treatment, the markedly effective rate and the total effective rate in the observation group were 57.8% and 94.4% respectively, and were 31.7% and 73.3% respectively in the control group, with a significant difference between the two groups (both P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Needle-sticking method combined with single-finger meditation pushing therapy at pain points can effectively alleviate pain and pressure pain in the patients with MPS and it has better therapeutic effect in the markedly effective rate and the total effective rate as well as improvement of muscle spasm and joint range of motion than local application of Votalin Emulgel combined with Tuina.

[Effects of warm needle moxibustion on nerve root local inflammatory factors (NOS and CGRP) in the lumbar nerve root compress model rats].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of acupuncture for treatment of lumbar nerve root compression injury. METHODS: Fifty healthy SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, a normal group, a model group treated by saline, a medication group treated with Caerulein, an acupuncture group treated with acupuncture at L5, L6 Jiaji (EX-B 2) and a warm needle group treated with acupuncture and moxibustion at L5, L6 Jiaji (EX-B 2). The lumbar nerve root compress injury model was made by placing microsilica gel tablet. After they were treated for 14 days, the compressed nerve root was taken and the ultra-microstructure changes of the injured nerve root were observed by electron microscope and changes of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) expressions were investigated by ELISA assay. RESULTS: The changes of ultra-microstructure of the nerve root were the most obvious in the model group and the changes in the medication group, the acupuncture group and the warming needle group reduced in order; the NOS activity and CGRP content in the nerve root tissue of the compressed area in the warm needle group were significantly reduced as compared with the model group (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference as compared with those in the normal group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Warm needle treatment can effectively maintain cellular form, and ultra-microstructures of nerve root dorsal root ganglia, and effectively inhibit the release of inflammatory factors NOS and CGRP.

Observation on short-term and long-term therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture at Houxi (SI 3) on acute lumbar sprain / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture at Houxi (SI 3) and medicine on acute lumbar sprain.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three hundred cases of acute lumbar sprain were randomly divided into two groups, a electroacupuncture (EA) group and a medication group, 150 cases in each group. The EA group were treated with EA at Houxi (SI 3), once each day, 3 sessions constituting one course, and the medication group with Mobike, once daily, 7. 5 mg each time. Their therapeutic effects were evaluated after treatment for 7 days and one month respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>For the short-term therapeutic effect, the effective rate was 97. 3% in the EA group and 89. 2% in the medication group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P<0. 01); for the long-term therapeutic effect, the effective rate was 99. 3% in the EA group and 93. 2% in the medication group with a very significant difference between the two groups (P<0. 01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both the short-term and the long-term therapeutic effects of EA at Houxi (SI 3) on acute lumbar sprain are better than those in the medication group.</p>