Abstract
Background:
Acupuncture treatment of stroke has been widely accepted in China. However, due to the diversity of acupuncture treatment methods, there is no recognized simple and effective acupuncture method, which affects the wider application of acupuncture in the treatment of ischemic stroke. The Qihuang needle at a few acupoints without needle retention has a unique effect but lacks a randomized control trial on stroke published in PubMed.
Objective:
This study was to observe the efficacy of Qihuang needle therapy in treating limb dysfunction in ischemic stroke.
Methods:
From January 2023 to August 2024, 60 patients with limb dysfunction after the ischemic stroke were selected from Qingdao West Coast The Third Hospital and randomized into the two groups (control and intervention groups, i.e., standard care plus acupuncture), with 30 candidates in each group. The control group was routinely treated with neurological nursing and medication, and the Qihuang needle group as the intervention group with acupuncture at 3–4 acupoints from Jianqian (Extra), Shousanli (LI10), Daling (PC7), Chize (LU5), Xiyangguan (GB33), Feiyang (BL 58), and Weizhong (BL40), performed on the side of limb dysfunction, based on the status of the patient. After all treatments, the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and Barthel Index (BI) were compared between the two groups. Then, the 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0–2 was statistically analyzed.
Results:
After all the Qihuang needle treatments, NIHSS, and BI were significantly better than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The number of 90-day mRS of 0–2 of the Qihuang needle group was higher than that of the control group (60% vs. 45%, p < 0.01) without obvious adverse effects.
Conclusion:
The treatment of limb dysfunction in ischemic stroke patients by Qihuang needle therapy significantly improved limb function, increased BI, and decreased NIHSS. Better functional recovery at 90 days was higher than that of the control group.
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