Scalp
acupuncture therapy has been used to treat many conditions in China since 5 BC.
Scalp acupuncture needles are penetrated into the specific areas of the scalp
or lines on the scalp, and it differs significantly from classic acupuncture in
that it has its own theoretical basis and its acupoints are quite different
from traditional acupoints. Modern scalp acupuncture was established on the
base of traditional Chinese acupuncture, modern anatomy and physiology, by
integrating traditional Chinese needling methods with western medical knowledge
of representative areas of the cerebral cortex. This modern system of
acupuncture was developed at a fast pace since 1970s, and scalp acupuncture
acupoints were standardized in 1991 when the World Health Organization
announced the International Standard Nomenclature for Scalp Acupuncture Points.
There
are three basic features of scalp acupuncture that differentiate it from body
acupuncture. Firstly, treatment zones (14 lines or zones) that have been mapped
onto the scalp are associated with body functions and broad body regions, and
are based on the ideas of different schools of scalp acupuncture. Secondly,
scalp acupuncture is characterized by inserting needle into a thin layer of
loose tissue beneath the scalp surface, at a low angle of about 15-30 degrees, with
an insertion distance of about 1 cum (approximately one inch for adult). Thirdly,
the needles in scalp acupuncture are subjected to rapid stimulation, which may
be performed a variety of ways including twirling, pulling/thrusting and
electro-stimulation.
Despite
its relatively short history, scalp acupuncture has been now used to treat a
wide range of conditions in many countries. Scalp acupuncture has been proven
effective for the treatment of brain-related conditions such as cerebrovascular
diseases and neurodegenerative disorders; but also for other conditions e.g.
tinnitus and attention deficit hyperactive disorder. In this review article, recent development of
scalp acupuncture application on some neurological disorders were summarized.
The
study found that scalp acupuncture provides an important
complementary/alternative treatment approach for improving symptoms of many
neurological disorders symptoms. By closely stimulating affected areas of the
central nervous system, scalp acupuncture has showed advanced and more
effective results compared to other acupuncture techniques. The studies also demonstrated
that scalp acupuncture treatment is safer, more effective, and caused fewer
side effects compared with conventional treatment such as medications in the
respective conditions.
Although
the studied cited above showed a certain effect of scalp acupuncture on stroke,
PD and MS, the quality of studies were variable. Because many of the studies
did not follow the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) 2010
checklist and the revised Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical
Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) guidelines. For example, there were no sham
acupuncture controls in majority studies. None of the included studies adopted
assessor blinding. STRICTA checklist
items i.e. "depth of insertion," "description of participating
acupuncturists" and “the optimal dosage for the scalp acupuncture
treatment” were not mentioned. So following CONSORT and STRICTA recommendation
are strongly recommended, and well-designed studies with rigorous methodologies
are required to confirm the effectiveness of scalp acupuncture for neurological
disorders.
Reference
BY
Zeng, Scalp acupuncture treatment for neurological disorders. The Journal of Chinese
Medicine and Acupuncture. 2018, Vol.25:1, 25-31. https://www.atcm.co.uk/news-events/atcm-journals
