TREATMENT OF CHRONIC CHOLECYSTITIS BY ACUPUNCTURE

Wu Weiye, Wu Qikang

(Department of Acupuncture, Linhai Hospital of TCM, Zhejiang)

In recent ten years, 375 cases of chronic cholecystitis were treated by acupuncture, in which 57 (female 31, male 26) showed positive reaction in duodenal drainage test. Method of Treatment:

The key points: thrust Danshu and Ganshu alternately; Right Qimen, Zusanii. The accessary points: Dazhui added in fever; Hangmen and Yanglingquan added in Jaundice; Neiguan added in vomit or nausea; Tianshu added in abdominal distention or constipation; add Zhongwan and Hegu if the patient had a jaded appetite.

Manipulation:

Twirling, lifting or thrusting the needle in reinforcing and reducing method were applied. When the Backshu points were thrusted the patient ought to lie on his side and insert the needle toward the vertebra at an angle of 45° to the skin until a needle sensation of contraction was effected in the affected part, then the needle was retained for 30 minutes without exception.

Once a day; a course consists of ten days.

Therapeutic effect:

It turned out that the symptoms disappeared completely in 41 cases (71.%); 14 cases were improved (24.5%); 2 cases failed. Total effective rate was 96.4%.

Average time for the disappearance of main symptoms;

14.6 days for pain in the upper-right abdomen,

15.7 days for symptoms in the alimentary canal,

12.6 days for fever,

18 days for jaundice.

Before the treatment, in all of the 57 cases, the Juices in duodenal drainage test as well as in routine test were turbid with pus cells apart from excessive white blood cells. Colon bacilli were cultured in 21 cases; paracolon bacilli in 4 cases; staphylococci in 18 cases; streptococci in 9 cases. After acupuncture treatment, 45 cases turned negative in test with an average convalescence of 65.4 days.

Examinations through roentgenograms before and after the acupuncture therapy have proved that the gallstones have been extracted and both the form and function of gallbladder have been improved in various degrees.

The mechanism of acupuncture lies in the fact that a curative effect is obtained by regulating the body immune function through acupuncture and meanwhile by bringing about a series of dynamic changes through acupuncture reflex, such as causing the cholecyst to contract, the sphincter to loosen and then bile to be discharged, as a result, the inflammation is diminished and gallstone expelled.