Objective To observe the efficacy difference of renal colic treated with electroacupuncture in comparison with intramuscular injection with Fortanodyn. Methods Fifty-one patients with renal colic were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture group （26 cases） and a medicine group （25 cases）. In the electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture was applied to the Xi-cleft points of kidney and bladder meridians, named Shuǐquán （水泉 KI 5） and Jīnmén （金门 BL 63） as well as the relevant Front-mu points, Jīngmén （京门 GB 25） and Zhōngjí （中极 CV 3）. In the medicine group, intramuscular injection with Fortanodyn （100 mg） was administered. Once treatment was applied for immediate analgesia in each group. Before and after treatment, the Simplified McGill Pain Questionnaire （SF-MPQ） and the Visual Analogy Scale （VAS） were adopted for pain assessment respectively. The clinical efficacy and the recurrence of the disease were observed in the two groups. Results The clinically cured and remarkably effective rate was 69.2% （18/26） in the electroacupuncture group, which was superior to 44.0% （11/25） in the medicine group （P0.05）. Separately, in 10 min, 30 min, 60 min and 120 min after treatment, in either group, SF-MPQ and VAS scores were obviously reduced as compared with those before treatment （all P0.05）. The scores in 10 min and 30 min after treatment in the electroacupuncture group were reduced more remarkably as compared with those in the medicine group （both P0.05）. The complete remission time in the electroacupuncture group was shorter apparently than that in the medicine group [（131.19±152.12） min vs （184.29±84.04） min, P0.05]. The recurrence rate of renal colic in 24 h was 8.0% （2/25） in the electroacupuncture group, which was lower slightly than 31.6% （6/19） in the medicine group （P0.05）. Conclusion Renal colic can be effectively relieved in the treatment with either electroacupuncture at the Xi-cleft points and the Front-
