Objective: To evaluate clinical therapeutic effect of acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) and Tianzhu (BL 10) on vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI).
Methods: One hundred and sixteen cases of VBI were randomly divided into 2 groups, 58 cases in each group. The treatment group were treated with acupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20) and Tianzhu (BL 10), and the control group with oral administration of Nimodipine. Clinical symptoms, and the average blood flow rates of left vertebral artery (LVA), right vertebral artery (RVA) and basilar artery (BA) detected by transcranial Doppler's method (TCD) before and after treatment were investigated.
Results: The total effective rate was 89.66% in the treatment group and 86.21% in the control group. Acupuncture had significantly therapeutic effect in improvement of clinical symptoms and the average blood flow rate of BA, better than Nimodipine.
Conclusion: Acupuncture at Fengch; (GB 20) and Tianzhu (BL 10) has obvious therapeutic effect on vertebrobasilar insufficiency.