This blog is to share the latest research and development of acupuncture and raise the awareness of alternative treatments for your conditions, and is for information only.

Sunday, 28 December 2014

Acupuncture improved symptoms of ataxia after stroke

Acupuncture techniques such as “3 acupoints regulating balance”, “3 acupoints regulating tremor” and “3 acupoints regulating movement” significantly improved symptoms of ataxia. A case report was published in the journal of Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion.

Ataxia is a term used to describe a group of neurological disorders. It usually results from damage to the cerebellum which plays an essential role of body’s co-ordination, and/or other parts of nervous system. The symptoms of ataxia include difficulties with walking, balance, speaking, vision and many more. Treatment is complicated and difficult depending on types of ataxia, such as hereditary ataxia, acquired ataxia etc. 

Recently doctors in China treated a 68-year old, male patient with 2-year history of ataxia after stroke. The patient had extreme difficulty in walking and needed two people to support him while standing or walking. He was treated by specific acupuncture techniques called “3 acupoints regulating balance” – 1.5 cun below the lower edge of occipital protuberance, “3 acupoints regulating tremor” – chorea-tremor control area and “3 acupoints regulating movement” – motor area; plus acupoints GB12, GB20, GV16, BL10 and C3-C6 Jiaji acupoints. Acupuncture stimulation on above acupoints for 30 min, once daily, 5 days a week.

One month after acupuncture, the patient’s condition such as walking and balance was improved. He could walk steadily up to 50 to 100 meters, supported by onlyone person. Two-month following acupuncture treatment, the patient could walk alone without any help and lived independently. One-year follow-up found the improvement was still maintained.

Reference:
Zhang SL.[Professor ZHANG Yu-Lian's experiences in treatment of post-stroke ataxia by regulating marrow sea acupuncture]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2014 Aug;34(8):807-9.   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25335266

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