Clinical observation on needling extrachannel points in treating mental depression

Yang, X.

Liu, X.

Luo, H.

Jia, Y.

Journal of traditional Chinese medicine = Chung i tsa chih ying wen pan / sponsored by All-China Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine

1994

14(1)

14-18

RCT

Acu Versus Usual Care

Depression

Depressive Disorder

Electroacupuncture

Mental Disorders

Psychological Disorders

RCT

Restricted Modalities, Acupuncture Only

Semi-Individualized Acupuncture Protocol

Usual Care Control, Pharmaceutical

Traditional Diagnosis Based Point Selection

TCM Acupuncture Style

Totally 20 cases of mental depression were treated by needling extrachannel points with an effective rate of 90%; comparison of these cases with 21 controls treated with amitriptyline, showed no significant difference in effect (P > 0.05). Measured with Hamilton's scale, factors of anxiety somatization, cognitive disturbance, retardation, sleep disturbance and feeling of despair in both the needling and control groups showed obvious decrease in the mean value, and the change in anxiety somatization was markedly significant in the needling group as compared with that in the controls (P < 0.01). Our studies revealed that after 6 weeks of needling the power of slow wave delta decreased while that of the fast wave alpha increased, all significantly different as compared with that before and during the treatment (P < 0.05)

Mental Disorders

>1/WK

41

6 Weeks