Clinical Observation of Ling Gui Ba Fa Time-based Points Selection in Treating Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy betweenLing Gui Ba Fa (eight magic turtle techniques) time-based points selection method and ordinary acupuncture in treating diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) due to spleen-stomach deficiency.Method Sixty patients were randomized intoLing Gui Ba Fa group and ordinary acupuncture group, 30 cases each. InLing Gui Ba Fa group, Gongsun (SP4) was selected as the host point, Neiguan (PC6) as the guest point, and Dachangshu (BL25), Tianshu (ST25), Shangjuxu (ST37), Sanyinjiao (SP6), Pishu (BL20) and Zusanli (ST36) as the adjunctive points; in the ordinary acupuncture group, Gongsun and Neiguan were selected as the major points, and Dachangshu, Tianshu, Shangjuxu, Sanyinjiao, Pishu and Zusanli were selected as the adjunctive points. The acupuncture treatments were conducted 3 times a week (the practitioner would make appointment with patient at a convenient time if Gongsun had multiple activation time points according toLing Gui Ba Fa), 10 sessions as a course of treatment. Before and after the intervention, the two groups of patients were evaluated by using the traditional Chinese medicine symptoms and syndromes scale and irritable bowel syndrome quality of life questionnaire (IBS-QOL), and clinical efficacy was also observed.Result The control rate was 86.7% inLing Gui Ba Fa group versus 73.3% in the ordinary acupuncture group, and the therapeutic efficacy ofLing Gui Ba Fa group was significantly better than that of the ordinary acupuncture group (P<0.01); after the treatment, the scores in rating symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal bloating and abdominal pain were significantly lower than those before the treatment in both groups (P<0.01), and the declines of scores inLing Gui Ba Fa group were more significant than those in the ordinary acupuncture group (P<0.01).ConclusionLing Gui Ba Fa time-based points selection method can produce a more significant efficacy than ordinary acupuncture in treating irritable bowel syndrome.