ACUPUNCTURE IN RELIEF OF PAIN AND HEALING OF GANGRENE OF LIMBS

Pain and gangrene in limbs due to Buerger's disease, Raynaud's phenomenon andatherosclerosis are a great problern to manage in modern medicine. Vasodilators, sympathectomy andprogressive amputations cannot solve the problem. Electr0acupuncture shows very good results so that drugs and surgery may be spared. Total 32 cases (Buerger's 27, Raynaud's 4, atherosc1erosis 1 )were treated with acupuncture needling and electrostimulation. Acupoints used were Weizhong (BL4O ), Taixi (KI 3), Zusanli (ST 36), Jiexi (ST 41 ), Bafeng (Extra), Neiguan (PC 6), Hegu (LI4 ), Baxie (Extra) . The frequency of electrostimulation at acupoints was 100- 500 cycles per minute.Daily treatment was carried out the first 1O days, then the times of treatment reduced. The therapywas maintained once in two beths. Of 27 cases of Buerger's disease, 19 cases (82. 6 % ) were healed. Pain was relieved but uker not healed in 1 case (4. 3% ). Failure was 3 (13% ). 3/4 (75 % ) ofRaynaud's cases, pain and gungrene were fully control1ed; the oth

ACUPUNCTURE IN RELIEF OF PAIN AND HEALING OF GANGRENE OF LIMBS

Pain and gangrene in limbs due to Buerger's disease, Raynaud's phenomenon and atherosclerosis are a great problem to manage in modern medicine. Vasodilators, sympathectomy and progressive amputations cannot solve the problem. Electroacupuncture shows very good results so that drugs and surgery may be spared. Total 32 cases (Buerger's 27, Raynaud's 4, atherosclerosis 1) were treated with acupuncture needling and electrostimulation. Acupoints used were Weizhong (BL 40), Taixi (KI 3), Zusanli (ST 36), Jiexi (ST 41), Bafeng (Extra), Neiguan(PC 6), Hegu (LI 4), Baxie (Extra). The frequency of electrostimulation at acupoints was 100 - 500 cycles per minute. Daily treatment was carried out the first 10 days, then the times of treatment reduced. The therapy was maintained once in two months. Of 27 cases of Buerger's disease, 19 cases (82. 6%) were healed . Pain was relieved but ulcer not healed in 1 case (4. 3%). Failure was 3 (13%). 3/4(75%) of Raynaud's cases, pain and gangrene were fully controlled; the other 1 case recurred frequently. One case of atherosclerotic gangrene was cured. Relief of pain was within 2 to 5 days, ulcer healing within 3 - 8 weeks, skin temperature was raised between 7 and 15 days. Except antiseptic dressings no drugs were used. Clinical observations show that acupuncture can definitely increase peripheral vascu-larity in limbs probably by increasing collateral circulation because main artery pulsations do not come back. After sympathectomy patients showed delayed results probably due to lack of intrinsic nerve mechanism. Acupuncture can be used as a definite tool against ischaemic limbs. More studies is required.