ABSTRACT: 291 cases Of insomnia were treated with electro-acupuncture (EA). Among them, 139 cases were male and 152 female, aged between 16 -- 60 years aid. Selected acupoints were Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Neiguan (PC 6), Baihui (GV 20), Touwei (ST 8), Yintang (EX-HN 3) and were modified according to symptoms. Fengchi (GB 20) and Dazhui (GV 14) were added for the patient with indisposition or pain in nuchal region, Hegu (LI 4) for headache, and Shenmen (HT 7) for amnesia and dreaminess. EA was given with G6805 -- Z Therapeutic instrument, at continuous wave type, for 30 min, once a day. One therapeutic course consisted of 10 sessions. Any medicine was not administrated during the treatment. Results indicated that 216 cases (74. 2% ) were cured, 62 cases (21. 3% ) were markedly effective. The total effective rate was 95. 5 %.

KEY WORDS: Electro-acupuncture insomnia

GENERAL DATA:
Of 291 cases in the series, 139 were males and 152 females, aged between 16 -- 60 years old. Among them 121 cases were between 16--20 years old, 161 cases between 21 -- 40 years and 9 cases between 41 -- 60 years. 291 cases were all diagnosed to have neurosis and other organic pathologic change were excluded after examination of Western medicine. During the treatment, any medicine was not administrated. The treatment took 30 days at longest and 5 days at shortest, averaging 15 days.

CRITERIA OF THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS:
Cured: Sleep over 8 hours each night, with full of vigour at daytime and without recurrence in one year;
Markedly effective: Sleep improves obviously after treatment, sleeping over 6 hours each night or recurrence within one year after ceasing acupuncture treatment;
Ineffective: Symptoms do not improve after treatment.

THERAPEUTIC METHODS:
1. Selected acupoints: Taiyang, Neiguan, Baihui, Touwei, Yintang. Fengchi and Dazhui points were added for the patient with indisposition or pain in nape; Hegu point for severe headache; Shenmen point for amnesia and dreaminess.

2. Methods: Electro-acupuncture instrument was adopted. After needling sensation was attained the needles were connected to the instrument. The anode and cathode were respectively connected with the two needles in two points on the same side, with continuous wave type and tolerable electric intensity for 30 min, once a day. One therapeutic course consisted of 10 sessions.

RESULTS OF TREATMENT:
216 cases were cured, accounting for 74. 2%; 62 cases were markedly effective, accounting for 21. 3%; 13 cases were ineffective, accounting for 4. 5 %. The total effective rate was 95. 5 %.

A TYPICAL CASE:
Lu Feng, female, 35 years old, suffered from insomnia and headache due to being frightened 60 days ago, sleeping less than 3 hours all night, even could not fall sleeping all night long and was easily awakened by a nightmare. She was frightened and restless, weary, and had loss of appetite, palpitation, amnesia, dizziness. She took diazepam and Jian Nao Bu Shen Wan, oryzanol and other medicines without effect.

Examination: Body temperature 36. °C, respiration 20 times/min, pulse 72 times/min, blood pressure (BP) 18/9 kpa, consciousness, listless, heart and lung (-- ), liver and spleen (-- ), routine blood examination, electrocardiogram (ECG ) and hepatic function and so on were at ranges of normal values. She was diagnosed as insomnia. Treatment: Taiyang, Neiguan, Touwei, Baihui, Yintang and Shenmen points were selected; After the needling sensation was attained, Taiyang point was connected with the anode and Shenmen point on the same side with the cathode. EA was given for 30 min. After treatment, she slept each time for 6 hours with disappearance of nightmare. After treatment for a total of 10 days, she slept over 9 hours at one night, various symptoms disappeared. Recurrence was not found by follow-up survey of 2 years.

EXPERIENCE:
Insomnia is often referred to that the patient falls asleep with difficulty or sometimes sleeps and sometimes awakens, after wakening it is difficult to sleep again. Severe patients can not even fall asleep all night long, often with dizziness, weary, palpitation, amnesia and so on. Insomnia is more caused by overacting of five-emotions, uneven allocation of work, no strong physique, and excess of yang and deficiency of yin, imbalance of yin and yang, and irritability induced by general deficiency after disease it often occurs in neurosis and menopausal syndrome of modern medicine. The author selected Taiyang and Touwei points for refreshing oneself; Neiguan point for relieving mental stress and pain; Baihui point for inducing resuscitation and restoring consciousness;Yintang for relieving convulsion and tranquilizing the mind; Fengchi for restoring consciousness to improve acuity of vision; Hegu for relieving pain and removing obstruction in the channels; Shenmen for relieving mental stress and tranquilizing. The points were combined for reinforcing deficiency and purging excess, regulating yin and yang, and tranquilization, so as to sleep well.

By Zhao Xiuling