[Moxibustion on heat-sensitive acupoints for treatment of myofascial pain syndrome: a multi-central randomized controlled trial].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of moxibustion on heat-sensitive acupoints on myofascial pain syndrome (MPS).


METHODS
Three-centre, single blind, randomized controlled trial method was adopted. One hundred and seven cases were randomly divided into an observation group (n = 57), and a control group (n = 50). The observation group were treated by moxibustion on the heat-sensitive acupoints and the control group by acupuncture, cupping and TDP. The therapeutic effects were assessed according to changes of the score of the short-form of McGill pain questionnaire composing of pain rating index (PRI), visual analogue scale (VAS) and present pain intensity (PPI) before and after treatment.


RESULTS
The cured rate of 86.0% in the observation group was better than 24.0% in the control group. After treatment, the score of PRI, VAS, PPI indexes significantly improved in the observation group (P < 0.001), and were significantly better than those in the control group (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Moxibustion on the heat-sensitive acupoints has a high therapeutic effect on MPS.
Chen
Ri-Xin
RX
Affiliated Hospital of Jiang-xi College of TCM, Nanchang 330006, China. chenrixin123@yahoo.com.cn
Kang
Ming-Fei
MF
He
Wei-Li
WL
Chen
Shi-Yong
SY
Zhang
Bo
B
D015669:Acupuncture Points; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009071:Moxibustion; D009209:Myofascial Pain Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement