Clinical observation of vascular headache treated by acupuncture plus needle-embedding method

Purpose: In order to explore the clinical effect in acupuncture treatment' of vascular headache.Methods: 93 cases of vascular headache were randomly auocated into acupuncture group (n=30), treated by puncturing Fengchi (GB 20), Ashi point and Sanyinjiao (SP 6) on the sick side, acupuncture plus needle-embedding group (n=36), treated by basic acupuncture treatment plus needle-embedding method in Taiyang (Ex-HN 5) and Xuanzhong (GB 39) on the sick side, and control group (n=27), treated with oral administration of 5 mg Sibelium, twice a day, for observation of the changes in the clinical symptoms before and after treatments in the patients of three groups.Results: After treatment, the clinical symptoms in the patients of three groups were relieved or disappeared. The recent therapeutic effect was better in acupuncture plus needle-embedding group than in the control group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the acupuncture plus needle-embedding group and acupuncture group and there was no significant difference (P>0.05) between acupuncture group and control group, either. The long-term therapeutic effect was better in the acupuncture plus needle-embedding group than in the control group (P<0.01), in the acupuncture group than in the control group (P<0.05), and there was no significant difference between the acupuncture plus needle-embedding group and acupuncture group.Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment of vascular headache offers a better recent and long-term therapeutic effect, and acupuncture plus needle-embedding method is much better in the therapeutic effect. Author: YIN Zhi-fang (1950- ), male, senior consultant physician Translator: HUANG Guo-qi