Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of three-meridian needling in rows at occiput in the treatment of multiple system atrophy-cerebellar type（ MSA-C）. Methods Thirty cases of MSA-C patients were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group

with 15 cases in each group. The treatment group was given three-meridian needling in rows at occiput; the control group was given routine acupuncture. Both the two groups were treated 3 times a week for 4 weeks. The effect was evaluated with Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale（ UMSARS）

International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale（ ICARS） and Berg Balance Scale（ BBS） before and after treatment

and the adverse reaction was observed. Results The scores of UMSARS-Ⅰ

UMSARS-Ⅱ and ICARS in two groups were all significantly decreased after treatment compared with those before treatment（ P <0. 01）. The score of BBS in two groups was significantly increased after treatment compared with those before treatment（ P < 0. 01）

and that in treatment group（ 39. 07 ± 6. 75） was increased more significantly（ P < 0. 05） than that in control group（ 34. 00 ± 5. 66）. No obvious adverse reactions occurred in both two groups. Conclusion Three-meridian needling in rows at occiput seems to have definite clinical effect and good safety in the treatment of MSA-C

and the effect seems better than routine acupuncture in recovery of motion balance function.