Her pulses were wiry and fine overall, with especially weak pulses in the cubit (chi) positions bilaterally. Diseases such as progressive muscular atrophy, poliomyelitis, and ALS are categorized as wei zheng () or wilting conditions in Chinese medicine. Since the patient's attitude was relatively more positive toward acupuncture therapy, we were able to perform stronger stimulation after inserting needles at the same locations as for the initial treatment. Patients who experience some or all of these sensations usually respond and improve more quickly. A local hospital diagnosed stroke caused by cerebral hemorrhage in his left hemisphere. Her pulses remained unchanged. Insert needles in the upper 1/5 Motor Area, Speech I Area, Foot Motor and Sensory Area, Chorea and Tremor Area, and Praxis Area and stimulate bilaterally. For electrical stimulation in body acupuncture, fewer than four needles should be stimulated in each limb. Although she was nervous when the doctor asked her to stand up, her family was thrilled to see her not only stand up with improved stability, but also start to walk a few steps. Symptoms of Bell's palsy usually appear suddenly and reach their peak within 48 hours. Barbara reported that she had not received further acupuncture treatment after the last two scalp acupuncture treatments because neither her insurance nor her own money could cover further sessions. Patients with some or all of these sensations usually respond and improve more quickly. Otherwise, patients may conclude that acupuncture made their symptoms worse. There are many different acupuncture techniques to treat paralysis. Based on Liu Fang-shi's report of research done in 1994, 48 cases of facial paralysis were treated by scalp acupuncture on the Motor Area. Third, manual manipulation is very difficult to learn and master without detailed description and demonstration. For additional effect, thread a long needle from Yang Ling Quan (GB 34) through to Yin Ling Quan (Sp 9) and from Kun Lun (Bl 60) through to Tai Xi (Ki 3). She couldn't believe it when we encouraged her to start walking. After the third treatment, the deviation and drooped corner of his mouth showed remarkable improvement, especially after more needles were inserted into his face, hands, and feet. Soon after that, both of her arms began to move and lift. These include weakness, paralysis or abnormal sensations in limbs or face, aphasia, apraxia, altered vision, problems with hearing, taste, or smell, vertigo, disequilibrium, altered coordination, difficulty swallowing, and mental and emotional changes. In a recent investigation, scalp acupuncture was applied to 16 patients with multiple sclerosis at our National Healthcare Center in Albuquerque, NM. The upper 1/5 region is used to treat contralateral dysfunctional movement of the lower extremity, trunk, spinal cord, and neck. Needles should be inserted in the upper 1/5 Motor Area and the middle 2/5 Motor Area on the unaffected side of the scalp for patients who develop paralysis from brain surgery. At his last visit, Fred said, Thank you very much for giving me back my normal life.. These cases demonstrate practical application of the principles of scalp acupuncture. Chinese medical pattern discrimination: Liver wind stirring internally, kidney qi deficiency, Primary area: Upper 1/5 Motor Area and Speech I Area, Secondary area: Foot Motor and Sensory Area, Chorea and Tremor Area, and Praxis Area. The practitioner has a wide amount of discretion on the use of points and techniques. She could stand on either leg alone and had to look down to check if it was true. It has been proven to have very effective results in treating aphasia, loss of balance, loss of hearing, dizziness and vertigo. Bethesda, MD 20894, Web Policies Use the fewest number of needles possible in the scalp and rotate the needles at least 200 times per minute with the thumb and index finger for 23 minutes, twirling as gently as possible so that the depressed patient can tolerate the sensation and repeating the stimulation every 10 minutes. Scalp acupuncture offers great rehabilitation tools for dysphagia. She had participated in running a race and did very well. The 60 cases were randomly divided into a five-needle-in-nape (FNN) group and a routine acupuncture (RA) group, 30 cases in each group. Tom was able to move his arm, hand, and even his fingers in any way or direction that he was asked by the audience. During treatment, some patients may have all or some of the following sensations: heat, cold, tingling, numbness, heaviness, distention, or the sensation of water or electricity moving in the affected side of the face. Acupuncture in the scalp is very safe when performed by a qualified professional. At the second treatment, Denise reported that the incontinence of urine had improved remarkably after the first treatment and the numbness, spasms, and weakness of both legs showed some improvement as well. Chinese medical pattern discrimination: Damp heat obstructing the channels and network vessels. She could hardly be understood when she said her home phone number. He refused to try drinking