OBJECTIVETo observe clinical therapeutic effect of needle-sticking method on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of wind-cold-damp retention type.

METHODSFifty cases of such disease were divided into 2 groups in order of visiting. The treatment group (n = 30) were treated with needle-sticking method, and the control group (n = 20) with routine filiform needle therapy for 2 therapeutic courses. Total cumulative scores, numbers of both the pressure-pain joint and the swollen-distention joint, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C reaction protein (CRP) before and after treatment were investigated.

RESULTSBoth the needle-sticking method and the filiform needle therapy had an apparent therapeutic effect on RA of wind-cold-damp retention type, and the therapeutic effect for the clinical indexes in the treatment group was better than the control group, with a very significant difference in improvement of RF, the number of pressure-pain joints and the total cumulative scores as the treatment group compared with the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONNeedle-sticking method has definite therapeutic effect on RA of wind-cold-damp retention type with obvious superiority.