Objective To verify the therapeutic effect of abdominal acupuncture combined with scarring moxibustion at Qìhǎi(气海 CV 6) on periarthritis of shoulder.Methods Thirty cases of periarthritis of shoulder were randomly divided into an acup-moxibustion group and an acupuncture group,15 cases in each group.The patients in the two groups were treated with abdominal acupuncture at Zhōngwǎn(中脘 CV 12),Xiàwǎn(下脘 CV 10),Shāngqǔ(商曲 KI 17),Huáròumén(滑肉门 ST 24),with scarring moxibustion at Qìhǎi(气海 CV 6) added in the acup-moxibustion group,5 treatments each week,altogether 15 treatments.The therapeutic effects were assessed on the 20th day of acupuncture.Results The effective rate was 93.3%(14/15) in both the acup-moxibustion group and the acupuncture group,and the cured and markedly effective rate in the acup-moxibustion group and the acupuncture group was 86.7%(13/15) and 53.3%(8/15),respectively,the acup-moxibustion group being better than that in the acupuncture group(P〈0.01);after treatment the cumulative score of pain and the cumulative score of shoulder joint active function were significantly increased in the two groups(all P〈0.05),with more significantly increased in the acup-moxibustion group(both P〈0.05).Conclusion The therapeutic effect of abdominal acupuncture combined with scarring moxibustion on periarthritis of shoulder is better than that of the simple abdominal acupuncture.