OBJECTIVE

To compare therapeutic effects of pecking moxibustion therapy and common acupuncture on irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea type).

METHODS

Fifty cases of irritable bowel syndrome were randomly divided into a pecking moxibustion group (n=30) and an acupuncture group (n=20). The pecking moxibustion group was treated by pecking moxibustion with a ZHOU's pecking moxibustion pen, and the acupuncture group by common acupuncture. In the two groups, Ganshu (BL 18), Pishu (BL 20), Weishu (BL 21), Shenshu (BL 23), etc. were selected. After treatment of 15 sessions the scores of symptoms and clinical therapeutic effects were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

After treatment, the scores of symptoms significantly decreased (both P < 0.01), with a significant difference in the decrease of symptom scores between the two groups (P < 0.05); the total effective rate of 93.3% in the pecking moxibustion group was higher than 75.0% in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Pecking moxibustion therapy can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (diarrhea type), with a better therapeutic effect than common acupuncture.