title: [Effect of warming needle moxibustion on pain threshold in the patient of sciatica].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe effect of warming needle moxibustion on pain threshold in the patient of sciatica.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety cases were randomly divided into 3 groups, 30 cases in each group. The warming needle moxibustion group were treated with warming needle moxibustion at Shenshu (BL 23), Dachangshu (BL 25), Huantiao (GB 30), etc; the western medicine group with oral administration of Nimeisulide; and the acupoint-injection group with injection of 654-2 into the same acupoints as those in the warming needle moxibustion group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cured rates were 56.67%, 26.67% and 20.00% in the 3 groups, and the total effective rate were 90.00%, 73.33% and 63.33%, respectively, the therapeutic effect of the warming needle moxibustion group being better than those of other two groups (both P < 0.01). The amplitude of pain threshold increase in the warming needle moxibustion group was higher than those of other two groups (both P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Warming needle moxibustion can increase pain threshold, improve symptoms and raise quality of life for the patient of sciatica.
authors.affiliation: Hunan TCM Higher Training School, Zhuzhou 412012, China. chenmeiren@163.com
authors.forename: Mei-ren
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Gao-wen
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu-hui
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009071:Moxibustion; D009339:Needles; D017288:Pain Threshold; D011788:Quality of Life; D012585:Sciatica