LEI Ting, SHI Yin, LI Yanting, et al. Guasha-fangsha therapy combined with electroacupuncture in treatment of greater occipital neuralgia: a randomized controlled trial[J]. Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, 2024, 44(8): 889-893. DOI: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230828-k0008.
DOI:
LEI Ting, SHI Yin, LI Yanting, et al. Guasha-fangsha therapy combined with electroacupuncture in treatment of greater occipital neuralgia: a randomized controlled trial[J]. Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion, 2024, 44(8): 889-893. DOI: 10.13703/j.0255-2930.20230828-k0008.DOI:
Guasha-fangsha therapy combined with electroacupuncture in treatment of greater occipital neuralgia: a randomized controlled trial
g) therapy combined with electroacupuncture (EA) on greater occipital neuralgia.
Methods
2
Ninety patients with greater occipital neuralgia were randomly divided into an observation group (45 cases) and a control group (45 cases
2 cases dropped out).In the control group
EA was delivered at Fengfu (GV 16) and bilateral Tianzhu (BL 10)
Fengchi (GB 20)
Wangu (GB 12)
Yuzhen (BL 9) and Houxi (SI 3)
with disperse-dense wave
at 2 Hz/100 Hz in frequency and 2 mA to 6 mA in intensity
for 30 min in each intervention
once every other days
3 times a week.In the observation group
on the basis of the intervention as the control group
guasha
-
fangsha
therapy was used along the distribution of the bladder meridian of foot-
taiyang
on the occipital region and that of the gallbladder meridian of foot-
shaoyang
on the lateral side of the head
once weekly.The duration of treatment was 3 weeks in the two groups.In the two groups
before treatment
after 1
2 and 3 weeks of treatment and in follow-up visit after 3 weeks of treatment completion
the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) was observed; before and after treatment
as well as in follow-up visit after 3 weeks of treatment completion
the scores of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS)
self-rating depression scale (SDS) and 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) were observed; after treatment and in follow-up visit after 3 weeks of treatment completion
the clinical efficacy was evaluated.
Results
2
After one week of treatment
the VAS score in the observation group decreased when compared with that before treatment (
P
<
0.05)
while the scores in 2 and 3 weeks of treatment and in follow-up visit after 3 weeks of treatment completion were lower than those before treatment in the two groups (
P
<
0.05) separately.At each time point after treatment
the VAS scores in the observation group were lower than those in
the control group (
P
<
0.05).After treatment and during the follow-up visit
the scores of SAS and SDS decreased when compared with those before treatment in the two groups (
P
<
0.05)
and the scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (
P
<
0.05); the scores of each item in SF-36 were elevated in comparison with those before treatment in the two groups (
P
<
0.05)
and the scores in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (
P
<
0.05).After treatment
the total effective rate of the observation group was 91.1% (41/45)
higher than that (76.7%
33/43) of the control group (
P
<
0.05).In follow-up visit
the total effective rate of the observation group was 91.1% (41/45)
which was higher than 72.1% (31/43) of the control group (
P
<
0.05).
Conclusion
2
Guasha
-
fangsha
therapy combined with electroacupuncture can effectively relieve greater occipital neuralgia
alleviate pain severity
ameliorate anxiety and depression and improve the quality of life in the patients.