Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese therapy for pain and many illnesses through the manipulation of needles into specific areas of the body known as acupoints. Although clinical evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture has not been fully established, acupuncture may be beneficial in the treatment of paralysis including hemiplegia, Bell's palsy, gastroparesis and peripheral nerve damage. Nonetheless, consult with a neurologist for treatment of nervous system disorders.
Hemiplegia
Hemiplegia is the inability to fully move limbs on one side of the body, as is often seen in stroke victims. A study in the July 2010 issue of "Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion" investigated the effects of acupuncture on hemiplegic patients in combination with conventional physical rehabilitation. Researchers recruited 90 stroke patients and divided them equally into three groups: one was treated with central axis acupuncture, which uses 28 acupoints along the midline of the back as well as the hands and feet, a second received conventional acupuncture treatment, mainly using acupoints in the hand and feet, and a third underwent physical therapy without acupuncture. Assessments were made after two and four weeks of therapy. The study found flexibility of the elbow and wrist improved significantly using central axis acupuncture compared to either conventional acupuncture or physical therapy alone.
Bell's Palsy
Bell's palsy is a temporary facial paralysis caused by dysfunction of the facial nerve that affects pregnant women more regularly than the general population. An article in the September 2010 issue of the "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine" reported a case of a 27-year-old woman who was 27 weeks pregnant at the onset of facial paralysis of an unknown cause. Her physicians treated her with acupuncture without medication or additional treatment for two weeks. During treatment, needles were inserted into two acupoints, GB14, located on the forehead above the center of the eyebrow, and ST4, located on the cheek, directly below the pupil. The authors reported that her symptoms disappeared after two weeks and her facial mobility was completely restored.
Gastroparesis
Gastroparesis is a condition characterized by the partial paralysis of the gastric muscles that prevents the complete emptying of stomach contents. An article in the June 2010 issue of "acupuncture in Medicine" described a diabetic hemodialysis patient suffering from gastroparesis who was treated with 16 sessions of acupuncture over eight weeks. The researchers reported a significant improvement in gastric emptying, where the time for a solid meal to descend into the intestine decreased from 135 to 93 minutes. The study concluded that acupuncture is an effective adjunct therapy for gastroparesis in diabetic hemodialysis patients.
Peripheral Nerve Damage
A study published in the June 2011 issue of "Acupuncture in Medicine" examined the effects of electroacupuncture, a novel method using electrical current with traditional acupuncture, in patients with peripheral nerve damage. Researchers recruited seven elderly patients: two with neurapraxia, a temporary failure of nerve conductivity, four with axonotmesis, a severe loss of nerve function, and one diagnosed with neurotmesis, where the nerve is severed. Acupuncture needles connected to an anode, a negatively charged electrode, were inserted into the nerve, while a needle attached to a cathode, a positively charged electrode, was inserted into the corresponding muscle tissue. The researchers documented complete recovery in the patients with neurapraxia and two with axonotmesis, while no improvement was seen in the patient with neuromesis. The study concluded that electroacupuncture may contribute to recovery of patients with peripheral nerve damage.
References
- "Acupuncture in Medicine"; Direct Current Electrical Stimulation of Acupuncture Needles for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration ... ; M. Inoue, et al.; June 2011
- "Acupuncture in Medicine"; Acupuncture for Symptomatic Relief of Gastroparesis in a Diabetic Haemodialysis Patient; K. Kim, et al.; June 2010
- "Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion"; Effects of Acupuncture on Different Acupoints in Combination with Rehabilitation on Hemiplegic Muscle Spasticity ... ; J. Lu, et al.; July 2010
- "Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine"; Acupuncture Benefits a Pregnant Patient Who has Bell's Palsy: A Case Study; H. Lei, et al.; September 2010
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