Objective To search for effective methods of acupuncture therapy in treating chronic diarrhea. Methods Treatments were carried out on 52 patients with chronic diarrhea by using the left ascending and right descending method. Three acupoints at the left side, namely Xiàng （陷谷 ST 43）, Zúsānl （足三 里 ST 36） and Qūchí （曲池 LI 11）, and Lièqūe （列缺 LU 7） at the right side were selected, moxibustion was also carried out according to syndrome differentiation. The operation of left ascending and right descending method were firstly left and then right, first down and then up, firstly four limbs and then abdomen; the thumb moved backward and the index finger moved forward during needle twisting for the acupoints at the left side, and it was on the contrary for the right side. The needles were retained for 1 h for deficiency, and the pinholes were pressed when the needles were withdrawn; the needles were retained for 0.5 h for excess syndrome and newly-contracted disease, and the pinholes were enlarged by shaking the needles when they were withdrawn. Except that the needling was carried out twice a day for the patients with desertion following chronic diarrhea, the needling was carried out once a day, five days as a treatment course, the patients were given an interval for two days after every two treatment courses, and the therapeutic effect was observed after five treatment courses. Results totally 36 patients were cured, among which 11 patients were cured after one treatment course, 19 patients were cured after two to three treatment courses and 6 patients were cured after four to five treatment courses; eight patients were improved; six patients were not cured; the total effective rate was 88.0%. Conclusion the acupuncture with left ascending and right descending method has satisfactory therapeutic effect in treating chronic diarrhea.
