The auricular acupuncture protocol demonstrated here is a traditional Chinese medicine treatment method. We hope to investigate the efficacy of auricular acupuncture in improving the sleep and life quality of COPD patients combined with sleep disorders by comparing the PSQI and CAT scores before and after the treatment. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the ear is connected to the brain and the various viscerals through the meridians.
In recent years, some scholars have combined traditional Chinese medicine theory with modern neuroanatomical knowledge to systematically organize the connection between the ear, brain, and the viscerals, and have proposed the theory of ear, brain, visceral access, providing new ideas for the principles and mechanisms of auricular acupuncture treatment. Compared with traditional acupuncture, auricular acupuncture is widely accepted by the patients with its advantages of easy operation, few side effects, and low price, and plays a unique role in the treatment of chronic disease. With the advantage of long-lasting effects and the high safety, auricular acupuncture gives a further promotion and the clinical application as an effective, non-drug alternative treatment.
Begin by explaining the method of completing the pre-treatment scale to the patient, and ask the patient to fill in the PSQI and CAT scales independently under the doctor's guidance. For pre-operation preparation, provide sleep hygiene education to patients and verify the patient's identification information. Check the medical devices used in the treatment, ensuring that all materials are within the validity period.
Begin by positioning the patient. Hold the auricle with one hand and use a cotton swab with the other hand to probe the auricular acupoints with appropriate strength. Choose sensitive points as specific acupuncture points and mark the points with a sterile marker.
Then, wipe the operator's fingers with 75%alcohol cotton ball. Also, disinfect the acupuncture site using an iodophor cotton ball held with tweezers. Next, use tweezers to hold the edge of the tape of the press needle and aim the needle tip at the acupoint.
Then, pierce the needle vertically and slowly. Make sure that the round handle on top of the needle fits flat against the skin surface and is firmly fixed with tape. Then, press gently with fingertips for about one to two minutes.
Simultaneously, ask the patient if there is a comprehensive feeling of soreness, numbness, bloating, and heaviness. If yes, it indicates that a state of de-qi is achieved, indicating the success of the operation. Next, instruct the patient to use the correct manipulation to press the acupuncture site.
Use thumb and index finger to press from the back and front of the auricle with light-to-heavy strength. Carefully observe the patient's feelings, whether there is a state of de-qi or dizziness, pain, and other discomforts. After the needle is inserted, ask the patients to rest on their backs for at least 30 minutes to avoid accidents and adverse reactions.
Post-treatment, keep the puncture sites dry and clean to prevent infection. When removing the needle, use tweezers to hold the tape and pull it out. After removing the needle, disinfect the acupoints again on the puncture site to prevent infection.
In case of needle syncope, remove the press needle immediately and check the integrity of the removed needle. Ask the patient to lie down to increase blood flow to the brain and reduce dizziness. Then, loosen the patient's collar and waistband, keep warm, and ensure air circulation, and administer intravenous glucose to the patient if necessary.
Perform the treatment for two weeks, three times a day, during the course of treatment. Instruct the patients to follow the steps shown on the screen for the follow-up treatment. After two weeks of treatment, ask the patients to fill the scales again.
In this study, a total of eight patients were evaluated for PSQI scores, including the sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, hypnotic drugs, and daytime dysfunction scores. It was found that the scores were lower than before, indicating that auricular acupuncture can effectively improve the patient's sleep quality. A comparison of total CAT scores showed a statistical difference before and after treatment, indicating improvement in the quality of life of the patients.
