Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of pestle acupuncture at Yao Yang Guan Ba Zhen and He Che Ming Qiang Duan in treating lumbago due to cold and damp. Methods Totally sixty-two patients with lumbago due to cold and damp were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 31 in each group. The two groups were both intervened by medicinal fumigation, while the treatment group was additionally treated with pestle acupuncture at Yao Yang Guan Ba Zhen and He Che Ming Qiang Duan and the control group was additionally with ordinary acupuncture. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was observed before and after intervention, and the clinical efficacies were compared. Results The total effective rate was 90.3%in the treatment group versus 87.1% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The VAS scores were significantly changed after intervention in both groups (P<0.01). After intervention, there was a significant difference in comparing VAS score between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusions Pestle acupuncture is an effective method in treating lumbago due to cold and damp, and it doesn’t cause any injury or pain.

Objective: To observe the clinical effect of pestle needle combined with Chinese herbal fumigation on cervical spondylosis and provide a safe effective therapy for this condition. Methods: A total of 54 cases were randomly allocated into two groups (27 cases in each group) according to their sequence of consultation. Patients in both groups were treated with the same Chinese herbal fumigation. Patients in the treatment group were additionally treated with pestle needle therapy on a unique set ofBa Zhen points around Dazhui (GV 14), Fengfu (GV 16) and the distance between Naohu (GV 17) and Dazhui (GV 14) along theHe Chepathway, whereas patients in the control group were additionally treated with routine acupuncture therapy. Then the short-term and long-term efficacies were observed and compared after treatment using the visual analog scale (VAS) and pain rating index (PRI). Results: At the end of treatment, VAS scores were significantly decreased in both groups, and the VAS score in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). The intra-group differences were statistically significant in VAS scores 1 month, 3 and 6 months after treatment (allP<0.05). At the end of treatment, the sensory and total PRI scores in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group, showing statistically significant differences (both P<0.01); and there was no significant between-group difference (P>0.05) in the affective PRI score. At the end of treatment, the total effective rate was 85.2% in the treatment group, versus 65.4% in the control group, showing a statistical significance (P<0.05). The follow-up six months later showed that the total effective rate was 92.6% in the treatment group, versus 76.9% in the control group, showing a statistical significance (P<0.05). Conclusion: Pestle needle therapy is a stable and positive therapy for cervical spondylosis.