[Clinical observation on shoulder periarthritis treated with Bo's abdominal acupuncture in stages]

To probe an effective therapeutic method for the treatment of shoulder periarthritis.

Ninety-six patients were randomly divided into an acupuncture group and an abdominal acupuncture group, 48 cases in each. According to clinical pathological staging, the disease was divided into pain stage and adhesion stage. In abdominal acupuncture group, 24 cases were in pain stage and treated with acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Shangqu (KI 17) on the healthy side, Huaroumen (ST 24) on the affected side and others; 24 cases were in adhesion stage and treated with acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan (CV 10), Qihai (CV 6), Guanyuan (CV 4) and others. In acupuncture group, there were 24 cases in either pain stage or adhesion stage, treated with acupuncture at Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14), Jianzhen (SI 9) and others on the affected side. In either group, the treatment was given three times a week, three weeks treatment made one session, 9 treatments totally. Before and after treatment, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was adopted for pain assessment and functional activity score (Melle score) was for shoulder joint function assessment for all the patients.

After one session treatment, the efficacy was compared between two groups. In abdominal acupuncture group, the total effective rates were 95.8% (23/24) and 91.7% (22/24) in pain stage and adhesion stage respectively. In acupuncture group, the total effective rates were 91.7% (22/24) and 79.2% (19/24) in pain stage and adhesion stage respectively. The efficacy in adhesion stage of abdominal acupuncture group was better than that in acupuncture group (P < 0.05). After treatment, VAS score and Melle score were all reduced as compared with those before treatment in either group (all P < 0.01), in which, the reducing ranges in abdominal acupuncture group were larger than those in acupuncture group (all P < 0.05).

Abdominal acupuncture achieves a significant efficacy on shoulder periarthritis in stages. It is an effective therapy for shoulder periarthritis.