Application of acupuncture in the early rehabilitation for stroke patients

Objective:To observe the effect of acupuncture on motor function,ADL and QOL in hemiplegics after stroke,and to investigate the possibility of using the acupuncture in the early rehabilitation for stroke patients. Method:57 patients suffered from acute stroke,were randomly divided into two groups:acupuncture and rehabilitation group(29 cases),rehabilitation group(28 cases). The patients in rehabilitation group carried out physical therapy, the patients in the acupuncture and rehabilitation group added the acupuncture treatment. The score of CNS,FMA,MBI and incidence of complication were compared.Result:The patients in the acupuncture and rehabilitation group got better score of FMA and MBI than the rehabilitation group,but the difference of MBI was insignificant.Acupuncture combined with the early rehabilitation was more effective on cure the shoulder pain. But there was no significant difference on the incidence of myospasm, shoulder-hand syndrome and the drooped foot between the two groups.Conclusion:Acupuncture combined with the early rehabilitation may improve motor function and raise the ADL scores of patients after stroke.Meanwhile,this therapy may reduce the incidence of complication in various degrees.