[Clinical observation on post-stroke shoulder pain treated with balance acupuncture]

To observe the difference of therapeutic effect on post-stroke shoulder pain between balance acupuncture and conventional acupuncture.

Sixty cases were randomly divided into two groups, 30 cases in each one. In balance acupuncture group, the balance technique of acupuncture was used on Jiantong point. In conventional acupuncture group, the conventional acupuncture was applied to Shuigou (GV 26), Neiguan (PC 6), Tongli (HT 5), Zusanlti (ST 36), Xuanzhong (GB 39) and others, combined with the points on the affected meridians. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was adopted to evaluate the efficacy.

Separately, before and after the 1st treatment, VAS scores were 5.62 +/- 0.46 and 5.00 +/- 0.31 in balance acupuncture group (P < 0.01), and those were 5.52 +/- 0.65 and 5.22 +/- 0.29 in conventional acupuncture group (P < 0.05). The improvement in balance acupuncture group was superior to that in conventional acupuncture group (P < 0.05). After 10 treatments (one course of treatment), VAS score was 3.75 +/- 0.67 in balance acupuncture group and was 3.77 +/- 0.62 in conventional acupuncture group, which reduced significantly as compared with those before treatment (both P < 0.01), the difference between two groups was not significant (P > 0.05).

Either balance acupuncture or conventional acupuncture has significant analgesia on post-stroke shoulder pain. But, the instant analgesia of balance acupuncture is superior to that of conventional acupuncture.