OBJECTIVETo observe the clinical effect of wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with conventional acupuncture on post-apoplectic unilateral sensory disturbance.

METHODSEighty cases of acute cerebral apoplexy patients of unilateral sensory disturbance were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 40 cases in each one. In control group, the conventional acupuncture was applied at bilateral Fengchi (GB 20), and Jianyu (LI 15), Quchi (LI 11) and Waiguan (TE 5) etc. on the affected side. In observation group, wrist-ankle acupuncture was adopted in combination with conventional acupuncture. In wrist-ankle acupuncture, the needles were inserted from the Upper 1-6 and the Lower 1-6 on the affected side, and were remained for 5 to 6 h. The needles were punctured in the morning and removed in the afternoon. The clinical efficacy, the score in the sensory disturbance assessment as well as the changes in the limb sensory disturbance degree based on the patients' feelings were observed in two groups.

RESULTSThe total effective rate in observation group was 90.0% (36/40), which was superior to 75.0% (30/40) in control group (P < 0.05). The improvements were obtained in the total scores of the limb sensory function, superficial sensibility and cortical sensibility after treatment in either group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), but there was no remarkably improvement in proprioception (both P > 0.05). All the scores above were improved much remarkably in observation group as compared with control group (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONWrist-ankle acupuncture combined with conventional acupuncture is the effective therapy for post-apoplectic unilateral sensory disturbance.