1 Data
All of patients come to Acupuncture and Moxibustion Department after definite diagnosis given by Dental Department in our hospital, their toothache is mostly caused by pulpitis or periodontitis. We divide patients into two groups: Ear points pressing group and Acupuncture group. Ear points pressing group: there are totally 72 patients with 34 male and 38 female; oldest patient is 72 years old and youngest 15 with average 48; shortest duration of disease is half day and longest 14. Acupuncture group: there are totally 65 patients with 29 male and 36 female; oldest patient is 70 years old and youngest 13 with average 46.4; shortest duration of disease is half day and longest 16. Production of detecting stick: we get a woolen sweater needle made of aluminum with 3mm diameter and 15cm length, one end of needle is grinded into round head with 2mm diameter.
2 Treatment method
A: Ear points pressing
1): Sitting posture and auricle faces to sunlight.
2): On medial side of antitragus of both sides, draw an equilateral triangle with base connecting the tip of antitragus and central rim, looking for positive reacting points with diagnosis of inspection (there are small blood vessels, redness or white papule on the place of positive point), positive points mostly locate on auricle of effected side of toothache. It is not allowed to wash auricle by alcohol or touch positive area by hand before inspection, otherwise, pseudo-positive point may happen.
3): We apply detecting stick to slightly press positive reacting area. When there is concave edema or patient feels pricking pain, we should use the head of detecting stick to heavily press the border of antitragus as quick as possible, and then patient cannot tolerate pain (patient will cry or shout), toothache can be stopped at the same time.
B: Acupuncture
1): We choose points according to relation of meridians with affected area and differentiation. Meridian points: Neiting (ST44) Ying-Spring Point, Xiaguan (ST7) for upper toothache because upper teeth relates with stomach meridian; Hegu (LI4) Yuan-Source Point, Jiache (ST6) for lower toothache because lower teeth relates with large intestine meridian. Differentiation points: LI4 for wind-fire; ST44 for fire and stagnation; Taixi(KI3) Shu-Stream, Yuan-Source Point for kidney deficiency.
2): Treatment principle: In general, we use reducing method for excessive syndrome, only acupuncture and no moxa, add electronic stimulation for severe pain; dispel wind and clear heat for wind-fire type, reduce yangming and defection for fire accumulation. We apply reinforcing method to deficient syndrome, add moxa to tonify kidney.
3): Manipulation: We insert 1 to 1.5 cun filiform needle into LI4 with needling direction slightly oblique to index finger, we perform heavy rotating method of reducing (repeat 12 times of rotating, 3 minutes break, then repeat another 12 times). Direction of needle into ST7 is down so that needling sensation can radiate to upper teeth, same rotating with last one until pain is relieved or disappeared. We insert 2 cun filiform needle into ST6 with needling direction oblique to Chengjiang (CV24) so that needling sensation can radiate to lower teeth. We insert 1.5 to 2 cun needle into ST44 with oblique and upward needling direction so that needling sensation can radiate up along yangming meridian. We apply 3 to 7 moxa cones (size of wheat berry) to stimulate KI3, do not blow the fire.
3 Effect standard Cured - pain is quickly relieved. Improved - pain is obviously reduced. No effect - no improvement after 3 times of treatment. Treatment report: Ear points pressing group (72 patients): all cured after 1 time of treatment. Acupuncture group (65 patients): 51 cured including 28 cured after 1 time (54.9%); 16 cured after 2 times (31.37%); 7 cured after 3 times (13.73%). So cured rates of two group have significant difference according to statistic analysis (P< 0.05), treatment effective frequency given by ear points pressing is much better than that by acupuncture.
Key Words: toothache, pressing, positive reacting point on ear, detecting stick
Writer: Han Biying, Ye Zhihao, Xie Lan, Chen Siming, Zhang Xueping
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