Objective: To compare the differences in the therapeutic effects on allergic rhinitis between scraping therapy and cetirizine and observe the differences in the clinical therapeutic effects of scraping therapy on the disease of different differentiated patterns/syndromes.
Methods: The included participants of allergic rhinitis were randomized into a western medication group and three scraping therapy groups, named a lung qi deficiency and cold group, a spleen qi deficiency group and a kidney yang deficiency group, 20 cases in each one. In the western medication group, cetirizine was prescribed for oral administration, 10 mg, once a day, totally for 4 weeks. In the scraping therapy groups, the scraping therapy was applied to the running courses of the large intestine meridian of hand-yangming, the governor vessel and the bladder meridian of foot-taiyang, focusing on Yingxiang (LI 20), Yintang (GV29), Hegu (LI 4) and Fengmen (BL 12). In the lung qi deficiency and cold group, the scraping focused on the lung meridian of hand-taiyin, Feishu (BL 13), Taiyuan (LU 9), Fengchi (GB 20) and Lieque (LU 7). In the spleen qi deficiency group, the scraping focused on the spleen meridian of foot-taiyin, Pishu (BL 20) and Zusanli (ST 36). In the kidney yang deficiency, the scraping focused on the kidney meridian of foot-shaoyin, Mingmen (GV 4) and Shenshu (BL 23). The scraping therapy was given once a week, 4 treatments as one session and 1 session required (4 weeks). Separately before treatment, after treatment and in 3-month follow-up visit, the total score of the main symptoms of allergic rhinitis (sneezing, runny nose, nasal obstruction and nasal itch) was observed and the clinical therapeutic effects were evaluated.
Results: The total symptom scores in the patients of the 4 groups after treatment were all reduced as compared with those before treatment (all P<0.05). After treatment and in the follow-up visit, the total symptom scores of the 3 scraping therapy groups were lower than those in the western medication group (all P<0.05), and the score in the lung qi deficiency and cold group was lower than those in the spleen qi deficiency group and the kidney yang deficiency group (all P<0.05). After treatment and in the follow-up visit, the therapeutic effects in the 3 scraping therapy groups were better than those in the western medication group (all P<0.05).
Conclusion: The scraping therapy on the basis of the meridians and acupoints selection achieves the definite therapeutic effects on allergic rhinitis of different differentiated patterns/syndromes, which is better than cetirizine. This therapy achieves the much significant short-term and long-term therapeutic effects on allergic rhinitis differentiated as lung qi deficiency and cold.
Keywords: acupoint selection based on pattern/syndrome differentiation; allergic rhinitis; scraping.