Clinical Study on Yin-Yang Needling Treatment of Epilepsy

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Clinical Study on Yin-Yang Needling Treatment of Epilepsy

　　Objective: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of Yin-Yang Needling treatment of epilepsy.

Methods: 90 cases of epilepsy patients including 49 males and 41 females were randomly divided into treatment group (n=60) and control group (n=30). The youngest was 6 months and the oldest 65 years. The shortest duration of disease was 20 days and the longest 21 years. In treatment group: 1) basic acupoints were Baihui (DU 20), Dazhui (GB 14), Jinsuo (DU , Yaoqi (EX-B 9), Guanyuan (RN 4), Xiawan (RN10), Jiuwei (RN 15), Juque (RN 14), Hegu (LI 4), Jianshi (PC 5), Fenglong (ST 40) and Taichong (LR 3); 2) Auxiliary acupoints: RenZhong (DU 26) was added during attack of epilepsy; Fengchi (GB 20) and Fenglong (ST 40) were supplemented for windphlegm stagnation type; Xingiian (LR 2) and Fenglong (ST 40) supplemented for the type of hyperedivity of phlegm-fire in the interior; and Xinshu (BL 15) and Shenshu (BL 23) supplemented for head and kidney deficiency type. Acupuncture treatment was conducted once daily, with 10 days being a therapeutic course, continuously for 3 courses. The interval between two courses was 2 days. Then, 3 continuous acupuncture treatment days in every 10 days were conducted, continuously for 6 months. Generally, acupoints of Yang-meridians were stimulated with reducing method and those of Yin-meridians stimulated with reinforcing method. 30 patients were ordered to take phenytoin sodium, 500mg/day for adults, and 10 -15mg/dny for children less than 3 years old and 200mg/day for children above 6 years, 3 times daily, continuously for 6 months.

Results: After treatment, of the 60 cases of acupuncture group, 46 (76.7%) had marked improvement, 10 (16.7%) had improvement, 2 (3.3%) had slight improvement and 2 (3.3%) had no any changes. The total effective rate was 96.6%. Of the 30 cases in control groan, 8 (26.7%) had marked improvement, 6 (20.0%) had improvement, 4 (13.3%) had slight improvement, 5 (16.7%) had no any changes and 7 (23.3%) worsened. The effective rate was 60.0%. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the effective rate (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Yin-Yang needling could significantly relieve symptoms of epilepsy attack Patients, improve patients' EEG, shorten the attack duration and decrease the frequency of attack, and thus is a better therapeutic method for controlling epilepsy.

By Zhou Youlong.
Dept. of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Henan College of TCM, Zhengzhou 450003, China.