Acupuncture 'not effective' in stroke recovery

Acupuncture is often used to supplement traditional stroke rehabilitation even though there has been no certainty about its effectiveness as a treatment.

Now a new comprehensive study has found no evidence that acupuncture aids recovery in these cases.

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese practice that relies on the insertion of needles into the body at so-called "pressure-points". But so far the evidence for the physical existence of these parts of the body or their characteristics has been scant. However some evidence suggests that it may provide a measure of pain relief in some cases.

The UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (the body which determines if medical treatments should be used in the NHS) only recommends acupuncture as a treatment option for lower back pain.

The new study was a systematic review conducted by researchers in South Korea and the United Kingdom. They included 10 studies (out of a potential 664) with a total of 711 patients who had strokes.

Speaking about the results of their investigation Dr. Edzard Ernst of the Peninsula Medical School, Exeter, commented that "Few randomized, sham-controlled trials have tested the effectiveness of acupuncture during stroke rehabilitation."

Of the studies reviewed, only two showed any positive results. But the study authors conclude that these two reports were highly biased and had poor reporting which made them less reliable that other studies.

The researchers' conclusion is clear : "the evidence from rigorous studies testing the effectiveness of acupuncture during stroke rehabilitation is negative."

The results of the study are published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

This article was published on Tue 28 September 2010