Clinical Study On Treating Acne Vulgaris With Medicated Thread Moxibustion Combined With Acupuncture

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effects of medicated thread moxibustion combined with acupuncture treatment on treating acne vulgaris,and to investigate the clinical application value of such treatment,so as to provide the clinical foundation for applying medicated thread moxibustion in treating acne.MethodsA total of 61 acne students conforming to the diagnostic and inclusion criteria from the Acupuncture Department Clinic and Dermatology Clinic of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine,as well as from Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine were enrolled in the current study.All patients were randomly divided into 2 groups,including treatment group(n=31)and control group(n=30).Basic treatment was carried out in both groups prior to treatment: for skin lesion with mature pustule or cyst,entoiodine was applied for disinfection first,a G5 needle was then used to prick the pustule gently,and the contents were completely cleared using cotton swabs.The treatment group adopted the medicated thread moxibustion combined with acupuncture treatment.Typically,the acupoints selected for medicated thread combustion were as follows: Feishu,Weishu,Dachangshu,Zusanli(all on both sides),and local acupoints(4-6 around the cyst and nodular skin lesion).The acupoints selected for acupuncture were as follows: main acupoints: Dazhui,Hegu,Quchi and Neiting(all on both sides),and local acupoints on the face(surrounding acupuncture to the center of skin lesion using the 1-inch fine needles).The matching acupoints were as follows:Shaoshang and Chize were matched for lung-channel wind-heat syndrome,Zisanli and Yinlingquan were matched for gastrointestinal damp-heat syndrome,while Fenglong and Xuehai were matched for phlegm-damp and stasis syndrome(all on both sides).The same acupoints were selected in the control group foracupuncture treatment alone.All treatments were carried out once for every3 days,twice a week and for two courses of treatment(3 weeks in a course).The skin lesion score,total response rate and recurrence rate before and after treatment were used as the observational indexes to evaluate the clinical efficacy.ResultsDifferences in the general data and skin lesion score before treatment between the treatment group and control group were not statistically significant(P>0.05).Therefore,the basic condition and illness between two groups were consistent and comparable.Difference in the total response rate after treatment between the treatment group and control group showed no statistical significance(P>0.05),suggesting that both the two different treatments had effects on treating acne vulgaris.Differences in the scores after treatment between two groups were statistically significant(P<0.05),and the effects in treatment group were superior to those in control group.In addition,difference in the recurrence rate 1 month after treatment between two groups was statistically significant(P<0.05),and that in treatment group was lower than that in control group.These findings revealed that the medicated thread moxibustion combined with acupuncture treatment had better effects than the single acupuncture treatment,and the former might have longer effects than the latter on treating acne moxibustion,thus reducing the recurrence rate of acne.ConclusionsThe medicated thread moxibustion combined with acupuncture treatment has good clinical effects on treating acne vulgaris,which can remarkably improve patient symptoms and reduce the recurrence rate of acne.Such treatment is convenient in operation,and can reduce related treatment expenses,which is thereby worthy of being further investigated and promoted.