Effect of Electro-acupuncture Deep Needling on Spontaneous Bowel Movements and Life Quality of Female Patients with Severe Functional Constipation

OBJECTIVE To observe the effect of electro-acupuncture on spontaneous bowel movements and life quality of female patients with severe functional constipation. METHODS A total of 53 female patients with severe functional constipation were randomly divided into two groups. One group was treated with deep needling and electro-acupuncture (EA)， while the other group with shallow needling and sham electro-acupuncture (sham-EA). The numbers of spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs) and patient assessment of constipation quality of life questionnaire (PAC-QOL) scores of the two groups were recorded after 4 weeks and 8 weeks of treatment and the differences of the two groups were compared. RESULTS The spontaneous bowel movements of the two groups were both improved. The improvement of the EA group was more statistically significant (P<0.01). After receiving treatment for 4 weeks and 8 weeks， the improvement of the PAC-QOL scores of the EA group was more significant(P<0.01). CONCLUSION Electro-acupuncture treatment could improve the spontaneous bowel movements and life quality of female patients with severe functional constipation and the deep needling electro-acupuncture is more effective.