How can Scalp Acupuncture Help with Post-Stroke Recovery?
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Are you or a loved one a stroke survivor?
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or ruptures. According to the CDC, someone in the US has a stroke every 40 seconds and someone dies of a stroke every 4 minutes.
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Every year, there are more than 795,000 people in the US who have a stroke and about 610,000 of these have a stroke for the first time. Stroke is not only the number 5 cause of death, it is also a leading cause of disability in the States.
Early Signs and Symptoms of a Stroke
Before we dive into the aftereffects of a stroke and how scalp acupuncture may help, there are early warning signs of a stroke that cannot be ignored. If you have noticed any of these signs within yourself or someone else, please seek medical attention immediately:
Facial drooping or numbness of face, arm, or leg (this often happens to just one side of the body)
If one arm begins to fall as you raise both arms over your head a the same time, you may be having a stroke
Sudden and severe headaches that may come with vomiting, dizziness, or altered consciousness
Difficulty speaking (confusion, slurring of the voice) and understanding speech
Sudden blurred or blackened vision in one or both eyes or seeing doubles
Difficulty walking
Sudden dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
The Aftermaths of a Stroke
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Once a stroke has occurred, it often leads to several disabilities, they can include:
Speech/language problems
Slow, cautious behaviors
Memory loss
Paralysis or loss of sensation on either side of the body
Visual issues
Quick, inquisitive behavioral style
Motor control issues
Poor hand-eye coordination
Poor emotional control
Problems with eating and swallowing
Are you or a loved one experiencing any of the above issues after a stroke? If so, scalp acupuncture may help with these aftereffects.
What is Scalp Acupuncture?
Scalp acupuncture is also known as head acupuncture, this form of acupuncture combines traditional acupuncture with neurology. By inserting needles into the loose areolar tissue layer of the scalp, scalp acupuncture can stimulate the brain neurons of the underlying region related to the impaired functions. It can encourage the recruitment of healthy brain cells to perform the lost functions.
Common Application of Scalp Acupuncture
You may be wondering when scalp acupuncture is more often used. In therapy, scalp acupuncture is commonly used against neurological disorders such as paralysis, Parkinson disease, and multiple sclerosis and it is also used in improving neurological dysfunction in ischemic stroke patients.
So What’s so Great about Scalp Acupuncture?
Scalp acupuncture involves inserting acupuncture needles into specific regions of the scalp that correspond to the cortical areas of the cerebrum responsible for central nervous system functions such as motor function, sensory input, speech, hearing, and balance. In this way, scalp acupuncture can have therapeutic effects in treating acute and chronic central nervous system disorders.
According to research, scalp acupuncture in the motor regions can expand cerebral blood vessels, increase cerebral blood flow, reduce infarct focus and promote cerebral collateral circulation to improve motor function in ischemic stroke (Sun et al., 2020).
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Help us Help you
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Are you or a loved one interested in receiving a scalp acupuncture treatment? Our team member from Road to Wellness, Dr. Jasper Chen, has scalp acupuncture as one of her specialties. Please book an appointment with her in the link below.
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