Acupuncture and constraint-induced movement therapy for a patient with chronic stroke: One-year follow-up case report

This report describes the successful addition of acupuncture on spasticity and arm function in a patient with chronic stroke and arm paresis. Patient concerns: At screening, the patient was unable to voluntarily extend her interphalangeal or metacarpophalangeal joints beyond the 10 degrees required for constraint-induced movement therapy. However, the BTX type A injection couldn’t be used as she had ever suffered a severe allergic reaction in the injection of BTX type A for facial anti-wrinkle. Diagnoses: A 40-year-old female experienced arm paresis after an infarction in the right posterior limb of the internal capsule 2 years before the intervention. Interventions: The BTX type A injection couldn’t be used as she had ever suffered a severe allergic reaction in the injection of BTX type A for facial anti-wrinkle, so the patient received 1 hour of acupuncture as an alternative therapy before 5 hours of constraint-induced movement therapy for 12 weekdays. Outcomes: All outcome measures (Modified Ashworth Scale, Fugl-Meyer Assessment, Action Research Arm Test, Motor Activity Log) substantially improved over the 1-year period. Moreover, during the observation period, the patient's muscle tone and arm function did not worsen. Lessons: As a result of a reduction in spasticity, a reduction of learned nonuse behaviors, or use-dependent plasticity after the combined therapy, the arm functions include volitional movements and coordination or speed of movements in th...
Source: Medicine - Category: Internal Medicine Tags: Research Article: Clinical Case Report Source Type: research