Acupuncture combined with medicated cupping for temporomandibular disorders

ObjectiveTo observe the application of acupuncture at distal points combined with medicated cupping on the affected parts in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and to evaluate its effectiveness.MethodsA total of 120 patients with TMD were randomly divided into two groups according to the random number table and random number remainder method. Sixty-two patients in acupuncture combined with cupping group (group A) were treated with acupuncture at Hégŭ ( LI 4) and Tàichōng ( LR 3) combined with medicated cupping on the affected parts with Sānqī (Radix et Rhizoma Notoginseng) and Báizh (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae). Fifty-eight patients in cupping group (group B) were just treated with medicated cupping. Patients were treated for 30 min each time, once daily, and 10 times were considered as one course of treatment. After one course of treatment, the therapeutic effect was evaluated. Before and after treatment, craniomandihular index (CMI), dysfunction index (DI), palpation index(PI) and changes in pain degree (VAS score) were compared.ResultsBefore and after treatment, CMI in group A were 0.27±0.02 and 0.04±0.01, respectively, and in group B were 0.29±0.02 and 0.06±0.01, respectively; PI in group A were 0.19±0.01 and 0.05±0.03, respectively, and in group B were 0.18±0.02 and 0.11±0.02, respectively; DI in group A were 0.33±0.04 and 0.06±0.02, respectively, and in group B were 0.34±0.05 and 0.11±0.04, respectively; VAS in group A were 5.39±0.24 and 2.13±0.47, respectively, and in group B were 5.70±0.31 and 3.97±0.26, respectively. After treatment, CMI, DI, PI and VAS in both groups significantly decreased when compared with those before treatment (all P<0.01), and the indices in group A were significantly lower than that in group B after treatment (all P<0.05), indicating that the difference was significant.ConclusionThe therapeutic effect of acupuncture at distal points combined with cupping at adjacent points in treatment of TMD is superior to that of single medicated cupping therapy.