Objective To observe the clinical effect and safety of grain-moxibustion combined with acupuncture for treating middle aged patients with postherpetic neuralgia（ PHN）. Methods Eighty middle aged PHN patients were randomized into an observation group and a control group with 40 cases in each group. Both groups were treated by routine acupuncture

paravertebral points electroacupuncture

and Ashi points surround needling. Observation group was added with grain-moxibustion. Both groups were treated once every day

five days for one course with twoday break between courses

for totally 4 courses. Patients’ pain and anxiety symptoms were evaluated adopting Visual Analogue Score（ VAS） and Hamilton Anxiety Scale（ HAMA）. Percentage of patients’ pain relief was calculated and the clinical effect was evaluated before treatment and after treatment for 5

10

15

or 20 times. The side effect in both groups during treatment was recorded. The recovered patients were followed up in 3 months after the last treatment course to see if pain recurrence. Results The total clinical effect rate was 94. 74% in observation group

and92. 11% in control group with no statistically significant difference between the two groups（ P>0. 05）. After being treated for 5

10

15

and 20 times

scores of VAS and HAMA

and pain relief percentage in the observation group improved obviously compared with those at earlier time points（ P<0. 05）. Scores of VAS and pain relief percentage in observation group were superior to those in control group at each time point after treatment（ P<0. 05）. Scores of HAMA in observation group were superior to those in control group after treatment for 5 and 10 times. There was no side effect in both groups during treatment. There was no pain recurrence among cured patients in 3 months follow-up.Conclusion Grain-moxibustion combined with acupuncture is effective and safe in improving PHN patients’ symptoms. The long-term effect is stable.