OBJECTIVETo probe into the role of "mother-son" reinforcing-reducing method of five Shu points in clinical treatment of stroke at restoration stage.

METHODSSixty-six cases of stroke were randomly divided into a treatment group (n = 34) and a control group (n = 32). The treatment group were treated by acupuncture at acupoints of The Hand-Yangming and The Foot-Yangming Channels, and "mother-son" reinforcing-reducing method of the five Shu for reinforcing deficiency and reducing excess according to deficiency and excess of channels differentiated by Cunkou Renying diagnosis; the control group were treated only by acupuncture at acupoints of The Hand-Yangming and Foot-Yangming Channels with uniform reinforcing-reducing method. Blood flow velocity in Cunkou and Renying Vessels before and after treatment were determined with transcranial Doppler ultrasono-blood flow meter and their clinical therapeutic effects were compared.

RESULTSThere was a very significant difference before and after treatment in blood flow velocity in Cunkou and Renying vessels in the treatment group; the clinically basic recovery and markedly improving rate after treatment in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe acupuncture therapy of "mother-son" reinforcing-reducing method of five Shu points based on differentiation of yin, yang and deficiency and excess of channels by Cunkou and Renying Vessel methods can increase clinical therapeutic effect on stroke at restoration stage.