Clinical Research on the Different Acupuncture Prescriptions of Shu Mu Combined in the Treatment of Intractable Hiccup

OBJECTIVE To explore and analyze the clinical effect of different prescriptions of shu mu combined (single acupoint and adjunct acupoints) in the treatment of intractable hiccup. METHODS Ninety patients with intractable hiccup admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from May 2016 to May 2018 were enrolled. According to random number table， they were randomly divided into three groups: group A with wei shu (BL12)， group B with zhong wan (RN12， aka wei mu points) and group C with shu mu combined (BL12 and RN12)， 30 cases for each group. Needling was done once a day and totally for 20 days. The scores of hiccup symptoms， clinical efficacy， changes of gastric kinetics index and quality of life were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS The score of hiccup symptoms in group A， group B and group C decreased after treatment compared with before treatment (P<0.01)， and the score of hiccup symptoms in group C decreased more significantly after treatment than that in the other two (P<0.01). The total effective rate of group C was higher than that of group A and group B， the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). The gastric contraction frequency， amplitude and emptying rate in group A， B and C increased after treatment compared with before treatment， the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). After treatment， the mental state， diet and sleep scores in group C improved significantly better than those in group A and group B， respectively， and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Needling at wei shu (BL12)， zhong wan (RN12) and shu mu combined (BL12 and RN12) can achieve certain therapeutic effects on intractable hiccups， but the treatment of shu mu combined (BL12 and RN12) can more effectively relieve clinical symptoms and signs， improve gastric kinetics index and promote the improvement of quality of life.