Stroke Awareness and Acupuncture
May is American Stroke Awareness Month. Strokes are medical emergencies and occur when there is a blocked (ischemic stroke) or ruptured (hemorrhagic stroke) artery in the brain that can lead to death, brain damage or disability. There are also “mini-strokes” (transient ischemic attack – TIA) that can be warning signs for a future stroke.
In the United States, there are more than 795,000 strokes per year. While some stroke risk factors are out of our control (age, family history, race, and sex), acupuncture can be a complementary support to reduce some risk factors and be supportive for stroke recovery.
Act FAST
It is critical to recognize stroke symptoms and act quickly. FAST is a helpful acronym to remember with key guidance from the American Stroke Association website:
- F is for facial drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
- A is for arm weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
- S is for speech difficulty – Is the person slurring their speech?
- T is time to call 911 – Stroke is an emergency. Every minute counts. Call 911 immediately. Note the time when any of the symptoms first appear.
Other symptoms include confusion, trouble seeing or walking, and severe headache.
Risk Factors & Prevention
Factors that contribute to higher risk of stroke include high blood pressure, smoking, and physical inactivity. Acupuncture can help support reducing blood pressure, with cravings for smoking cessation and with reducing pain which can prevent people from exercising.
Effects of Stroke
Following a stroke, there can be physical, cognitive, and emotional effects. Physical effects can include pain, muscle weakness or spasms, difficult swallowing, vision problems, and related challenges to do usual activities. Cognitive effects following a stroke include aphasia (difficulty speaking), memory issues, trouble reading, and challenges with judgment and reasoning. Emotional impacts include depression, anger, anxiety, and challenges managing emotions.
Acupuncture for Stroke Recovery
Stroke recovery often requires intensive and then on-going rehabilitation including physical and occupational therapy, speech therapy, and other modalities of support depending on the type and effects of stroke. Acupuncture can be included as a complementary component piece of the recovery and rehabilitation process.
Acupuncture can help improve physical functioning following a stroke. There’s evidence that acupuncture can reduce pain, spasticity, muscle weakness, and partial paralysis and improve muscle tone, balance, and mobility.
Acupuncture can also help support cognitive functioning along with mental and emotional health. There’s research that acupuncture can help improve memory and language function. It can serve as a supportive medicine for post-stroke depression. It can also support sleep and post-stroke insomnia.
References:
Neuroplasticity of Acupuncture for Stroke: An Evidence-Based Review of MRI
Acupuncture for post-stroke depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Acupuncture for insomnia after stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis
