Acupuncture and moxibustion combined with western medication for ninety cases of Bell's palsy at different stages: A randomized controlled trial

Objective: To observe the differences in the clinical effect on Bell's palsy at the acute stage and the recover stage, as well as the differences in the clinical effect between the simple acupuncture-moxibustion therapy and the combined therapy of acupuncture-moxibustion and western medication, explore the optimal intervention time point and therapeutic regimen. Methods: All of the patients were collected from the outpatients and the inpatients in the Specific Department of Acupuncture for Facial Paralysis in Hubei Chinese Medicine Hospital. A total of 128 patients with Bell's palsy were collected from February 2017 through to February 2018 and 90 patients of them were in compliance with the inclusion criteria. 90 cases were randomized into three groups, named group A (acupuncture and moxibustion at the acute stage), group B (acupuncture and moxibustion combined with western medication at the acute stage) and group C (acupuncture and moxibustion combined with western medication at the recovery stage), 30 cases in each one. In the group A, acupuncture and moxibustion were adopted at the acute stage of Bell's palsy. In the group B, at the acute stage, acupuncture and moxibustion were adopted in combination with the oral medication of hormone and vitamin. In the group C, at the recovery stage, acupuncture and moxibustion were adopted in combination with the oral medication of hormone and vitamin. The clinical healing time and the total effective rate were observed in the patients of the three groups and the occurrence of sequelae in facial paralysis was followed-up. Result: (1) The clinical healing time in the Group B was slightly shorter than the Group A, but without statistical significance in comparison (P > 0.05). The clinical healing time in either the Group A or the Group B was shorter than Group C, indicating the statistical significance in comparison (both P < 0.05). (2) The results of 3-month follow-up observation showed that there were 3 cases of sequelae in the group A, 2 cases in the Group B and 7 cases in the Group C. (3) After treatment, the total effective rate in either the Group A or the Group B was higher than the Group C, indicating the statistical significance in comparison (both P < 0.05). Conclusion: The simple use of acupuncture and moxibustion at the acute stage achieves the similar clinical effect on Bell's palsy as the treatment of acupuncture-moxibustion combined with western medication. The simple application of acupuncture and moxibustion prevents from the potential side effects of hormone to the largest extent and displays its dominate advantages in safety. Besides, the early intervention of acupuncture-moxibustion shortens the healing time and effectively improves the prognosis of Bell's palsy. (C) 2019 World Journal of Acupuncture Moxibustion House. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.