Abstract
Background: Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) therapy of scalp and penetration acupuncture has been used for the treatment of stroke in Korea. This study investigated the efficacy of scalp and penetration acupuncture in combination with TKM medication.
Methods: Twenty-four stroke patients were enrolled in the program. Control group (n = 12) received herbal medicines (Baepungtang, Sopungtang or Sosokmyeongtang) and conventional body acupuncture. Treatment group (n = 12) received scalp and penetration acupuncture in addition to herbal medicines and conventional body acupuncture. Improvements in the motor functions were scored by the modified Barthel index (MBI).
Results: After 4 weeks of treatment, statistical analysis showed significant improvement in the MBI scores for both groups. Significant difference in the MBI scores between two groups, however, was not observed.
Conclusion: The supportive effect of scalp and penetration acupuncture in the treatment of stroke needs further investigation.