title: [Effect of penetrating needling at head acupoints on perennial allergic rhinitis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects and safety of penetrating needling on head acupoints for perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-one cases of PAR were randomly divided into an acupuncture group (41 cases) and a medication group (40 cases). Penetrating needling at head acupoints was adopted from Baihui (GV 20) to Qianding (GV 21) and from Shangxing (GV 23) to Shenting (GV 24) in the acupuncture group. A to tal 4-week treatment was given to the patients with 3 treatments a week. Loratadine tablet and azelastine hydrochloride nasal spray were given to the medication group continuously for 12 days. A follow-up was carried out 3 months after the treatment. The efficacy, symptom score and physical sign score, and side accidents were observed in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total effective rate was 95.1% (39/41) in the acupuncture group, which was better than 82.5% (33/40) in the medication group (P < 0.05). The total scores of clinical symptoms and each partial scores after the treatment, and total scores of clinical symptoms in follow-up were obviously decreased in both groups (all P < 0.01), the nasal obstruction score and the total scores of clinical symptoms in the acupuncture group were better than those in the medication group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Obvious side-effect had not been found during the treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Penetrating needling at head acupoints is a safe therapy for patients with PAR, and favorable effects can be found in both short term and long term.
authors.affiliation: Beijing University of CM, Beijing 100029, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Fang
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Xiao-Gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D065631:Rhinitis, Allergic; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult