Exploring the Treatment Effect of Leihuo Moxibustion "Zusanli" Combined with Intradermal Needle on Rheumatoid Arthritis According to the "Cytokine-Inflammation-Immunity" Network

In order to find out the treatment effect of the "Zusanli" point combined with the press needle on rheumatoid arthritis and its effect on inflammatory factors, this comprehensive investigation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) involved the enrollment of a total of 60 confirmed patients, who were randomly assigned to either a control or a treatment group through a meticulous randomization process, with 30 patients in each group. The control group served as the baseline for no specific therapeutic intervention, while the treatment group received a customized treatment regimen. The objective was to accurately evaluate the actual effect of this treatment program on the control of RA disease to provide strong support for clinical practice and future research directions. The control group received standard treatment using Western medicine, and the treatment group added thunder fire moxibustion combined with press needle "Zusanli" point treatment on the basis of Western medicine treatment. The changes in patient visual analog scores (VAS), the serum levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and the disease activity score-28 (DAS 28) were assessed prior to and following the treatment. In comparison to the control group, the treatment group exhibited a significant decrease in VAS scores (P < 0.05). Additionally, serum levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α, along with the DAS 28 score, were considerably lower than those observed in the control group. The overall response rate for rheumatoid arthritis was 60% in the control group and 83% in the treatment group, with a significant difference (P <0.05). The findings indicate that Western medicine, combined with thunder fire moxibustion, demonstrates significant effectiveness. "Zusanli" combined with press needle treatment is better than Western medicine alone, which can reduce inflammatory cytokines and relieve symptoms.