Observation of the Therapeutic Effect of Fire Needle on Upper Limb Function in Stroke Patients

Summary

Objective: To explore the clinical efficacy of different needling strategies with moxibustion needles on upper limb function in post-stroke patients. Method: 105 patients with upper limb dysfunction after stroke were randomly divided into an extensor treatment group, a flexor treatment group, and a control group, with 35 patients in each group. Patients in the extensor treatment group were treated with extensor group moxibustion, patients in the flexor treatment group were treated with flexor group moxibustion, and patients in the control group were treated with conventional moxibustion. Observe the upper limb movement trajectory, surface electromyographic signals (sEMG) of extensor and flexor muscle groups, MAS scale scores, and FMA-UE scores of two groups of patients under specific tasks detected by a three-dimensional motion capture system before and after treatment, and determine the clinical efficacy. Result: Moxibustion therapy with moxibustion is helpful in improving upper limb dysfunction in stroke patients, safe and reliable, and worthy of application. The efficacy of needling the flexor muscle group with moxibustion is better than that of needling the extensor muscle group and conventional acupuncture, providing certain evidence and guidance for the selection of moxibustion sites in clinical practice.

Conditions

• Cerebral Infarction

Interventions

OTHER

conventional rehabilitation training

The rehabilitation training is designed based on the specific functional conditions of the patient's limbs. The specific training methods include proper limb positioning, exercise therapy such as passive movement, anti-spasticity training, scapular girdle muscle training, joint extension training, forearm pronation and supination training, occupational therapy, joint movement training, roller treatment, and fine motor skill training, etc. The treatment is conducted once a day and five times a week. The treatment lasts for 4 consecutive weeks.

OTHER

conventional acupuncture

Conventional acupuncture treatment involves needling at acupoints on the upper limbs of patients to improve their upper limb function. The treatment is administered once a day, five times a week, for a continuous period of four weeks.

OTHER

Acupuncture with the milli-needle fire-puncture on flexor muscle groups

The acupuncture points of the milli-needle fire-puncture device are located in the flexor muscle groups of the upper limbs, including the biceps brachii and the flexor muscle group of the forearm.

OTHER

Acupuncture with the milli-needle fire-puncture on extensor muscle groups

The acupuncture points for the milli-needle fire-puncture device are located in the extensor muscle groups of the upper limbs, including the triceps brachii and the extensor muscles of the forearm.

OTHER

Conventional needle puncture with a fire needle

The acupuncture points for milli-needle fire-puncture are commonly used ones on the upper limbs.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Qilu Hospital of Shandong University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2023-12-02

Primary Completion

2025-09-30

Completion

2025-10-31

Countries

• China

Study Locations