OBJECTIVETo compare the immediate effect of moxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB 34) on body surface thermograph between the patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and healthy people.

METHODSThirty-five cases of MPS were selected in observation group and 15 cases of healthy people were in control group. ATIR-M301 medical infrared imaging device was used to observe the changes in body surface thermograph before and 15 min after moxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB 34) The qualitative analysis of picture pattern and the quantitative analysis of temperature were integrated to compare the differences between two groups.

RESULTSConcerning to the infrared thermograph expression on the back of MPS cases in observation group, the abnormal thermal zone presented in 88.6% of the cases, mostly distributed in the upper and secondly in the lower back. The spinal thermal line was broken or disappeared ine about 50% of cases. The location of pain complained by 71.4% of cases was coincident with the zone of infrared thermograph expression. There was statistical significant difference in the temperatures difference of the two sides in the upper abnormal thermal zone on the back in observation group as compared with control group (P < 0.001). Body surface thermograph on the back were impacted by moxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB 34) for either MPS patients or healthy people, especially in upper back and rhomboid fossa. Moxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB 34) increased much more apparently the temperature on the upper back in MPS patients as compared with healthy people (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONMoxibustion on Yanglingquan (GB34) brings the immediate improvements in the back thermograph for MPS patients.