Research One
Acupuncture in the treatment of stroke is under much discussion and clinical research of late. There is an increase in interest in using acupuncture as a treatment modality for stroke (Ernst & White 1996), and the recent Consensus Development statement from a panel convened by the US National Institutes of Health to consider the evidence fro acupuncture (NIH 1997) finds ‘positive clinical reports’ for its use in this context. It would seem that the evidence to date suggests that acupuncture has a valuable role to play in helping stroke recovery.
The Stroke and Acupuncture: The evidence for the effectiveness
A patient receiving Acupuncture for stroke rehabilitation
Research Two
Post-stroke hand dysfunction treated with acupuncture at Zhongzhu (TE 3) and Waiguan (TE 5)
CONCLUSION:
Routine medicine and rehabilitation training combined with acupuncture at Zhongzhu (TE 3) and Waiguan (TE 5) to treat post-stroke hand dysfunction can obviously improve the hand dysfunction after stroke, enhance the abilities of walking and daily living, and increase the curative effect.
Post-stroke hand dysfunction treated with acupuncture at Zhongzhu (TE 3) and Waiguan (TE 5)
Research Three
An effectiveness study comparing acupuncture, physiotherapy, and their combination in poststroke rehabilitation: a multicentered, randomized, controlled clinical trial.
CONCLUSION:
Acupuncture plus conventional care was similar in effectiveness to physiotherapy treatment plus conventional care for poststroke rehabilitation. The study found no synergistic effects for the combination of acupuncture and physiotherapy in addition to conventional care; that combination of treatments was no more effective than either treatment by itself. The effectiveness and lack of adverse events associated with acupuncture in this study suggest that it may represent an additional treatment option for stroke patients.
Dr. Tony Willcox has trained under famous Acupuncture Doctors with a specialty in Stroke Rehabilitation. Dr. Yang Jun from Anhui University and Dr. Shi Xue Min from Tianjin Univerity of Chinese Medicine.