Clinical trial of acupuncture for patients with spinal cord injuries

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Happy New Year to all,

Phil

 

Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2003 Jan;82(1):21-7. Clinical trial of acupuncture for

patients with spinal cord injuries. Wong AM, Leong CP, Su TY, Yu SW, Tsai

WC, Chen CP. Wong AMK, Leong CP, Su TY, Yu SW, Tsai WC, Chen CPC:

Clinical trial of acupuncture for patients with spinal cord injuries. OBJECTIVE

To

examine whether electrical acupuncture therapy through adhesive surface

electrodes and concomitant auricular acupuncture therapy could improve the

neurologic or functional recovery in acute traumatic spinal cord injury

patients.DESIGN A total of 100 acute traumatic spinal cord injury patients with

American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment grading of A and B were

recruited into this study. They were randomly divided into the acupuncture and

control groups. In the acupuncture group, electrical acupuncture therapy via the

adhesive surface electrodes were applied to the bilateral Hou Hsi (SI3) and

Shen Mo (B62) acupoints. In auricular acupuncture, four acupoints related to

the spinal cord were selected for stimulation at the antihelix, helix, and lower

portion of the ear-back areas. Acupuncture therapy was initiated early in the

emergency room setting or soon after spinal surgical intervention.

Rehabilitation

therapy was also provided to the patients during acupuncture therapy. In the

control group, only rehabilitation therapy was provided to the patients.

Neurologic and functional scores were assessed during the time of admission,

hospital discharge, and 1-yr postinjury follow-up.RESULTS There were

significant improvements in neurologic (sensory and motor), functional, and FIM

trade mark scores in the acupuncture group compared with the initial admission

period when assessed during the time of hospital discharge and the 1-yr

postinjury follow-up. A greater percentage of patients in the acupuncture group

recovered to a higher ASIA impairment grading.CONCLUSION The use of

concomitant auricular and electrical acupuncture therapies, when implemented

early in acute spinal cord injury, can contribute to significant neurologic and

functional recoveries. PMID: 12510181 [PubMed - in process]

 

 

 

 

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