Clinical Observation of Music Therapy Combined with Acupoint Application for the Treatment of Functional Constipation

This study assessed the clinical efficacy of combining five-tone therapy with acupoint application, guided by the TCM midnight-noon ebb-flow theory, for treating functional constipation (FC). A total of 103 FC patients were divided into a study group (n=52) and a control group (n=51). The control group received oral polyethylene glycol with routine diet and exercise. The study group received additional five-tone therapy and acupoint application. Results showed that post-intervention, both groups exhibited improvements in defecation frequency, abdominal distension, and abdominal pain (p < 0.05). The study group demonstrated superior outcomes, showing significant improvements in Bristol Stool Scale (BSFS) classification and anal obstruction, and a markedly shorter time to first defecation compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Furthermore, all Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) and quality-of-life scores in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.001), indicating greater symptom relief and enhanced well-being. The intervention was found to be safe, with no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (p = 0.400). The study concludes that five-tone therapy combined with acupoint application based on the midnight-noon ebb-flow theory is an effective and safe intervention. It can significantly alleviate constipation symptoms and improve the quality of life for patients with FC.