Acupuncture intervention could improve pain and activity in patients with chronic Achilles tendinopathy compared with eccentric exercises.

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy of point Houxi(SI 3) electroacupuncture for treating acute lumbar sprain. Methods: Three hundred patients with acute lumbar sprain were randomly grouped with a random number table. The electroacupuncture group was treated by electro-acupuncture at point Houxi (SI 3) and the medication group, with meloxicam. Results: A comparison of the short-term effects showed that the efficacy rate was 97.3% in the electroacupuncture group and 89.3% in the medication group. The average rank of the short-term effect score was lower in the electroacupuncture group than in the medication group (P<0.01); there was a significant difference between the two groups. A comparison of the long-term effect showed that the efficacy rate was 99.3% in the electroacupuncture group and 93.2% in the medication group. The average rank of the long-term effect score was lower in the electroacupuncture group than in the medication group (P<0.01); there was a significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: Both point Houxi (SI 3) electroacupuncture and meloxicam have a marked effect on acute lumbar sprain, but the short-term and long-term effects are better in the electroacupuncture group than in the medication group.

The evidence of acupressure is limited in the management of dysmenorrhea. To evaluate the efficacy of acupressure in the treatment of primary dysmenorrhea based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs), we searched MEDLINE, the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases from inception until March 2012. Two reviewers independently selected articles and extracted data. Statistical analysis was performed with RevMan 5.1 software. Eight RCTs were identified from the retrieved 224 relevant records. Acupressure improved pain measured with VAS (−1.41 cm 95% CI [−1.61, −1.21]), SF-MPQ at the 3-month followup (WMD −2.33, 95% CI [−4.11, −0.54]) and 6-month followup (WMD −4.67, 95% CI [−7.30, −2.04]), and MDQ at the 3-month followup (WMD −2.31, 95% CI [−3.74, −0.87]) and 6-month followup (WMD −4.67, 95% CI [−7.30, −2.04]). All trials did not report adverse events. These results were limited by the methodological flaws of trials.

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