OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical efficacy on sleep disorder in the intervention of flying needling therapy and compare the efficacy difference among flying needling therapy, estazolam and non-acupoint acupuncture.

METHODSThree hundred and fifteen cases of sleep disorder were randomized into a flying needling group (110 cases), an estazolam group (107 cases) and a non-acupoint acupuncture group (98 cases). In the flying needling group, the flying needling therapy was applied to Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Anmian (EX HN22), Shenmen (HT 7) and so on. Additionally, vitamin B1 was prescribed for oral administration and the intradermal needle method was given at the Back-shu points. In the estazolam group, estazolam was prescribed for oral administration. Also the non-acupoint acupuncture and the acupoint sticking therapy on the Back-shu points were given additionally. In the non-acupoint acupuncture group, the non-acupoint acupuncture, oral administration of vitamin B1 and the acupoint sticking therapy on the Back-shu points were applied. The treatment of 2 weeks were required in all the groups. The efficacy and the score of PSQI (Pittsburgh sleep quality index) were observed in the 2-week follow-up visit.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in the flying needling group was 84.1% (90/107), which was superior to 59.7% (62/104) in the estazolam group and 25.0% (24/96) in the non-acupoint acupuncture group (both P < 0.05). In the follow-up observation, the score of each item and the total score of PSQI were lower apparently than those before treatment in each group (all P < 0.05), and those in the flying needling group were lower apparently than those in the other two groups (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe flying needling therapy as the chief therapeutic method effectively improves the sleep quality for the patients with sleep disorder, which is apparently superior to estazolam and non-acupoint acupuncture.