Stroke is a frequently-occurring common disease among the senior people. It is characteristic of high incidence, high mortality, high disability rate and high recurrence rate with multiple complications. In recent years, with the progress in diagnosis and treatment, the stroke mortality rate has been reduced. However, the high disability rate still remains. Around 80% of the survivals from stroke have various dysfunctional problems, i.e. complications from the stroke, which caused heavy burdens and deep concerns for the patients’ families and the society. Therefore, reducing the disability occurrence rate and speeding up the recovery becomes an urgent issue in the treatment of stroke.
In modern medicine, the major symptoms of stroke complications include paralysis, aphasia, crooked mouth and eyes, difficulty in swallowing, retarded thinking ability, difficulty in thought association, hypomnesia, agitation and depression, etc. individuals with hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, smoking, excessive drinking, unusual blood fats, obesity, and individuals with family stroke histories are more susceptible to stroke.
Many stroke patients have a pessimistic hopeless attitude. They can hardly accept the fact that they have become paralytic all of a sudden, particularly when accompanied by aphasia. “Mood stroke” often follows. The patient becomes either agitated or crushed with grief, which is quite disadvantageous to the patient. Actually, if stroke is treated appropriately and promptly, the functions of the major joints, such as the hip, the knee, the ankles, the shoulders, the elbows and the wrists, can be restored. With proper functional exercises, the majority of the stroke patients will be able to take care of themselves and live a normal life.
The acupuncture therapy should be considered as the foremost treatment for stroke complications. Acupuncture treatment for hemi-paralysis has been practiced for thousands of years. The most frequent cases in acupuncture clinics are the cases of hemi-paralysis following the onset of stroke. WHO has announced that acupuncture is among the most applicable treatment methods for stroke complications. The earlier acupuncture treatment is applied, the better results can be achieved.
Can complete recovery be achieved following the onset of a stroke? How long does it take for the recovery? Objectively speaking, partial recovery is common, but complete recovery is rare. In most cases, patient learns how to adapt the new life style and overcome function losses following the onset of a stroke. Most of the recovery takes place within sixth months. After that, recovery slows down and eventually stops.
Through many years of clinical observation, Bethune Oriental Medical Center has reached the conclusion that the advantage of acupuncture treatment is the obvious effects in the recovery process following the onset of a stroke. In this period, the patient's body function starts to recover. However, some obvious dysfunctions also come about, such as movement dysfunction and emotional dysfunction. Medicinal treatment for such dysfunctions is not very effective while acupuncture treatment has very good effects. Most reports and clinical practices focus on the treatment in this period. It is also the focus in most medical textbooks.
According to ours observation, research and analysis, acupuncture can adjust human body function and stimulate the recovery potential of the human body. Therefore, not only can acupuncture treatment achieve obvious effects with no side effect, it can also reduce the recurrence rate of the stroke.