OBJECTIVETo evaluate clinical therapeutic effect of Guan-moxibustion on herpes simplex virus facial neuritis.

METHODSOne hundred and sixty cases were enrolled in 3 centers and 157 cases were completed the study. All he patients were randomly divided into 2 groups, a Guan-moxibustion group and a suspended moxibustion plus acupuncture group. All of them were treated with basic acupuncture, and the Guan-moxibustion group were added with Guan-moxibustion and the suspended moxibustion group with suspended moxibustion. They were treated for 8 weeks, and facial disability index (FDI) and House-Brackmann facial nerve grading system were used to assess therapeutic effects.

RESULTSThe effective rate was 91.0% in the Guan-moxibustion group and 72.2% in the suspended moxibustion group with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05), the Guan-moxibustion being better than the suspended moxibustion group.

CONCLUSIONThe therapeutic effect of Guan-moxibustion plus acupuncture on herpes simplex virus facial neuritis is better than that of suspended moxibustion plus acupuncture.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Facial Nerve ; Facial Nerve Diseases ; Humans ; Moxibustion ; Simplexvirus