Clinical efficacy of soft-shelled turtle shell and salt moxibustion in improving kidney yang deficiency-type Laolin in middle-aged and elderly women

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Soft-Shelled Turtle Shell and Salt Moxibustion in treating kidney yang deficiency-type Laolin in middle-aged and elderly women and assessing treatment impact on quality of life. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 72 middle-aged and elderly female patients with kidney yang deficiency-type Laolin treated at Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine between June 2023 and April 2024 (research group). Patients with the same condition who received only basic treatment and care served as the control group. The research group received Soft-Shelled Turtle Shell and Salt Moxibustion in addition to the control treatment. Outcomes including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores, clinical efficacy, immunoglobulin M (IgM), immunoglobulin G (IgG), routine urine white blood cell count, urine bacterial counts, quality of life scores, and complication rates were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The research group demonstrated significantly greater improvement in TCM syndrome scores, clinical efficacy, and urine bacterial counts compared to the control group (all P<0.05). Post-treatment IgM and IgG levels were also significantly higher in the research group (both P<0.05). Additionally, the research group exhibited a more pronounced reduction in urine white blood cell counts and achieved significantly higher quality of life scores (both P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the research group was lower than that in the control group (P<0.05). Patient satisfaction with care was notably higher in the research group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Soft-Shelled Turtle Shell and Salt Moxibustion is highly effective in treating middle-aged and elderly female patients with kidney yang deficiency-type Laolin. It significantly improves TCM syndrome scores, immunoglobulin levels, urine bacterial counts, and routine urine white blood cell counts while enhancing patients' quality of life. The therapy is safe, with minimal and self-limiting adverse reactions, primarily mild skin irritation.