Objective: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of Yin-Yang Needling treatment of epilepsy.

Methods: 90 cases of epilepsy patients including 49 males and 41 females were
　　randomly divided into treatment group (n=60) and control group (n=30). The youngest was 6 months and the oldest 65 years. The shortest duration of disease was 20 days and the longest 21 years. In treatment group: 1) basic acupoints were Baihui (DU 20), Dazhui (GB 14), Jinsuo (DU 8), Yaoqi (EXB 9), Guanyuan (RN 4), Xiawan (RN 10), Jiuwei (RN 15), Juque (RN 14), Hegu (LI 4), Jianshi (PC 5), Fenglong (ST 40) and Taichong (LR 3); 2) Auxiliary acupoints: Renzhong (DU 26) was added during attack of epilepsy; Fengchi (GB 20) and Fenglong (ST 40) were supplemented for windphlegm stagnation type; Xingjian (LR 2) and Fenglong (ST 40) supplemented for the type of hyperactivity of phlegm-fire in the interior; and Xinshu (BL 15) and Shenshu (BL 23) supplemented for head and kidney deficiency type. Acupuncture treatment was conducted once daily, with 10 days being a therapeutic course, continuously for 3 courses. The interval between two courses was 2 days. Then, 3 continuous acupuncture tteatment days in every 10 days were conducted, continuously for 6 months. Generally, acupoints of Yang-meridians were stimulated with reducing method and those of Yin-meridians stimulated with reinforcing method. 30 patients were ordered to take Phenytoin sodium, 500mg/day for adults, and 10 -15mg/day for children less than 3 years old and 200mg/day for children above 6 years, 3 times daily, continuously for 6 months.

Results: After treatment, of the 60 cases of acupuncture group, 46 (76.7%) had marked improvement, 10 (16.7%) had improvement, 2 (3.3%) had slight improvement and 2 (3.3%) had no any changes. The total effective rate was 96.6%. Of the 30 cases in control group, 8 (26.7%) had marked improvement, 6 (20.0%) had improvement, 4 (13.3%) had slight
　　 improvement, 5 (16.7%) had no any changes and 7 (23.3%) worsened. The effective rate was 60.0%. There was a significant difference between the two groups in the effective rate (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Yin-Yang needling could significantly relieve symptoms of epilepsy attack Patients, improve patients' EEG, shorten the attack duration and decrease the frequency of attack, and thus is a better therapedic method for controning epilepsy.

By Zhou Youlong
　　Dept. of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Henan College of TCM, Zhengzhou 450003, China.