[Electromyography guided point injection at Renying (ST 9) for post-stroke dysphagia]

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Background:

• Post-stroke dysphagia resulting from bulbar paralysis presents a significant challenge in patient recovery.
• Conventional treatments including medication and rehabilitation training show limited efficacy in restoring swallowing function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of electromyography (EMG) guided point injection at Renying (ST 9) for post-stroke dysphagia.
• To explore adjunctive therapies for improving swallowing function beyond conventional medicine and rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 60 patients with post-stroke dysphagia.
• The observation group received conventional treatment plus EMG-guided Renying (ST 9) injection, while the control group received only conventional treatment.
• Swallowing function was assessed using the WaTian drinking test and Toshima Ichiro swallow test over a 2-week period.

Main Results:

• Both groups showed improvements in swallowing tests, but the observation group exhibited significantly greater improvement rates.
• The observation group achieved a total effective rate of 93.3% and a cured rate of 46.7%, significantly outperforming the control group (26.7% effective, 3.3% cured).
• EMG-guided injection at Renying (ST 9) demonstrated a statistically significant benefit (P<0.05) compared to conventional therapy alone.

Conclusions:

• EMG-guided point injection at Renying (ST 9), when added to conventional drugs and rehabilitation training, is an effective treatment for post-stroke dysphagia.
• This method significantly enhances swallowing function in patients suffering from bulbar paralysis post-stroke.
• The study supports the integration of targeted EMG-guided interventions for improved neurological rehabilitation outcomes.