Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of intradermal needle-embedding therapy in the treatment of dysphagia in stroke patients.
Methods: A total of 80 stroke patients with dysphagia were randomly divided into treatment group and control group (n ＝ 40 in each). The control group was treated with conventional medicines, neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the bilateral midlines of the neck and swallowing function training, and the treatment group treated by intradermal needle-embedding at Lianquan (CV 23), Jialianquan-point, Yifeng (TE 17), Ashi-point, etc. (once every other day for 20 days) on the basis of the treatments used in the control group. Swallowing function (0－10 points scaling, the bigger the better)and surface electromyography (sEMG) of the bilateral suprahyoid muscles and infrahyoid muscles in the relaxing, nothing swallowing and water-swallowing conditions were tested before and after the treatment.
Results: After treatment, the swallowing scores were significantly increased in both groups compared with those of their individual pre-treatment (P<0.05), suggesting an improvement of swallowing function. During relaxing, nothing swallowing and water-swallowing conditions, the peak amplitudes of sEMG were considerably increased in both groups relevant to those of their individual pre-treatment (P<0.05)．The swallowing function score, and maximum amplitudes of sEMG during relaxing, nothing swallowing and water-swallowing conditions were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05), suggesting a better efficacy of intradermal needle-embedding treatment.
Conclusion: Intradermal needle-embedding can significantly improve the swallowing function of stroke patients with dysphagia.
Keywords: Dysphagia of stroke; Intradermal needle embedment; Neuromuscular electrical stimulation; Surface electromyogram.