The Effect of Acupuncture Therapy on Headache and Post Cerebral Apoplexy Symptoms / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of acupuncture in treatment of neurosurgical diseases, especially intractable head ache or post cerebral apoplexy symptoms (i. e. paresthesia, stiffness, pain, etc.)<br>METHOD<br>230 outpatients of the neurosurgical section, whose headache or symptoms of cerebrovascular disease or injury had not been controlled with any analgesics, were divided into two groups. Electrical acupuncture was applied to Group I for 7 minutes once a week, and to Group II for 20 minutes twice a week. Moxa needle therapy was also undertaken for Group II. In order to determine the effect of acupuncture, the degree of relief in their symptoms was rated on a percentage basis (severity of pretreatment symptoms was rated as 100%). The duration of the effect and the influences of drugs were also examined.<br>RESULT<br>Migraine was relieved by about 50% in Group I, and by about 70% in Group II. The duration of the effect was longer in Group II. Headache from cerebrovascular disease was relieved by about 60% in both groups, without any difference between the groups or between underlying diseases. Paresthesia in the extremities, pain in the shoulder or extremities and stiffness was relieved by 30-50% in both groups.<br>DISCUSSION<br>Acupuncture is effective in relieving headache, especially of non-cerebrovascular origin. It seems that other migraine or paresthesia can be well relieved with longer and more frequent sessions of electro-acupuncture. It is noteworthy that paresthesia, peculiar to post cerebral apoplexy symptoms, can be ameliorated with the combined use of acupuncture and drugs.