a little bit of water to test his swallowing function and said he was afraid that it could induce severe coughing and choking and cause aspiration. The pulse reading showed lack of force in the inch (cun) and bar (guan) positions, with faint pulses in the cubit (chi) position. Her initial symptoms were an onset of numbness in the right arm followed by subsequent numbness descending down both her legs. Monoplegia is impairment in the motor function of only one limb. I can walk solidly from heel to toe and walk backwards with no difficulty.. When treating stroke from thrombosis or embolism, scalp acupuncture treatment should begin as soon as feasible. Based on the results, scalp acupuncture is indicated for the treatment of essential tremor. After only one treatment per patient, eight of the 16 patients instantly showed significant improvement, six patients showed some improvement, and only two patients showed no improvement, thus yielding a total effective rate of 87%. A few minutes later he was able to move his paralyzed arm and hand, amazed as he raised it over his head. However, those who don't have such sensations could still have immediate effects. She returned for the second treatment a day later, having had traveled across the country for these treatments. His fatigue was so great he could only walk 23 minutes at a time. We put two needles in the Foot Motor and Sensory Area and two needles in the Reproductive Area. Signs and symptoms of Bell's palsy may include sudden onset of weakness or paralysis on one side of the face making it difficult to smile or close the eye on the affected side, and deviation and droop of the corner of the mouth making facial expressions difficult. When treating a hemorrhagic stroke, however, scalp acupuncture should not be performed until the patient's condition is stable, probably one month after a stroke. With such little information available, it has been almost impossible to apply this technique widely and with confidence. Repeat the stimulation every 10 minutes. Results showed seven cases fully recovered, 13 cases markedly improved, eight cases some improvement and two cases failure in FNN group. She felt so excited about these improvements that she began to cry. Third, scalp acupuncture consists of needling areas rather than points on the skull according to the brain's neuro-anatomy and neurophysiology. Although acupuncture and moxibustion have been used to prevent and treat disease in China for thousands of years, scalp acupuncture is a modern technique with a short history. a Editor's note: The references in this article have been renumbered for continuity. Sherry reported without her mother's help that her body was less stiff and that she could walk and move better. Denise had a very positive response to her initial scalp acupuncture treatment. She could pick up pennies on a table with either hand during the treatment. Quadriplegia, also known as tetraplegia, is paralysis with partial or total loss of use of all limbs and the torso. Further examination showed that he could not stand with stability due to losing his balance when standing on both legs, and it was impossible for him to stand on one leg. Below the level of injury on the neck there was minimal contraction and movement of arm muscles, which indicated that the muscular tone of her arm was a 2 out of 5. Her walking also showed some improvement as she was able to lift her right leg more easily. Treatment is given two to three times per week and a therapeutic course consists of 10 treatments. To her surprise he reminded her what time he had the acupuncture appointment that day. Second, because the technological innovation and invention of scalp acupuncture is fairly new, positive results can only reasonably be achieved by practitioners who have studied it; even an established doctor in China cannot perform it without at least seeing a demonstration of it. Hand or foot paralysis is relatively difficult to recover and often requires a longer process, especially for a contracted hand and foot. After demonstrating two needles in his scalp, we moved Tom to another room to rest, inserted more needles, and then continued with the lecture. Acupuncture, a therapeutic technique of Oriental Medicine, can be traced back more than 2500 years. The types of paralysis are classified by region. Only two of the scalp needles should be stimulated at any one session, or the brain can become too confused to respond. Scalp acupuncture, discovered by Dr. Jiao Shunfa in 1971, is a modern acupuncture technique combining traditional needling methods with Western medical knowledge of representative areas of the cerebral cortex, including anatomy, physiology, pathology and neurology. The results were 25 cases fully recovered (52%), 18 cases markedly improved (38%), and 5 cases failed to improve at all (10%), yielding a total effective rate of 90%. Its effects can range from relatively benign in most cases, to somewhat disabling, to devastating for some people. It is useful to pair the testing of each muscle group immediately with the testing of its contra-lateral counterpart to