Recovery after a stroke can be a complex and difficult process, depending on the extent of injury and resulting functional limitations. Post-stroke motor aphasia, or language dysfunction after stroke, is a common limitation that acupuncture appears to help alleviate, according to the latest research findings.
In a randomized clinical trial, 252 adult patients with post-stroke (ischemic stroke) motor aphasia were divided into two groups for comparison, with one group receiving 6 weeks of acupuncture treatment and the other group receiving up to 6 months of acupuncture treatment. A follow-up survey was conducted. The second group received sham acupuncture and served as a control group.
“Eligible patients must have an aphasia severity score of 0 to 3 according to the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) (grades range from 0 to 5, with higher grades indicating less severe language impairment). , defined as patients with aphasia duration of 15 years or more.
Exclusion criteria included “patients diagnosed with aphasia not caused by stroke, patients suffering from aphasia before the onset of stroke, and patients with serious illnesses (severe heart disease, renal dysfunction, liver dysfunction, dementia, Patients who were unable to complete the study due to mental illness) were included. diagnosed diseases), patients with hearing and visual impairments, and pregnant and lactating women.
The research results of the research team are JAMA network open, found that the group that received acupuncture “showed significant improvements in language function, quality of life, and neurological deficits compared to the group that received sham acupuncture.” These improvements were observed at 6 weeks of treatment and were maintained throughout the 6-month follow-up period.
reference
- Li B, Deng S, Zhuo B, et al. Effects of acupuncture and sham acupuncture on patients with poststroke motor aphasia: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Net Open, 2024;7(1):e235258. Full article: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2814117.
