Systematic Review of Acupuncture for Treatment of Post-stroke Shoulder Pain

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy on post-stroke shoulder pain.Methods The review assessed the methodological quality of all eligible randomized or quasi-randomized trials of acupuncture for the treatment of post-stroke shoulder pain that identified by computerized and hand searches of the literature.The data was analysed by Review Manager software program.Results The evidence from randomised controlled trials so far confirmed that acupuncture therapy was effective in treating shoulder pain after stroke and benefited for limb motor recovery.But the quality of involved literature was low.Conclusion Acupuncture is effective in treating post-stroke shoulder pain,but the possibity of selectionbias and measurement bias reduced the reliability of conclusion.