Acupuncture has been used for 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 special needles, which are injected into targeted areas of the body to relieve symptoms and ailments. Some of the consequences of stroke may indeed be improved with acupuncture.
Strokes can cause severe side effects so sufferers often seek every possible option to maximize neural recovery. Acupuncture is one of the alternative treatment methods that most stroke sufferers try.
If you choose to try acupuncture for the treatment of your stroke symptoms, be sure to tell your doctor. Get referrals and make sure that your acupuncturist is certified and experienced.
What are the benefits that can be obtained from stroke treatment with acupuncture?
1. Overcoming the problem of difficulty swallowing
After a stroke, difficulty swallowing can be a problem and can even lead to choking, which can be dangerous. So far, rehabilitation and physical therapy for swallowing muscle problems caused by stroke have not been entirely effective. However, a study was conducted, involving 120 stroke patients with swallowing problems, and then comparing patients who received swallowing therapy and patients who received swallowing training as well as acupuncture.
The group that underwent swallowing therapy along with acupuncture scored significantly better than the group that only received therapy without acupuncture. No side effects were noted in the acupuncture group.
This means if you have swallowing problems that don't go away 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 with conventional treatment or sham acupuncture (acupuncture that was intentionally injected in the wrong place for research purposes) significantly reduced post-stroke spasticity, especially in the wrists, knees and elbows.
3. Helps post-stroke healing
An article published in March 2015 in the Journal of Acupuncture Medicine evaluated the effects of acupuncture on stroke recovery. The authors of the article concluded that overall, acupuncture appears to be beneficial. However, because not all trials were of the same quality, they were not convinced that acupuncture was beneficial for stroke survivors. So far, there is no evidence that acupuncture helps prevent stroke or helps reduce the area of ​​damage from an ischemic stroke in the brain. However, several high-quality trials evaluating the specific effects of acupuncture on swallowing ability and post-stroke spasticity look promising.