Acupoint injection combined with Vitalstim electrical stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia:a randomized controlled trial / 中国针灸

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint injection combined with Vitalstim electrical stimulation for post-stroke dysphagia.@*METHODS@#A total of 98 patients with dysphagia after first stroke were randomized into an acupoint injection group (35 cases, 2 cases dropped off), an electrical stimulation group (31 cases, 3 cases dropped off) and a combination group (32 cases, 3 cases dropped off). Injection of mecobalamin into Tunyan point, Vitalstim electrical stimulation and the combination of injection of mecobalamin into Tunyan point and Vitalstim electrical stimulation were applied respectively in the 3 groups, once a day, 10 times as one course, 2 courses were required. Before and after treatment, the tongue muscle thickness and video fluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) score were observed in the 3 groups.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the tongue muscle thickness was decreased (P<0.05), the VFSS scores were increased (P<0.05) compared with before treatment in the 3 groups, and the variation of tongue muscle thickness and VFSS score in the combination group was greater than the acupoint injection group and the electrical stimulation group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Both acupoint injection of mecobalamin and Vitalstim electrical stimulation have therapeutic effect on dysphagia after stroke, and the two have synergistic effect.