Randomized Controlled Observation On Yintang, Shenting Electro-acupuncture In Insomnia Patients

Objective By doing the comparison observation on the effects of Point Yintang, Shenting Electro-acupuncture and Point Shenmen, Sanyinjiao Electro-acupuncture in insomnia patients, the investigation on the influence of Yintang, Shenting Electro-acupuncture in insomnia patients was carried out. According to the results, the effect comparison was taken within the To-Calm-Brain-and-Spirit Therapy and the To-Calm-Heart-and-Spirit Therapy in insomnia patients. Moreover, preliminary study on the theory of Brain Controlling Mental Activities was discussed in the aspects of awareness and treatment of insomnia.Methods Seventy insomnia patients were randomly divided into two groups, as the proportion of 1:1: the Treatment Group and the Control Group. All patients have completed 1 to 2 courses of treatment, without any cases lost. The prescription for Treatment Group was: Yintang (EX-HN 3), Shenting (DU 24), Neiguan(PC 6) and Zusanli(ST 36). The prescription for Control Group was: Shenmen(HT 7), Sanyinjiao(SP 6), Neiguan(PC 6) and Zusanli(ST 36). Patients were evaluated by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI) and International Institute for the Unification of sleep efficiency values (Sleep Rate) at the times before treatment, 2 courses after treatment, and one month after treatment ended in order to determine the effect.Results 1. 35 examples were collected in the Treatment Group, in which there were 6 males and 29 females. The oldest one was 61 years old, the youngest one was 23 years old, and the average age was 39. 06+9. 010. The Control Group collected 35 examples as well, include 7 males and 28 females. The oldest one was 77 years old, the youngest one was 19 years old, and the average age was 37. 75±10. 396. Two groups had the almost the same males and females, and the age differences was in the line with the homogeneity of variance distribution(F=1. 332, P>0.05). 2. Intra-group comparison: Both treatment methods had significant differences in decreasing PSQI, improving Sleep Rate and Sleep Quality Rank, and the total effective power reached over 90%. The therapeutic effect kept up to 1 mouth after treatment(P<0.05). But there wasn' t any continuing effect without treatment(P>0.05). 3. Inter-group comparison: The analysis of 2 courses after treatment and 1 months after treatment ended showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in improving Sleep Rate, and keeping the level of PSQI, Sleep Rate and Sleep Quality Rank after the treatments were over (P<0. 05), which mean that the Treatment Group was better than Control Group in these aspects above. Besides, the Treatment Group had the same effect in downgrading PSQI, and improving Sleep Quality Rank (P>0. 05).Conclusions For the insomnia patients, treatment of Yintang, Shenting electro-acupuncture had a better therapeutic effect than treatment of Shenmen, Sanyinjiao electro-acupuncture. It significantly improved the sleep quality and efficiency, and the effect could last for a longer time without obviously symptoms repeated, which made the treatment a better prescription in acupuncture treatments for insomnia. Under the guidance of "the brain leads the spirit" theory and contrary to the key of the pathogenesis of insomnia, treatment of Yintang, Shenting electro-acupuncture regulates both the brain and the meridian to make brain and spirit calm and smooth. It has more curative effect in acupuncture treatment of insomnia than the Shenmen, Sanyinjiao electro-acupuncture way guided by the point of "to make heart and spirit calm and peace" , which is worth further studying and extending.