[Clinic research on heroin de-addiction effects of acupuncture and its potentiality of preventing relapse].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of de-addiction with the therapy of acupuncture, acupuncture plus opium, opium plus buprenorphine and opium plus Han's instrument for de-addiction and to study the effects of the four therapeutic methods on the protracted withdrawal syndrome and craving. METHODS: The effects of de-addiction were assessed with the opiate withdrawal scale and the craving degree with visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: The dominance of acupuncture treatment for withdrawal syndrome appeared to be after the 6th day, and the dominance for controlling craving showed after the 8th day, moreover, there were little side effects. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture treatment had the potentiality of preventing relapse and could be used for treating the protracted withdrawal syndrome and psychic dependence during the period between the stages of abstinence and rehabilitation.