Objective

2

To observe the clinical efficacy of acupotomy combined with acupuncture for acute peripheral facial paralysis with mastoid region pain.

Methods

2

Sixty patients of acute peripheral facial paralysis with mastoid region pain were randomly divided into an observation group (30 cases

1 case dropped out) and a control group (30 cases

1 case dropped out and 1 case excluded). The control group was treated with conventional acupuncture at affected-side Yangbai (GB14)

Yifeng (TE17)

Xiaguan (ST7)

Quanliao (SI18)

Yingxiang (LI20)

Dicang (ST4)

Chengjiang (CV24)

Wangu (GB12)

Qianzheng (EX-HN16)

Taiyang (EX-HN5)

Cuanzhu (BL2)

as well as bilateral Hegu (LI4) and Zusanli (ST36)

the treatment was administered once daily

six days per week with one day of rest

for a total of three weeks. In addition to the above acupuncture regimen

the observation group was treated with acupotomy treatment targeting areas near Wangu (GB12)

Yifeng (TE17)

Fengchi (GB20)

Tianzhu (BL10)

and muscular knotting sites of the hand and foot

yangming

taiyang

and hand

shaoyang

meridians

treatment was performed once per week for three weeks. Before and after treatment

House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve grading scores

Sunnybrook facial grading scores

and the duration of mastoid region pain were evaluated. Electromyography (EMG) was used to assess latency and amplitude ratios (affected/healthy side) of the frontal

orbicularis oculi

and orbicularis oris muscles. Adler blood flow grading of the facial nerve was evaluated by ultrasound. Serum levels of hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)

tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)

and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured. Clinical effi

cacy was also assessed in both groups.

Results

2

The duration of mastoid region pain in the observation group was shorter than that in the control group (

P

<

0.05). Compared with before treatment

both groups showed increased H-B facial nerve grading scores and Sunnybrook facial grading scores after treatment (

P

<

0.05); latency of frontal

orbicularis oculi

and orbicularis oris muscles on the affected side was reduced (

P

<

0.05); amplitude ratios of affected/healthy side were increased (

P

<

0.05); Adler blood flow grades were improved (

P

<

0.05); and serum levels of hs-CRP

TNF-α

and IL-6 were decreased (

P

<

0.05). Compared with the control group

the observation group showed better outcomes in all the above indexes after treatment (

P

<

0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 93.1% (27/29)

higher than that in the control group (82.1%

23/28

P

<

0.05).

Conclusion

2

Acupotomy combined with acupuncture could promote recovery of facial nerve function and shorten the duration of mastoid region pain in patients with acute peripheral facial paralysis with mastoid region pain.