[Mild moxibustion at Renying (ST9) combined with acupuncture in treatment of severe peripheral facial paralysis of qi deficiency and blood stagnation: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE

To observe the clinical effect of mild moxibustion at Renying (ST9) combined with acupuncture on severe peripheral facial paralysis (PFP) of qi deficiency and blood stagnation.

METHODS

Sixty-six patients with severe PFP of qi deficiency and blood stagnation were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, with 33 cases in each group. In the control group, acupuncture was operated at Yangbai (GB14), Sibai (ST2), Quanliao (SI18), Jiache (ST6), Dicang (ST4), Yifeng (TE17), Qianzheng (Extra) and etc., on the affected side; and in the observation group, besides the administration as the control group, mild moxibustion was delivered at Renying (ST9) on the affected side. The intervention was given once every other day, 3 sessions weekly, for 8 consecutive weeks in the two groups. The scores of facial nerve function and facial disability index (FDI) were compared before and after treatment in the two groups. The ratio of the root mean square (RMS) average values of the affected facial muscles to those of the healthy side was measured using surface electromyography (sEMG) in both groups, and the clinical effect and safety were evaluated.

RESULTS

After treatment, both groups showed the increase in facial nerve function scores, the total scores of FDI and the scores on FDIP (physical function) and FDIS (social function) in comparison with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01); and the facial nerve function score, the total score of FDI and the score on FDIP in the observation group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). After treatment, the ratio of the RMS average values of the affected facial muscles (frontalis, buccinator, and orbicularis oris) to those of the healthy side was elevated in the two groups when compared with that before treatment (P<0.01), and the increase amplitude in the observation group was larger than that in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 87.9% (29/33), higher than that (66.7%, 22/33) in the control group (P<0.05). No obvious adverse reaction was found in the two groups during trial.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of conventional acupuncture, mild moxibustion at Renying (ST9) may promote the recovery of facial muscles and improve facial nerve function and facial nerve conduction in patients with severe PFP of qi deficiency and blood stagnation.