Clinical Study Of Abdominal Acupuncture Combined With Scalp Acupuncture On Post-stroke Spasticity

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of abdominal acupuncture combined with scalp acupuncture on high muscular tension,activity of daily living,and motor functions of upper and lower extremities in patients with post-stroke spasticity,explore safe,novel and effective methods for their recovery and offer rigorous and reliable clinical data.Methods: 92 patients with post-stroke spasticity were randomly divided into Group A(abdominal acupuncture + scalp acupuncture + routine acupuncture),Group B(abdominal acupuncture + routine acupuncture)and Group C(routine acupuncture).The patients in three groups received routine treatment,including basic therapy,routine rehabilitation therapy and routine acupuncture therapy respectively.The treatment time was once a day from Monday to Friday,5 times a week,and 10 times as course of treatment,with2 courses in total.The post-stroke spasticity state of three groups was evaluated by using the modified Ashworth scale(MAS)before the initial treatment,2 weeks after treatment and 4 weeks after treatment respectively,their activity of daily living was evaluated by the modified Barthel Index(MBI),and their motor functions of upper and lower extremities were evaluated by the upper extremity subscale of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA-UE)and the lower extremity subscale of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA-LE).The three groups were compared in terms of the changes in scale scores before and after treatment.Results:(1)Comparison of baseline data:The basic information(gender,age,course of disease,stroke type and affected side)of the three groups and their ratings and scores in all scales before treatment were compared.After statistical analysis,the results were all P>0.05,indicating that the data were well balanced and comparable.(2)Comparison of curative effects:(1)Intra-group comparison: the MAS scores of Groups A and B before treatment and 2 weeks after treatment were all P<0.01,and the MAS score in Group C was P>0.05.The MAS scores in three groups before treatment and 4 weeks after treatment were compared and the results were all P<0.01,suggesting that all of the three therapies can effectively alleviate muscular tension in patients with post-stroke spasticity.The MBI,FMA-UE and FMA-LE scores in all groups before treatment,2 weeks after treatment and 4 weeks after treatment were compared pairwise,and the results were all P<0.01,indicating that three therapies can effectively enhance the activity of daily living,and improve the motor functions of upper and lower extremities in patients with post-stroke spasticity.(2)Inter-group comparison: 2 weeks after treatment,there was no difference among three groups in MAS score;the MBI,FMA-UE and FMA-LE scores in Group A were all better than those in Group C(P<0.01).The FMA-LE score in Group B were better than that in Group C(P<0.05),and there were no other differences among three groups in pairwise comparison.4 weeks after treatment,the MAS score in Group A were better than that in Group C(P<0.01),the MAS score in Group B was better than those in Group C(P<0.05),and there was no difference between Group A and Group B(P>0.05).The FMA-UE,FMA-LE and MBI scores in Group A were better than those in Group C(P<0.01),the FMA-UE,FMA-LE and MBI scores in Group A were better than those in Group B(P<0.05),the FMA-UE and MBI scores in Group B were better than those in Group C(P<0.05),and the FMA-LE score in Group B was better than that in Group C(P<0.01).Conclusion: 1.Abdominal acupuncture combined with scalp acupuncture and routine acupuncture、 abdominal acupuncture and routine acupuncture 、routine acupuncture can lower the spasm degree of patients with post-stroke spasticity and improve their activity of daily living,and motor functions of upper and lower extremities.What’s more,abdominal acupuncture combined with scalp acupuncture and routine acupuncture is superior to abdominal acupuncture and routine acupuncture,and abdominal acupuncture and routine acupuncture is superior to routine acupuncture.2.Compared with the motor function of upper extremities,abdominal acupuncture has more advantages for the motor function of lower extremities in PSS patients.3.In the process of clinical observation and treatment,none of the patients exhibit adverse reactions,proving that the regimens of the above therapies are safe and suitable for popularization and application.