The Efficacy of Electro-Acupuncture Added to Standard Therapy in the Management of Bell Palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the comparative efficacy of electro-acupuncture when added to standard therapy in patients with Bell palsy in terms of clinical and neurophysiologic outcomes. METHODS: A total of 88 patients with Bell palsy who received standard treatment (ST group; n = 40, mean ± standard deviation age: 39.2 ±â€Š6.6 years, 60.0% were males) or standard treatment plus electro-acupuncture (ST-EA group; n = 48, mean ±â€Šstandard deviation age: 39.5 ±â€Š6.9 years, 58.3% were males) were included. Data on patient demographics, symptoms, comorbidities, and 3-month outcomes on treatment response assessed via House-Brackmann grading system and facial nerve recovery profile and electromyography were recorded. RESULTS: Application of ST-EA versus ST was associated with a significantly higher rate of normal nerve function on 12th week electromyography (66.7% versus 25.0%, P = 0.020), higher frequency of patients with House-Brackmann grade ≤2 in the 3rd week (79.2% versus 45.0%, P = 0.029), 6th week (87.5% versus 45.0%, P = 0.004), and 12th week (95.8% versus 50.0%, P = 0.001), and those with facial nerve recovery profile scores ≥8 in the 6th week (83.3% versus 45.0%, P = 0.011) and 12th week (87.5% versus 50.0%, P = 0.009) of treatment. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our findings in patients with Bell palsy revealed superiority of electro-acupuncture added to standard therapy over standard therapy alone in terms of improvement of nerve dysfunction, decrease in paralysis severity, and better functional recovery. This seems to indicate the likelihood of electro-acupuncture to be a safe and promising adjunct in the achievement of more satisfactory clinical outcomes in the management of Bell palsy when used in combination with standard medical and physiotherapy.

Curcumin enhances cisplatin-induced human laryngeal squamous cancer cell death through activation of TRPM2 channel and mitochondrial oxidative stress.

In this study, laryngeal tumor cells were killed through the production of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Ca2+ influx by cisplatin (CISP). Nevertheless, a resistance was determined against CISP treatment in the tumor cells. We have investigated the stimulating role of curcumin (CURC) on CISP-induced human laryngeal squamous cancer (Hep2) cell death through TRPM2 channel activation, and its protective role against the adverse effects of CISP in normal kidney (MPK) cells. Hep2 and MPK cells were divided into four groups as control group, CURC group (10µM for 24 hrs), CISP group (25 µM for 24 hrs), and CURC + CISP combination group. CISP-induced decrease of cell viability, cell count, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione level in Hep2 cells were further increased by CURC treatment, but the CISP-induced normal MPK cell death was reduced by the treatment. CISP-induced increase of apoptosis, Ca2+ fluorescence intensity, TRPM2 expression and current densities through the increase of lipid peroxidation, intracellular and mitochondrial oxidative stress were stimulated by CURC treatment. In conclusion, CISP-induced increases in mitochondrial ROS and cell death levels in Hep2 cells were further enhanced through the increase of TRPM2 activation with the effect of CURC treatment. CISP-induced drug resistance in Hep2 cells might be reduced by CURC treatment.

Comparison of the Efficacies of Dry Needling and Botox Methods in the Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome Affecting the Temporomandibular Joint.

BACKGROUND: To compare the efficacies of botulinum toxin-A injection and dry needling methods in the treatment of patients with myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). METHODS: In this prospective study, 40 MPS patients (29 women, 11 men) were randomly assigned to abobotulinum toxin-A injection (Group 1, n = 20) or dry needling (Group 2, n = 20) groups. Pain, crepitation, functional limitation, maximum mouth opening, jaw strength were evaluated at baseline and 6 weeks, and the results in both groups were compared. RESULTS: The average age of the authors' patients was 33.8±8.1. There was a remarkable difference between 2 groups regarding visual analog scale for TMJ pain at rest (P = 0.048). The pain at rest was relieved more effectively in Group 2 at the end of 6 weeks. Improvement in jaw protrusion angles on the right (P = 0.009) and left (P = 0.002) sides was more evident in Group 2 after 6 weeks. There were significant pain relief and functional improvement after treatment in both groups. In Group 2, recovery of the TMJ function was more obvious in 6 weeks following dry needling (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The authors suggest that abobotulinum toxin-A injection and dry needling yield satisfactory therapeutic outcomes regarding pain relief and restoration of function in patients with MPS involving TMJ. Further multicentric, randomized, controlled trials on larger series are warranted to obtain more accurate and reliable information.

Clinical and Radiological Comparison of Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma, Hyaluronic Acid, and Corticosteroid Injections on Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis.

There are few studies in the literature that comparatively evaluate the use of intra-articular orticosteroids (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA), and platelet-rich plasma (PRP). In this study, the authors aimed to compare the clinical results of intra-articular CS, HA, and PRP injections in patients who presented to the authors' clinic with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and clinically diagnosed with TMJ-osteoarthritis. Patients were evaluated in 2 groups as those patients who felt pain on lateral (n = 31), and posterior (n = 43) palpation. Patients who were evaluated in the study were randomly assigned to 3 different treatment groups as Group 1 (PRP), Group 2 (HA), and Group 3 (CS). Pain felt on the TMJ on lateral and posterior palpation was assessed before treatment and every month for 3 months using a 5-point pain scale. Presence of crepitation, loss of function, and loss of strength were assessed before treatment and every month for 3 months. Significant changes were observed in the PRP and HA groups when the patients were evaluated according to the VAS scores evaluated at different follow-up times for TMJ pain on lateral palpation. Significant changes were observed in the PRP, HA, and CS groups when VAS scores were evaluated according to the patients' follow-up times for TMJ pain on lateral palpation. In conclusion, the findings of this study have shown that intra-articular PRP injections decreased TMJ palpation pain more effectively compared with the HA and CS groups.