Acupuncture at pharyngeal acupoints for true bulbar paralysis after cerebral infarction: a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the clinical effect of acupuncture at the affected side and both sides of the pharyngeal acupoints for true bulbar paralysis after cerebral infarction.@*METHODS@#A total of 66 patients with true bulbar paralysis after cerebral infarction were randomly divided into an unilateral group and a bilateral group, 33 cases in each group, 1 case dropped off in each group at last. On the basis of conventional drugs and electro-nape-acupuncture treatment, the patients in the unilateral group were treated with acupuncture at the affected side's , and (Extra), while patients in the bilateral group were treated with acupuncture at the both sides' , and The treatment was performed once a day, 6 days a week, and the clinical effect was assessed after 21-day therapy. The swallowing and vocalization of the two groups were evaluated by dysphagia grading scale, Kubota water swallowing test and GRBAS grading scale before and after treatment.@*RESULTS@#After 21 days of treatment, the scores of the dysphagia grading scale in the two groups were both improved (<0.01), and the unilateral group was superior to the bilateral group (<0.01). The GRBAS grading scale and Kubota water swallowing test grading after treatment were improved in both groups (<0.01), and the unilateral group was superior to the bilateral group (<0.05, <0.01).@*CONCLUSION@#Acupuncture at the pharyngeal acupoints of the affected side achieves much better therapeutic effect on true bulbar paralysis as compared with the acupoints of the bilateral sides.