title: [Comparative study on effects of different acupuncture manipulation methods at neiguan (PC 6) on hand spasm in the patient of stroke].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe therapeutic effects of different needling methods at Neiguan (PC 6) on hand spasm in the patient of stroke.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and seventy-two cases were randomly divided into a simple acupuncture group (n=36), a slowly twirling needle group (n = 34), a rapidly twirling needle group (n = 30), a simple lifting-thrusting group (n = 35) and a lifting-thrusting-twirling needle group (n = 37). Acupuncture was given at Neiguan (PC 6), twice each day, 5 min each time, and in combination with rehabilitation exercise. Modified Ashworth scale and Fugl-Meyer (FMA) hand function score were used for assessment of therapeutic effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The transient effective rate and the effective rate after treatment for 8 weeks for hand spasm were 66.7% and 55.6% in the simple acupuncture group, 82.4% and 85.3% in the slowly twirling needle group, 96.7% and 90.0% in the rapidly twirling needle group, 80.0% and 82.9% in the simple lifting-thrusting group and 94.6% and 91.9% in the lifting-thrusting-twirling needle group, the rapidly twirling needle group and the lifting-thrusting-twirling needle group being better than other 3 groups (P<0.01). After treatment, the grades for Ashworth scale and FMA scores in the lifting-thrusting-twirling needle group and the rapidly twirling needle group were better than those in other 3 groups (P<0.05, P<0.01), with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture at Neiguan (PC 6) has a very definite transient effect, and the lifting-thrusting-twirling needling manipulation and the rapidly twirling needling manipulation have the best inhibitive effect on spasm.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine of Hebei University of Medical Sciences, Cangzhou 061001, China. wanglichun1976@163.com
authors.forename: Li-chun
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhi-yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xi-zhong
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Li-juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Jia
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013035:Spasm / Q000628:therapy*; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*