Clinical observation on the effect of visual occlusion on pain sensation and pain emotion in patients with scapulohumeral periarthritis treated with acupuncture

To observe the effect of visual occlusion acupuncture on shoulder pain, shoulder function, anxiety and depression in patients with acute scapulohumeral periarthritis, so as to evaluate the influence of psychological factors on the efficacy of acupuncture.

A total of 74 patients with acute scapulohumeral periarthritis were randomly divided into heart-stable acupuncture group (17 cases, 1 dropped off), heart-stable covering acupuncture group (17 cases), heart-abnormal acupuncture group (20 cases, 1 dropped off) and heart-abnormal covering acupuncture group (20 cases) based on the results of acupuncture tension, anxiety and depression scores. Patients in the heart-stable acupuncture and heart-abnormal acupuncture groups were treated with acupuncture at Jianyu (LI15, affected side), Jianliao (SJ14, affected side), Jianzhen (SI9, affected side), Jianqian (EX-UE12, affected side), Ashi point, Yanglingquan (GB34, affected side), Tiaokou (ST38) to Chengshan (BL57, healthy side), Dazhui (GV14), Yinlingquan (SP9, affected side). While patients in the heart-stable covering acupuncture and heart-abnormal covering acupuncture groups wore eye mask before acupuncture treatment, and the same acupoints were needled. The treatment was conducted for 30 min, three times per week for 3 weeks. Before and after treatment, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, range of motion (ROM) of shoulder joint and activity of daily living (ADL) were observed for patients in the four groups. While the scores of self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) of patients in the heart-abnormal acupuncture and heart-abnormal covering acupuncture groups were observed. The therapeutic effects were evaluated after the treatment.

After the treatment, the VAS scores of the 4 groups were notably decreased (P<0.05), while the ROM scores and ADL scores were obviously increased (P<0.05). Compared with the heart-abnormal acupuncture group, the VAS score and SAS score were significantly lower in the heart-abnormal covering acupuncture group (P<0.05), while the ADL score were significantly higher (P<0.05). Compared with the heart-stable acupuncture group, the VAS score was increased (P<0.05) and ADL score was decreased (P<0.05) in the heart-abnormal acupuncture group.

Acupuncture can effectively improve the pain sensation and pain emotion of patients with scapulohumeral periarthritis under different psychological states. The stability of psychological state is helpful for acupuncture to exert analgesic effect. Visual occlusion can strengthen the regulation of acupuncture on pain symptoms and anxiety in scapulohumeral periarthritis patients with abnormal psychological state.