title: [Therapeutic effect of deep acupuncture at local acupoints on trigeminal neuralgia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To search for an effective method for increasing therapeutic effect on trigeminal neuralgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety cases of primary trigeminal neuralgia were randomly divided into a deep needling group and a routine needling group, 45 cases in each group. The routine needling group were treated by shallow acupuncture at local acupoints and distal acupoints along the Hand and Foot-Yangming Channels, and the deep needling group were treated by acupuncture at the above acupoints and deeply needling at the local acupoints to nerve stem for 3 courses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the deep needling group 12 cases were clinically cured, 24 cases were markedly effective, 7 cases improved and 2 cases were ineffective, with a total effective rate of 95.6%; and in the routine needling group, the corresponding figures were 7, 15, 12, 11, 75.6%. The therapeutic effect in the deep needling group was better than that in the routine needling group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deeply needling local acupoints plus acupuncture at distal acupoints along the Hand and Foot-Yangming Channels can increase significantly the therapeutic effect on trigeminal neuralgia.
authors.affiliation: Sanya City TCM Hospital, Hainan, China. yangyang496@eyou.com
authors.forename: Xiao-yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D009417:Nerve Tissue; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000628:therapy