Efficacy evaluation of electroacupuncture at Dong's points combined with biofeedback in the treatment of functional anorectal pain: 电针董氏奇穴联合生物反馈治疗功能性肛门直肠痛的疗效评价

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the clinical effect of electroacupuncture combined with biofeedback on functional anorectal pain. Methods Sixty patients diagnosed functional anorectal pain were divided into three groups by random number table, namely electroacupuncture group, biofeedback group, and combination group, with 20 patients in each. In the electroacupuncture group, the electroacupuncture at Dong's points Sānqi (三其穴), including Qimen (其门), Qijiǎo (其角), and Qizheng (其正), and Linggǔ (灵骨), Dabai (大白), Changmen (肠门) of both sides was given; in the Biofeedback group, the biofeedback therapy was adopted; in the combination group, the electroacupuncture and biofeedback therapy were used. All patients were treated once a day, 30 min each time, 10 consecutive treatments as one treatment course, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated after 3 treatment courses. The observation indexes after the intervention: Visual analogue Scale (VAS) score, SF-36 Quality of Life Scale score, Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) score, Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) score, Anorectal manometry, Clinical efficacy, and patients’ adverse reactions. Results After treatment, the pain of patients in the three groups was alleviated than that before treatment, VAS score, SAS score, SDS score, and anorectal pressure were decreased (P Conclusion Electroacupuncture at Dong's points combined with biofeedback therapy has a significant effect on functional anorectal pain. The combined application of electroacupuncture and biofeedback therapy has a synergic action, and the analgesic effect is better than that of only using electroacupuncture or biofeedback therapy.