OBJECTIVE@#To observe the clinical effect of cluster
acupuncture at
scalp points in treating
limb spasm after
stroke on the basis of conventional
exercise therapy.@*
METHODS@#A total of 72
patients with
limb spasm after
stroke were randomly divided into an
observation group (36 cases, 5 cases dropped off) and a
control group (36 cases, 6 cases dropped off). The
control group was treated with
exercise therapy. In the
observation group, on the basis of the
control group, penetrating
technique of
acupuncture was exerted at Qianding (GV 21) to Baihui (GV 20), Xinhui (GV 22) to Qianding (GV 21), etc. once a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks. Before and
after treatment, the changes of the modified Ashworth scale (MAS), simplified Fugl-Meyer motor assessment (FMA), and modified Barthel index (MBI) scores of the two groups were compared.@*RESULTS@#
After treatment, the MAS scores of upper and
lower limbs in the two groups were lower than before
treatment (P<0.05), and those in the
observation group were lower than the
control group (P<0.05).
After treatment, the scores of FMA and BMI in the two groups were higher than before
treatment (P<0.05), and the score of MBI in the
observation group was higher than the
control group (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#On the basis of conventional
exercise therapy, cluster
acupuncture at
scalp points can reduce the
spasm, improve motor function and
activities of daily living in
patients with
limb spasm after
stroke.