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Electroacupuncture for oxaliplatin-induced facial numbness: A CARE-compliant case report
Yanbin Ying1, Huiting Liu2, Qiongying Shen2
1Department of Rehabilitation, The Second Hospital of Jinhua, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province, China.
Rationale:
Facial numbness typically arises from disorders affecting the facial or trigeminal nerves, yet chemotherapy-induced facial numbness is exceedingly rare. Herein, we present a CARE-compliant case of a patient with oxaliplatin-induced facial numbness who experienced symptom improvement following electroacupuncture (EA) treatment.
Patient Concerns:
A 73-year-old patient with rectal cancer developed severe bilateral facial numbness, affecting the periorbital, perinasal, and perioral regions after oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy.
Diagnoses:
The patient was diagnosed with facial numbness secondary to oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Interventions:
The patient was treated with EA therapy to improve facial numbness symptoms.
Outcomes:
After 3 EA sessions, the patient's facial numbness improved significantly; a subsequent 3-session course resulted in complete resolution of symptoms.
Lessons:
The case suggests that EA may serve as an effective alternative treatment for chemotherapy-induced facial numbness.
