TREATMENT OF PAIN BY SHALLOW PUNCTURE AND CUPPING

Luo Qingdao

(Institute of Acupuncture and Meridian, Anhui College of TCM)

Huang Guying

(Wanxi Hospital, Anhui Office of National Defence Industry.)

Observations were carried out in 104 patients who had common pains, such as head ache stiff neck due to improper posture in sleeping, frozen shoulder, inflammation of elbow and knee joint, contusion, lumbar muscle strain, ischias etc.

Method of study:

Patients were needled at skin region along meridians with LW-2A type poly-needling shallow puncture apparatus, and then cupped for 30 min. The treatment was given every day or every other day. After 7 times of treatment 5 days of rest should be given. The threshold of pressed pain served as index of observation.

Results:

The curative effects of 46 out of 104 patients were excellent, 32 -were good and 23 were a only little better and 3 got no effect. The curative rate was 91.12%. Therefore curative effect of the method mentioned above was quite satisfactory.

In addition the variations of threshold of pressed pain in 71 patients were determined. The value of threshold of press pain was 4.93±2.04/kg before treatment, and 7.39±1.36/kg after treatment. The differences between before and after treatment were statistically significant (P<0.01).

The facts mentioned above showed that threshold of local pressed pain was obviously elevated after treatment, and the present method of therapy was indeed effective in the curative of pain.

Variations of pulse conditions before and after treatment in 67 patietns were also observed, and were discovered that the curative effect in patients whose pulse condition varied after treatment were better than others and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01).

It is obvious that there is a relationship between pulse condition and therapeutic effect. Shallow puncture and cupping may regulate vital energy and blood in whole body.

Conclusion:

1. Shallow puncture and cupping may yield distinct analgesic effect. This method is very satisfactory in treatment of pain. The ratio of curative effect may be read 97.12%.

2. This method possesses several advantages: quick effect, painless, safe, and economical.