enhance detection of any asymmetries and record detailed information of any changes. Diplegia affects the same body region on both sides of the body (both arms, for example). Unsure how to proceed, we considered simply demonstrating the location and technique of scalp acupuncture on this patient and not immediately showing the results to the students. She also had more energy and started to do some housework again. He could move his right arm slightly with muscular tone at 2 out of 5. Because each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body, a stroke affecting one side of the brain results in neurological symptoms on the other side of the body. Secondary symptoms can be addressed after patients have significant improvements in their major complaints. Sherry, a 38-year-old female, came to our clinic in 2007. It likely occurs as a result of some combination of environmental and genetic factors. Her slurred speech sometimes even her mother could not understand. [4] Neurological Conditions Testimonials Readers may notice that the indications for treatment for each scalp area are many in order to demonstrate the variety of disorders that can benefit from scalp acupuncture therapy. Scalp acupuncture is a modern acupuncture technique combining traditional needling method with western medicine knowledge of representative areas of the cerebral cortex. The severity of quadriplegia depends on both the level at which the spinal cord is injured and the extent of the injury. The ear points Heart, Liver, and Shen Men along with the Head Area and Chest Area on the scalp were needled. With the aid of the special Japanese neck diagnostics, the associated Ypsilon therapy points in the temples or the corresponding cranial nerve points are revealed via pressure-sensitive points in the neck region. At the time, scalp acupuncture was primarily used to treat paralysis and aphasia due to stroke. It is accompanied by special manipulations to regulate and harmonize the functional activities of the brain and body, as well as to restore and strengthen the functions of the body, organs, and tissues. Treating quadriplegia by acupuncture is very challenging. As stated above in Chapter Four, unless the paralysis is due to the removal of damaged tissue by brain surgery, a paralyzed extremity is generally treated by choosing the opposite side of the Motor Area on the scalp. Though shocked and stunned watching her walk up to greet him, her doctor was thrilled with her progress and hoped for more excellent results. Retain the needles for 2530 minutes. Imdur Oral Side Effects by Likelihood and Severity COMMON side effects If experienced, these tend to have a Severe expression i fainting If experienced, these tend to have a Less Severe. He did not like to perform speech, swallowing, and body exercises. Scalp acupuncture: chorea-tremor area The chorea-tremor area is one of the most commonly used scalp acupuncture areas for treating PD. Although there is no cure for stroke, most stroke patients now have a good chance for survival and recovery. This method is based on elementary functional neuroanatomy, and has nothing to do with traditional Chinese medicine. Though the scalp is uniquely innervated and highly vascularized there is no risk of heavy bleeding. It is suggested that no more than two of the scalp needles be stimulated at any session so the brain does not become too confused to respond. It is suggested that only one to two pairs of the scalp needles be stimulated at any one session or the brain can become too confused to respond. The most outstanding results are with paralysis and pain management in very difficult neurological disorders. The audience reported that he was taking much larger steps, was lifting up his legs rather than dragging them, and was turning around without hesitation. In addition to scalp acupuncture, the ear and body acupuncture were very helpful in the patient's progress and recovery. Recent studies have shown that scalp acupuncture could be a very effective form of pain relief for a variety of limb pains. Abboud H, Ahmed A, Fernandez HH. In very serious cases, patients may need feeding tubes. He systematically undertook the scientific exploration and charting of scalp correspondences starting in 1971. In addition to the paralysis on the right side, his tongue was purple with teeth marks and a thin, white coating. Such results warrant continued research into other possible uses for scalp acupuncture to alleviate human suffering. Scalp acupuncture, also known as head acupuncture, is a combined treatment based on traditional acupuncture and neurology. The .gov means its official. She called the Western medicine physician who had told her she would be paralyzed for the rest of her life and gave him the wonderful news. Damage at any level often interrupts the brain's ability to control muscle movements resulting in paralysis. Five cases fully recovered, eight cases markedly improved, 11 cases some improvement, and six cases failure in the RA group. However, those who don't have such sensations could still experience immediate and positive effects. Although she