Contents:
- Medical Video: Acupuncture & Health : Acupuncture for Stroke Recovery
- What should I know before undergoing acupuncture?
- What benefits can be obtained from the treatment of stroke with acupuncture?
- 1. Overcoming the problem of difficulty swallowing
- 2. Overcoming muscle stiffness (spasticity)
- 3. Helps cure after stroke
Medical Video: Acupuncture & Health : Acupuncture for Stroke Recovery
Acupuncture has been used for around thousands of years as a healing method, but only recently has it been evaluated for medical conditions by the standards used in Western medicine. One of them is the role of acupuncture as a stroke treatment.
What should I know before undergoing acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a type of eastern medicine that uses a special needle, which is injected into the target area of the body to relieve symptoms and disease. Some consequences of stroke may indeed increase with acupuncture.
Stroke can cause severe side effects so that sufferers often look for every possible option to maximize nerve recovery. Acupuncture is one alternative treatment method that most stroke sufferers try.
If you choose to try acupuncture to treat your stroke symptoms, be sure to tell your doctor. Get references and make sure that your acupuncturist is certified and experienced.
What benefits can be obtained from the treatment of stroke with acupuncture?
1. Overcoming the problem of difficulty swallowing
Post-stroke, difficulty swallowing can be a problem and can even cause choking, which may be dangerous. So far, rehabilitation and physical therapy for muscle problems in swallowing caused by stroke are not fully effective. However, a study was conducted, involving 120 stroke patients with swallowing problems, and then comparing between patients who received swallow therapy and patients who received swallowing and acupuncture training.
The group that did swallow therapy coupled with acupuncture had a significantly better value than the group that only received therapy without acupuncture. No side effects were recorded in the group undergoing acupuncture.
This means that if you have trouble swallowing that doesn't heal after a stroke, acupuncture may be safe and an option that can help you.
2. Overcoming muscle stiffness (spasticity)
Spasticity is a type of muscle stiffness that occurs after a stroke. Several studies have evaluated the benefits of acupuncture for the treatment of post-stroke spasticity. Results published in the January 2015 issue of the journal showed that acupuncture compared to usual treatment or sham acupuncture (acupuncture intentionally injected in the wrong place for research purposes) significantly reduced post-stroke spasticity, especially in the wrist, knee and elbow.
3. Helps cure after stroke
An article published in March 2015 in the Journal of Acupuncture Treatment evaluated the effect of acupuncture on stroke recovery. The authors of the article concluded that overall, acupuncture seems to be beneficial. However, because not all experiments have the same quality, they are not sure that acupuncture is beneficial for stroke patients.
So far, there is no evidence that acupuncture helps prevent strokes or helps reduce the area of damage caused by ischemic stroke in the brain. However, several high-quality trials evaluating the special effects of acupuncture on swallowing ability and post-stroke spasticity appear promising.
