OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) of Tianshu (ST 25) and medication on the subjective symptoms and the satisfactory degree of functional constipation (FO) patients, and to evaluate the efficacy of different depth-needling.
METHODS: Single-blind, randomized and parallel-controlled methods were adopted in the present study and a total of 95 FC patients were randomly divided into medication group (Lactulose, 20-30 mL/d, n = 24), deep needling (DN, about 45 mm beneath the skin) of ST 25 group (n = 48), and shallow needling (SN, about 5 mm beneath the skin) of ST 25 group (n = 23). The treatment was given once daily (except weekends) for 4 weeks. The actual number of patients whose defecation frequency was up to 4 times per week, the integrative score of defecation symptoms (defecation exertion degree, abdominal pain, etc.), and the patients' satisfaction degree after the treatment were recorded and evaluated.
RESULTS: One, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after the treatment, of the 48, 23 and 24 cases in DN, SN and medication groups, the numbers of FC patients whose defecation was up to 4 times per week were 31 (64.58%), 32 (66.67%), 34 (70.83%) and 37 (77.08%), 9 (39.13%), 16 (69.57%), 15 (65.22%) and 14 (60.87%), and 8 (33.33%), 7 (29.17%), 5 (20.83%) and 4 (16.67%), respectively. The effects of DN and SN groups were significantly superior to those of medication group in increasing the number of FC patients whose defecation was up to 4 times per week, improving constipation symptom integrative score (defecation exertion degree, survival desire for defecation, abdominal distension, etc.) and patients' satisfaction degree (P < 0.05). Comparison between DN and SN groups showed that the effects of the former group in accelerating the improvement of survival desire for defecation, patients' satisfaction degree were markedly superior to those of the latter group (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Deep needling-EA of ST 25 has a positive effect in improving functional constipation, being faster in the onset of action and stable efficacy in comparison with shallow needling.
PMID: 21235067
