Clinical Observation on Acupuncture Treatment of 100 Cases of Dysphagia Caused by Cerebrovascular Disease

　　
In clinic, cerebrovascular disease combined with pseudobulbar paralysis is frequently seen, manifesting mainly as dysphagia, choking and coughing when having meals, which seriously affect the prognosis of this disease. From 1995 to 1997, we used acupuncture therapy to treat 100 cases of cerebrovascular disease combined with dysphagia. It is reported as follows.

CLINICAL DATA:
1. General Data
All the 100 patients were diagnosed in accordance with the standards formulated by the Second National Conference of Cerebrovascular Diseases in 1986. Through CT examination, 29 cases were cerebral infarction, 38 cerebral embolism, 27 encephalorrhagia and 6 subarachnoid hemorrhage.

2. Duration of Disease
The longest duration of disease was 3 4 years and the shortest 4 days (acute stage) with an average of 2 years and 3 months.

METHODS:
1. Acupoints: Yifeng (TE 17, both) and Fengfu (GV 16)
2. Operational Methods
After insertion into the acupoints, the needles were pushed forward to a depth of about 2 cun for Yifeng (TE 17) and to about 1. 5-1. 8 cun for Fengfu (GV 16). Then, the needles were manipulated for a while with reducing method. The treatment was given once daily, with twice being a therapeutic course. All the patients were treated for 1 -- 2 courses.

RESULTS:
1. Observation on the Therapeutic Effect
Marked improvement: After one treatment, the patient did not have choke response again whenever having food, with the swallowing function being normal and the soft palate moving freely.

Improved: After one course of treatment, the patient's swallowing function turned to normal basically, but occasionally, the patient still had choke response and his or her soft palate moved up less freely.

Ineffective: After two courses of treatment, the patient's symptoms and signs had no significant improvement.

2. Results
Of the 100 cases, 87 (87% ) had marked improvement, 10 (10% ) were improved and 3 (3% ) had no any improvement, with an effective rate of 97 %.

DISCUSSION:
Cerebrovascular disease-induced dysphagia often results from pseudobulbar paralysis due to injury of the bilateral cerebral cortex and brain stem and is difficult to be cured. However, acupuncture therapy has a better effect on it. It is probably that acupuncture stimulation can improve cerebral blood circulation, and increase blood supply of the brain tissues, causing the nerve cells to regain their function and accelerating recovery of the swallowing reflex. Our clinical practice demonstrates that the effect of acupuncture treatment of cerebrovascular disease-induced dysphagia is satisfactory and worthy of being popularized.

By Zhou Feng, Ma Haitang