ABSTRACT
ObjectiveTo evaluate the long-term therapeutic efficacy of muscle-region alignment needling plus dermalneedle therapy in treating post-stroke upper-limb spasticity.MethodTotally 488 patients with post-stroke upper-limb spasticity were randomized into a treatment group and a control group, 244 in each group. Besides theessentialrehabilitation treatment, the treatment group was intervened by muscle-region alignment needling plus dermal needle therapy, while the control group was given regular Western medication.Thetwo groups were intervened for 3 weeks and were followed up for 6 months. The neurologic function, Functional Comprehensive Assessment (FCA), and Stroke Speciality-Quality of Life (SS-QOL) were observed for the follow-up study.ResultThe total effective rate was 93.4% in the treatment group versus 61.5% in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05); the neurologic function, FCA score, and SS-QOL score in the treatment group were significantly superior to that in the control group at the end of the follow-up study (P<0.05).ConclusionMuscle-region alignment needling plus dermal needle therapycan produce a content long-term therapeutic efficacy in treating post-stroke upper-limb spasticity.