Clinical Study on Combining Traditional Chinese Medicine With Acupuncture for Treating Insomnia Accompanied by Anxiety

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the clinical efficacy of combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with acupuncture in treating insomnia accompanied by anxiety. METHODS: Utilizing a simple sampling technique, 120 patients diagnosed with insomnia accompanied by anxiety from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024, were collected and divided into three groups according to enrollment sequence: the acupuncture and TCM group (treated with TCM combined with acupuncture), the TCM group (treated solely with TCM), and the control group (treated with conventional Western medicine), each comprising 40 patients. Indicators such as sleep quality, anxiety, and depression levels were collected for comparative analysis. RESULTS: Post-treatment, all three groups exhibited improvements in sleep quality, sleep onset time, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, daytime dysfunction, and overall scores compared with before treatment (p < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed among the three groups in these indicators post-treatment (p < 0.05). The different treatment methods similarly impacted the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores across the three groups (p > 0.05). Further analysis against baseline scores revealed that the HAMA and HAMD scores at 4 and 8 weeks post-treatment were lower than those at baseline (p < 0.05). A significant difference was found in the body constitution scores among the three groups post-treatment, with the scores ranking from highest to lowest as follows: control group > TCM group > acupuncture and TCM group. The effectiveness rates among the three groups did not significantly differ (p = 0.210). CONCLUSION: The efficacy of treating Qi stagnation type insomnia with a combination of TCM and acupuncture is validated, offering significant relief from clinical symptoms of insomnia and warranting its recommendation for widespread clinical use.