Treatment and Prevention of 100 Cases with Allergic Rhinitis by Acupoint Sticking Therapy

Wen Mu-sheng, Liu Li, Zhou Ding-wei

Chinese Medicine Hospital of Ba’nan District, Chongqing City, Chongqing 401320, China

Treatment and Prevention of 100 Cases with Allergic Rhinitis by Acupoint Sticking Therapy

Wen Mu-sheng, Liu Li, Zhou Ding-wei

Chinese Medicine Hospital of Ba’nan District, Chongqing City, Chongqing 401320, China

Objective: To observe the clinical effects of acupoint sticking therapy in the three ten-day periods in summer and three nine-day periods in winter.

Methods: Herbal medicines were prepared into crude herbal powder and made into paste with ginger juice, and were respectively applied to the corresponding acupoints in the three ten-day periods in summer and three nine-day periods in winter.

Results: The results showed 45 cases were cured, 50 cases were improved, and 5 cases failed out of 100 cases, with the total effective rate of 95%.

Conclusion: The acupoint sticking therapy for the treatment and prevention of allergic rhinitis is simple in method, remarkable in effects, acceptable to the patients, and is worthy of clinical popularization.

Acupoint Sticking Therapy; Allergic Rhinitis; Point, Dazhui (GV 14); Point, Feishu (BL 13); Point, Gaohuang (BL 43)

Allergic rhinitis is a clinically common and frequent disease and belongs to the scope of ‘allergic rhinitis’ in traditional Chinese medicine. This disease is not easy to eradicate and is related to season, environmental factors, climate change and exposure to allergens. In accordance with the theory of Chinese medicine to support body constitution for expelling pathogens and to treat winter diseases in summer, we have conducted the clinical observation on the treatment and prevention of allergic rhinitis by applying the acupoint sticking method in the three ten-day periods in summer and three nine-day periods in winter since 2007.

1 Clinical Materials

1.1 Diagnostic criteria

The diagnostic criteria were stipulated in accordance with the Criteria of Diagnosis and Therapeutic Effects of Diseases and Syndromes in Traditional Chinese Medicine[1]. Allergic rhinitis is manifested by the main symptoms of paroxysmal nasal itching, continuous sneezing, nasal obstruction and profuse nasal discharge, accompanied by loss of smell, and itchy sensations in eyes and throat. By sudden onset, the symptoms may last from several minutes to dozens of minutes. During the intermittent period, there is no sneezing and nasal obstruction, but urticaria and asthma can be complicated. This disease is often induced by exposure to allergic substances of pollen, dust, chemical odor, etc. It can also be induced by change in environment and temperature. In the inspection of the nasal cavity, mucous membrane is mostly pale, slightlycongestive and swelling in the turbinate, and in acute attacks, there is profuse clear secretion. If possible, smear of nasal secretion, skin test of allergens, and IgE inspection of serum or nasal secretions are helpful to precise diagnosis. This disease should be identified from nasal obstruction from cold, stuffy nose and vasomotor rhinitis, etc.

1.2 Inclusion criteria

Those in conformity with the above diagnostic criteria; male and female; with the age ranging from 15-50 years old; willing to join the study and actively cooperate and fulfill the whole clinical observation.

1.3 Exclusion criteria

Those not in conformity with the above diagnostic criteria; those sick with bronchiectasis, hemoptysis of pulmonary tuberculosis; those with severe cardiopulmonary insufficiency, diabetes, malignant tumors, scar constitution, skin allergy, patients during pregnancy and breastfeeding; those not in cooperation, and unwilling to accept the research measures or with mental disorders; or those combined with chronic sinusitis, nasal polyps or obvious deviation of the nasal septum.

1.4 General data

Totally, 100 cases were recruited, including 57 males and 43 females, with the age ranging from 15 to 50 years old, and the duration from one year to 35 years, including 32 cases of continuous allergic rhinitis and 68 cases of intermittent allergic rhinitis. Thirty-two cases were mild, 47 were medium cases and 21 were severe cases, and of all cases, 26 cases were combined with bronchitis and bronchial asthma.

2 Therapeutic Methods

2.1 Herbal medicaitons

Bai Jie Zi (Semen Brassical) 500 g, Sheng Gan Sui (Radix Kansui) 500 g, Xi Xin (Herba Asari) 500 g, Yan Hu Suo (Rhizoma Corydalis) 500 g, Rou Gui (Cortex Cinnamomi) 125 g, Ting Li Zi (Semen Lepidii) 500 g, Bai Zhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae) 100 g, Xin Yi (Flos Magnoliae) 100 g. After dried up, ground, and filtered with 80-200 mesh sifters, the above herbal medications were prepared into crude herbal powder. On treatment day, crude herbal powder and ginger juice, at 1:1 ratio, were mixed into dry paste.

2.2 Acupoints

Group 1: Dazhui (GV 14), Feishu (BL 13), Gaohuang (BL 43), Jingzhengzhong (between the third and fourth cervical vertebrae).

Group 2: Fengmen (BL 120, Pishu (BL 20), Shenshu (BL 23), Jingbailao (EX-HN 15).

The above two groups of the acupoints were used in alternation.

2.3 Operation

Vaseline was applied to the local acupoints. A plaster ring of 1.5 cm in diameter was put in the center of 5 cm × 5 cm plaster, and herbal paste was put inside the ring to form the herbal cake of 1.5 cm in diameter and 0.5 cm in thickness. A little amount of Cang Er Zi (Fructus Xanthii) powder was put on the herbal cake. The herbal cake was put directly on the acupoint. The herbal cake was usually applied for 3-4 h for adults and 0.5-2 h for children. If burning or itching sensation appears on the skin, the herbal cake must be taken away. For those without reaction, the application time could be properly lengthened.

