Acupuncture stimulation at voice-related acupoint
significantly improved vocal function and healing of vocal folds lesion in
patients with dysphonia. Data from a clinical study was recently reported in
the Journal of Voice.
Dysphonia is a common condition and occurs around 6% of
the population and even higher in specific group such as teacher. Dysphonia is
caused by the vocal nodules, polyps and chronic laryngitis. Conventional
approaches include behavioural voice therapy and surgery. The former requires
extended period of treatment and the later is invasiveness which are not a
viable option for many patients. It is reported that around 10-20% of patients
with dysphonia did not respond to those treatment regime at all. Acupuncture
has been used to treat dysphonia in China for a long time.
Recently a group of multi-national researchers led by Dr.
EML Yiu in Hong Kong, China carried out
a randomized control clinical study to assess the efficacy of acupuncture
treatment on dysphonia. One-hundred thirty-two patients with dysphonia were
divided into genuine acupuncture group (n=40), sham acupuncture group (n=44)
and control group (n=39). In genuine group acupoints including Hegu, Leique,
Renying, Zhaohai on two sides and Lianquan were stimulated for 30 mins, twice a
week for 6 weeks. In sham group, blunted needles were touched on skin of those
acupoints mentioned in genuine group. Patients in control group did not receive
any treatment. Outcome measures included vocal function test, changes in vocal
folds pathologies and quality of life questionnaire.
At the end of treatment it was found that there was a
significant improvement in vocal function and quality of life in patients of
both genuine and sham treatment groups compared with control group. However,
significant improvement in vocal folds pathologies was only found in genuine
acupuncture group not in sham acupuncture group. There was no side effect
reported.
Authors suggested that acupuncture treatment produced a
significant improvement in vocal function and healing of vocal folds injury and
could be a very effective alternative treatment for patients with dysphonia.
Reference:
EML
Yiu et al., Is Acupuncture Efficacious for Treating Phonotraumatic Vocal
Pathologies? A Randomized Control Trial.
J Voice. 2015 Aug 19. pii: S0892-1997(15)00152-6. doi:
10.1016/j.jvoice.2015.07.004. http://www.jvoice.org/article/S0892-1997(15)00152-6/abstract
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