Effect of acupuncture combined with moxibustion therapy on the recovery rate of Bell's palsy: A double-blind randomized control study

Introduction: There is a lack of research demonstrating how well moxibustion acupuncture treats Bell's palsy. The purpose of this study is to determine whether moxibustion acupuncture is effective in accelerating Bell's palsy patients' recovery and compare the recovery rates of patients with and without diabetes mellitus. Methods: 102 patients with Bell's palsy participated in the current study. Their ages ranged from 12 to 73. They were randomly classified into an experimental group (A) of 52 patients who received moxibustion acupuncture and a control group (B) of 50 patients who received medications only. The HOUSE BRACKMANN GRADING system was used before the session, after 3 weeks, and after 6 weeks. Results: Within-group comparison, there was a statistically significant reduction in the House Brackmann (HB) scores of group A and group B at 3 weeks and 6 weeks post-treatment compared with that pre-treatment (p < 0.001). In addition, there was a statistically significant decrease in HB of groups A and B at 6 weeks compared with 3 weeks post-treatment (p < 0.001). on the other hand, the between-groups comparison showed a statistically significant reduction in HB of group A compared with that of group B at 3 weeks and 6 weeks post-treatment intervention (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The efficacy of acupuncture combined with moxibustion therapy on the recovery rate of Bell's palsy is verified scientifically.