Therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with rehabilitation training on dysphagia in post-stroke pseudobulbar palsy / 中国针灸

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the therapeutic effects on dysphagia in post-stroke pseudobulbar palsy between the combined treatment with acupuncture and rehabilitation training and the combined treatment with low-frequency electrical therapy and rehabilitation training and to explore its more effective therapy, using the ultrasonographic examination.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 60 patients of dysphagia in post-stroke pseudobulbar palsy were randomly assigned into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. The rehabilitation treatment was provided in the two groups. Additionally, in the observation group, acupuncture was used at the three-tongue points [Shanglianquan (Extra), located in the depression between the lingual bone and the border of lower jaw, 1 inferior to the midline of the jaw; and the other two points, located at 0.8 bilateral to Shanglianquan (Extra)], bilateral Fengchi (GB 20) and Fengfu (GV 16). After arrival of , the last two tongue-points were stimulated with electricity, with disperse-dense wave, periodically at 2 Hz, 10 Hz and 100 Hz, at the interval of 3 s, lasting for 30 min. Bilateral Fengchi (GB 20) was stimulated with electricity, with disperse-dense wave and the same frequency as above, lasting for 30 min. In the control group, the low-frequency electrical stimulation was adopted. The electrodes were placed on the bilateral sides of the midline of the throat, 30 min each time. The treatment was for 1 month in the two groups, once a day. The scores of the standardized swallowing assessment (SSA) and the videofluoroscopy swallowing study (VFSS) were observed and the reducing rate of the hyoid-thyroid cartilage distance was determined with ultrasound quantitative measure.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, SSA scores of the two groups were all lower than those before treatment and VFSS scores were higher than those before treatment (all <0.05). The above scores in the observation group were better than those in the control group (both <0.05). The reducing rates of the hyoid-thyroid cartilage distance were higher than those before treatment in the two groups (both <0.05). The result in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The treatments with acupuncture and rehabilitation training or with the low-frequency electrical therapy and rehabilitation obtain the effects on dysphagia in post-stroke pseudobulbar palsy in the patients. The effects of the combined treatment with acupuncture and rehabilitation training are better. The ultrasonographic technology effectively and quantitatively analyzes the changes in the glossopharyngeal complex in the patients of dysphagia.</p>

Effect of Scalp Acupuncture Combined with Traditional Body Acupuncture on Pseudobulbar Palsy Induced by Stroke / 中国康复理论与实践

@#ObjectiveTo observe clinical therapeutic effect of scalp acupuncture combined with traditional body acupuncture on pseudobulbar palsy induced by ischemic or hemorrhagic apoplexy.Methods59 inpatients with pseudobulbar palsy induced by stroke were divided into the scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture group (n=40) and body acupuncture group (n=19). Cases of the scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture group were treated by scalp acupuncture combined with traditional body acupuncture. Cases of the body acupuncture group were treated only by traditional body acupuncture. Therapeutic effect of two groups was assessed according to patients' consciousness, language and limb functions.ResultsIn the scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture group, 30 cases were cured and 9 were remarkably effective, with a total effective rate of 97.5%. While in the body acupuncture group, 9 cases were cured, and 7 were remarkably effective, with a total effective rate of 84.2%. There was a significant difference between two groups in clinical cure rate (P<0.05), but no difference in total effective rate ( P>0.05).ConclusionScalp acupuncture combined with traditional body acupuncture can obviously improve the consciousness, language and limb functions and pseudobulbar palsy of stroke patients and obtain a better effect compared with traditional body acupuncture.