[Clinical efficacy on peripheral facial paralysis at acute stage treated with opposing needling technique].

OBJECTIVE

To compare the differences in clinical efficacy on peripheral facial paralysis at acute stage between the opposing needling technique and routine acupuncture at the affected side so as to provide the evidence on the acupuncture treatment for peripheral facial paralysis at acute stage.

METHODS

Forty patients were rando- mized into an opposing needling technique group (19 cases) and an affected side needling technique group (21 cases). The basic medication was same in the two groups. The acupoints were Fengchi (GB 20), Yangbai (GB 14) to Yuyao (EX-HN 4) (penetrating needling method), Jingming (BL 1), Chengqi (ST 1), Xiaguan (ST 7), Jiache (ST 6) to Dicang (ST 4), Hegu (LI 4) and Zusanli (ST 36). In supplementation, in the opposing needling technique group, the acupoints were stimulated on the face of healthy side. In the affected side needling technique group, the acupoints were stimulated on the face of the affected side. The treatment was given three times a week, for 4 weeks. House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve function assessment was used to evaluate facial nerve function before and after treatment in the patients of the two groups. The efficacy was compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

The facial nerve function was recovered in the two groups and the total effective rate was 100.0% in the two groups (P>0.05). The curative rate was 68.4% (13/19) in the opposing needling technique group and better than 47.6% (10/21) in the affected side needling technique group (P<0.05). On the 7th and 14th day, scores of H-B in the opposing needling technique group were better than those in the affected side needling technique group (both P<0.05). The curative time in the opposing needling technique group was apparently shorter than that in the affected side needling technique group ((23.95 +/- 4.30) days vs. (29.14 +/- 5.43) days, P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

The opposing needling technique accelerates the recovery of facial nerve function in peripheral facial paralysis at acute stage and apparently shortens the curative time. The efficacy is better than that in acupuncture on the affect- ed side of the face.