OBJECTIVETo observe the differences of therapeutic effect in primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) of hyperactive of liver yang type treated by deep and shallow puncturing at Xiaguan (ST 7).

METHODSSixty-three cases of PTN of hyperactive of liver yang type were randomly divided into a deep puncturing group (32 cases) and a shallow puncturing group (31 cases). Xiaguan (ST 7) of affected region, Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LV 3) of bilateral sides, Cuanzhu (BL 2), Sibai (ST 2) and Jiachengjiang (Extra) relevant to the affected branch of nerve stem were selected in both groups. In deep puncturing group, Xiaguan (ST 7) was punctured to the depth of spheno-palatine ganglion (SPG); Cuanzhu (BL 2), Sibai (ST 2) and Jiachengjiang (Extra) were respectively punctured to the depth of supraorbital foramen, infraorbital foramen and mental foramen. In shallow group, routine puncturing was applied; the needles were connected with G6805 electric acupuncture apparatus, and switched on for 30 min every time; the treatment was applied every other day. Pain index, traditional Chinese medicine symptoms index and clinical therapeutic effect were observed after 2 courses of treatment.

RESULTSIn deep puncturing group, the VAS scores and the traditional Chinese medicine symptoms scores (pain degree, pain frequency, upsetting, conjunctival congestion, bitter mouth and hypochondriac pain) after treatment were much more lower than those before treatment (all P < 0.01); in shallow puncturing group, except hypochondriac pain (P > 0.05), other indices above after treatment were obviously lower than those before treatment (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). Compared with the indices in both groups after treatment, the VAS scores, the pain degree, conjunctival congestion and total scores of traditional Chinese medicine symptoms in deep puncturing group were more significant (all P < 0.05). The total effective rate was 93.8% (30/32) in deep puncturing group, superior to that of 87.1% (27/31) in shallow puncturing group (P < 0.05). No any adverse reaction was observed in both groups.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of trigeminal neuralgia of hyperactive of liver yang type treated with electroacupuncture is remarkable, and deep puncturing at Xiaguan(ST 7) to SPG is more effective than routine puncturing.