A case of POEMS syndrome treated by acupuncture / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

[Object]Any reports on acupuncture for patients with POEMS syndrome, which almost manifests disturbance of peripheral nerve in all cases and is known as a very rare disease together with disturbance of multiple organs, are not yet found. The present paper is concerned with a case report that improvement of symptoms and progress of ADL were brought out by acupuncture. <BR>[Case]A sixty year-old man who was diagnosed as POEMS syndrome and received rehabilitation therapy after treatment with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation complained of difficulty in walking with numbness in the lower legs at rest time and with numbness and muscular tension in the same sections after walking. Therefore, acupuncture was practiced once or twice per week for the patient in order to raise the threshold of pain and to relax muscular tension in the lower extremities. <BR>[Results]After acupuncture, the patient could lengthen the walking distance, had reduced numbness in the soles and relaxation of muscular tension in the lower legs at rest time, and improved numbness after walking. <BR>[Discussion and Conclusion]Acupuncture for a patient with POEMS syndrome resulted in improved symptoms and progress of ADL without severe side effects. From the above results, acupuncture is considered to be a useful therapeutic method used together with present medical treatment.