Effect of scalp acupuncture on neurological disorders – a review study

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