[Modified acupuncture in the treatment of pain]

The authors report the results of treatment with a modification of acupuncture associated with chemical stimulation in 144 patients with painful radicular syndromes and headaches. In 57 cases sciatic pains were present, in 21 cases shoulder pains, in 20 migraine and in 46 vasomotor headaches. Permanent disappearance of pain, that is disappearance of pain during the procedure and lack of recurrence within several successive days, was obtained in about 40% of cases of radicular syndromes and in 62% of cases of headaches, early disappearance of pain for 3 to 48 hours after the procedure was obtained in 14% of radicular syndromes and nearly 26% headaches, while improvement, that is reduction of pain intensity, was achieved in 29.5% of radicular pains and 3% of headaches, while in 15.3% of cases of radicular syndromes and 9% of cases of headaches no improvement was observed. Both vasomotor headaches and neuralgias belong to the group of nervous system diseases in which pain is the basic and sole symptom, while treatment includes its removal. In these cases acupuncture is a valuable analgesic method. The presently reported results agree with those in the literature on the use of classical acupuncture and its modifications. It is worth stressing that insertion of needles into the traditional points used in classical acupuncture is without any greater importance was shown by the presently reported experiences (various points were used in the same case) as well as by the reports of other authors. The modification of acupuncture with addition of chemical stimulation has been tried by the authors for 4 years. A weak stimulus resulting from insertion of the needle and irritation of the nerve endings with concentrated sodium chloride acts similarly as mechanical or electrical irritation. The method is simple and completely safe.