2.4 Therapeutic time

For the treatment in the three ten-day periods of the summer in lunar calendar, the external application was given once every ten days from the first ten-day period, totally for three times. In order to consolidate the therapeutic effects, the treatment was given in the three nine-day periods of the lunar calendar, once every ten days, for totally three times. With one year as one course, the treatment was given continuously for three years.

3 Therapeutic Effects

3.1 Criteria of therapeutic effects

Stipulated in reference to the Criteria of Diagnosis and Therapeutic Effects of Diseases and Syndromes in Traditional Chinese Medicine[1].

Cure: The symptoms and signs disappeared, without recurrence for over three months.

Improvement: In the attack, the symptoms and signs were relieved, with decreased number of attack.

Failure: No obvious improvement in the symptoms and signs.

3.2 Therapeutic results

Out of the 100 cases, 45 cases were cured, 50 cases were improved and 5 cases failed. The total effective rate reached 95%.

3.3 Case report

A 19-year-old female patient, first visited on August 21, 2009.

Chief complaint and present history: Nasal itching, sneezing, and running nose for over ten days, sick with allergic rhinitis for eight years, easy attack when catching cold air. In the attack, there were nasal itching, sneezing, clear nasal discharge, nasal obstruction, and hyposmia, accompanied by poor appetite, weakness in the four limbs, loose stool, a pale tongue body with thin and white tongue coating, thready and weak pulses.

Inspection of nasal cavity: Pale and swelling nasal mucous membrane, large volume of clear and thin secretions inside the nasal cavity.

Diagnosis of Western medicine: Allergic rhinitis.

Diagnosis of traditional Chinese medicine: Allergic rhinitis (pattern of spleen qi deficiency).

Treatment process: The external application was given to the acupoints by the above method in the three ten-day periods in summer and three nine-day periods in winter. After one course, the attack stopped. No recurrence was noticed in one year of follow-up.

4 Discussion

To treat winter diseases in summer is a therapeutic method by integration of the viewpoints of ‘unity between the heaven and human’ and ‘treating the unformed diseases’ with natural moxibustion, in accordance with the principle of ‘nourishing yang in the spring and summer’ of Su Wen (Essential Questions)[2]. It is extremely hot in the three ten-day periods of summer in the lunar calendar. By applying the herbal medications in the spicy and warm nature, and in expelling phlegm and in tracing property, it can warm up the lung qi, expel hidden pathogenic cold from the lung, reinforce and benefit yang qi of the human body, so as to excite the anti-pathogenic ability for realizing the effect to treat and prevent the disease. For repeated attack or progressively aggravated chronic disease, especially for allergic rhinitis, this method can produce a better preventive, therapeutic and controlling effect. It has been proved by modern study that the treatment of winter diseases in summer by external application can reduce IgE and elevate IgG, with long-term effect[3]. Besides, this method is also able to enhance the immune functions in the sick children and increase the anti-pathogenic ability[4], so as to play a role in the treatment and prevention of allergic rhinitis effectively. By adding the external application to the acupoints in the three nine-day periods of winter, the therapeutic effects can be intensified and consolidated. In the combination of ‘moxibustion in the three nine-day periods of winter’ and ‘moxibustion in the three ten-day periods of summer’, the immune ability of the human body can be remarkably elevated.

Allergic rhinitis is an allergic reaction of nasal mucous membrane due to increased sensitivity of the body to some allergens[5]and is often induced by deficiency of kidney qi, failure of the spleen in the healthy transportation, weakness of lung qi, and poor function of Wei-Defensive qi, and coincident invasion of pathogenic wind and cold or irritation from strange odors, leading to fight between the anti-pathogenic ability and pathogens and hence failure of the lung in the spreading and descending ability[6]. This disease is a pattern characterized by deficient constitution and excessive symptoms. Therefore, the treatment should be given from the lung, spleen and kidney[7]. So, the external application is usually given predominantly to Back-Shu acupoints for regulating the meridian qi of the lung, spleen and kidney by Feishu (BL 13), Pishu (BL 20) and Shenshu (BL 23); and for building up the lung qi and get rid of depletion by Gaohuang (BL 43). The Governor Vessel to which Dazhui (GV 14) belongs has the effects to regulate qi of yang meridians of the whole body. Therefore, the external application to various acupoints can excite the anti-pathogenic ability and intensify the immune functions of the human body for disease prevention and healthcare[8-14].

In the clinical practice, we found out that some patients would present red color and even small blisters in the local skin after the external application. By observation, the therapeutic effect is much better, when this situation happens in the patients. If the blister is too big and breaks out unfortunately, it is advisable to apply Wan Hua Oil or Gentian violet and also advisable to apply sterile gauze for preventing infection. If the local scar is not healed, it is suggested to use another group of the acupoints in the next treatment. During the treatment, it is necessary to avoid uncooked, cold, greasy, and sweet food and seafood and avoid sexual activity. This method is carefully used or prohibited for those patients with skin sensitivity. After the herbal drug is taken off, it is not advisable to touch cold water in the local area immediately. In the treatment of this disease, it is necessary to avoid irritation from allergic factors, avoid catching cold, have regular life, and strengthen the body constitution, for elevating the therapeutic effect.

Because of comparatively shorter treatment time, it is not very influential to the work and life of the patients. So, this method is easily accepted by the patients and is worthy of clinical popularization and application.

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Translator: Huang Guo-qi

R246.81

A

Date: March 18, 2013

Author: Wen Mu-sheng, chief physician of traditional Chinese medicine.

E-mail: 56030900@163.com