felt nervous and was assisted by two people, she stood up. To his astonishment he did not choke at all when he took a first sip of water. During the second treatment, Sherry experienced a hot sensation again, more so on the left side of the body. However, her right foot was still weak and was sometimes difficult to pick up and she had to drag it to walk. Studying its results in clinical practice can also add clarity to ambiguities found in the practice of neurophysiology and pathology. First, we were among an early group of people who studied these techniques and were very fortunate to have opportunities to learn it directly from famous scalp acupuncture specialists including Jiao Shun-fa, the brilliant founder of Chinese scalp acupuncture, Yu Zhi-shun, a well-known professor in scalp acupuncture development, and Sun Shentian, an outstanding professor in scalp acupuncture research. Scalp acupuncture is a micro-system acupuncture technique which stimulate the points or areas on the scalp to treating brain related diseases, neurological and psychological conditions, et al. Approximately 300,000 people in the US and 2.5 million people worldwide suffer from MS. He initially was totally paralyzed on the right side and had lost his speech. A few miracle cases are presented in this book, such as the woman who was completely cured of quadriplegia after only two scalp acupuncture treatments and a man who was cured of aphasia after just five. After resting for a while, she stood up again and started to walk, managing 20 halting steps before needing to sit down, exhausted. It is important to instruct patients to move their affected limbs actively and passively, if possible. After 48 treatments, Julia felt well enough to end treatment and start a new life in San Francisco where her son was living. The bleeding vessel can no longer carry the blood to its target tissue and interrupts the brain's blood supply. A therapeutic course consists of 10 treatments. Propranolol may cause fatigue, stuffy nose, or slow heartbeat, and it may make asthma worse. Julia was also in much better control of urination, now holding her urine for six hours at night. Many patients also have reported that their bladder and bowel control, fatigue, and overall sense of well-being significantly improved after treatment. Common acupuncture points include He Gu (LI 4), Qu Chi (LI 11), Jian Yu (LI 15), and Wai Guan (TB 5) for upper limb paralysis and Yang Ling Quan (GB 34), Feng Shi (GB 31), Huan Tiao (GB 30) Zu San Li (St 36), and Kun Lun (Bl 60) for lower limb paralysis. Forty-five successful case histories are given from our clinical experience. After 39 treatments, she had gained back all movement of her hands and arms, was able to walk with a cane, and began living without the aid of personal assistants. As the above case study demonstrated, doctors should modify the treatment strategy and stimulate areas according to changes in a patient's condition. Eating was easier because she could swallow without choking and had less mucous in the throat. Primary lateral sclerosis is a rare motor neuron disease that resembles ALS but there is no evidence of the degeneration of spinal motor neurons or muscle wasting that occurs in ALS. Scalp acupuncture areas are frequently used in the rehabilitation of paralysis due to stroke, multiple sclerosis, automobile accident, and Parkinson's disease. The best results are usually achieved by applying low frequency (for example, 3 hertz) with high intensity (for instance, when visible muscle contraction is observed). Regular body acupuncture treatment has been found to have a positive therapeutic effect on the recovery of movement of hands, fingers, feet, and toes. Her walking was much more stable and she was able to lift both legs much higher. Dr. Jiao's discovery was investigated, acknowledged, and formally recognized by the acupuncture profession in a national acupuncture textbook, Acupuncture and Moxibustion, in 1977.5 Ten years later, at the First International Acupuncture and Moxibustion Conference held in Beijing, China, scalp acupuncture began to gain international recognition. Best results are achieved by applying low frequency (for example, 3 hertz) with high intensity (for instance, when visible muscle contraction is observed). Babies can be born with facial palsy and they exhibit many of the same symptoms as adults with Bell's palsy. Her tongue was purple with a thin white coating. The Chorea and Tremor Area should be chosen if the patient has tremor or limb spasms. After only one treatment per patient, three of the seven veterans instantly felt no further phantom pain, three others reported having very little pain, and only one patient showed no improvement. In some patients it is a mild disease but it can lead to permanent disability in others. The examination revealed she had paraparesis of the left lower extremity that was more affected than the right. Primidone, a drug used to treat seizures. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the An official website of the United States government. 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