abstracted & translated by
Honora Lee Wolfe, L.Ac., FNAAOM (USA)

Keywords: Chinese medicine, acupuncture, sleep disorders, insomnia

On page 13 of issue #11, 2005 of Zhen Jiu Lin Chuang Za Zhi (Clinical Journal of Acupuncture & Moxibustion), Su Yan published an article titled, "Clinical Observations on the Treatment of 70 Cases of Insomnia with Acupuncture." A summary of this article is presented below.

Cohort description:

All 70 patients enrolled in this study were treated as out-patients. Among them, there were 28 males and 42 females 17-65 years of age. These patients had suffered from insomnia for from 10 days to six years. Forty-six cases had simple insomnia, while the other 24 cases had some other chronic disease, such as hypertension or heart disease.

Treatment method:

The points used consisted of:

Shen Men (Ht 7)
Feng Long (St 40)
Yang Ling Quan (GB 34)
Zu San Li (St 36)
Zhong Wan (CV 12)

Twenty-eight gauge, 1-2 inch needles were used in this study. Shen Men was needled perpendicularly to a depth of 0.3-0.5 inches. Zhong Wan was needled perpendicularly to a depth of 0.5-1.0 inches. Zu San Li and Feng Long were needled perpendicularly to a depth of 0.5-1.5 inches, and Yang Ling Quan was needled perpendicularly to a depth of 1-1.5 inches. After obtaining the qi at each point, the needles were manipulated with light draining hand technique and then passively retained for 30 minutes. During the treatment, patients were advised to allow their entire body to relax, to quiet the hearts and still their qi. Treatment was given once per day for five times. Treatment was best is given during the afternoon.

Study outcomes:

Cure was defined as eight hours or more of sleep per night with no recurrence of insomnia on follow-up after one month. Marked effect was defined as an increase of two hours sleep per night. However, the sleep was still less than eight hours per night. No effect meant that, after one course of treatment, either the insomnia had gotten worse or there was no change for the better. Based on these criteria, 58 cases (82.9%) were cured, 10 cases (14.3%) got a marked effect, and two cases (2.8%) got no effect for a total effectiveness rate of 97.2%

Discussion:

Dr. Su bases his treatment protocol in this study on the Ling Shu (Spiritual Axis) which says:

If the defensive qi is not able to enter the yin, it will lodge constantly in the yang. Lodgement in the yang leads to yang qi fullness, and yang qi fullness leads to yang lifting upwards and exuberance. Inability to enter the yin leads to yin qi exuberance. Therefore, the eyes cannot close.

Accordingly, Dr. Su believes that the treatment principles for this condition should mainly be to clear and transform phlegm and heat, regulate and supplement heart yin, and balance yin and yang. He says that Shen Men is an essential point for quieting the spirit. Zu San Li can regulate and ease the flow of the qi of the spleen and stomach. Feng Long combined with Zhong Wan clears the symptoms of phlegm, dampness, and turbidity from the middle burner. Yang Ling Quan clears heat and disinhibits the gallbladder. When all these points are used together, the spleen and stomach obtain movement and the heart spirit obtains quieting. However, he ends his essay by also saying that, in addition to acupuncture, the patient needs to avoid vexation, taxation, and worry and to adopt a nourishing, good lifestyle.

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