Clinical study on acupuncture treating thalamic pain

Abstract

Objective

To evaluate the clinical effect of acupuncture in managing thalamic pain syndrome.

Methods

Eighty patients with thalamic pain syndrome were randomly allocated into two groups, with 40 cases in the treatment group receiving combined scalp and body acupuncture treatment and 40 cases in the control group receiving single body acupuncture treatment. The intervention was given for 28 d in total, and the effects were evaluated after 14-day and 28-day treatments.

Results

The inner-group comparison of McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) showed significant differences after the treatment d 14 in both of the two groups (P<0.05), and after the treatment d 28, the differences were even more significant (P<0.01). After 28-day treatment, compared with pre-treatment, the Transcranial Doppler (TCD) test detected significant changes in the two groups (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 72.5% in the treatment group versus 47.5% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The 3-month follow-up study found the relapse rate was 0 in the treatment group and 15.8% in the control group, and the difference was significant (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Acupuncture is effective in treating thalamic pain syndrome and combined scalp and body acupuncture can achieve even better results.

摘要

目的

观察针刺治疗丘脑痛的临床疗效。

方法

将80 例丘脑痛患者随机分为2 组, 治疗组40 例 采用头针配合体针治疗, 对照组40 例采用体针治疗。 持续治疗28 d, 于治疗14 d和治疗28 d后观察疗效。

结果

两组患者治疗14 d后与治疗前比较麦吉尔疼痛问卷 (McGill Pain Questionnaire, MPQ)各项积分差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05), 治疗28 d后与治疗前比较差异更显著(P<0.01); 两组患者治疗28 d后与治疗前比较, 经颅多普勒(Transcranial Doppler, TCD)各项指标差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05); 治疗组总有效率为 72.5%, 对照组总有效率为47.5%, 两组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。 随访3 个月, 治疗组复发率为0, 对照组为15.8%, 两者比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。

结论

针刺治疗丘脑痛有较好疗效, 头针与体针并用治疗丘脑痛疗效尤为显著。