A Case Report of Wernicke Aphasia by Korean Medicine Treatment, Including Scalp Acupuncture

Abstract

The purpose of this case study is to report the effectiveness of scalp acupuncture and <i>Cheungsindodam-tang</i> on Wernicke’s aphasia in patients with left middle cerebral territory infarction. Scalp acupuncture, herbal medicine (<i>Cheungsindodam-tang</i>), and moxibustion were administered for 66 days to improve the patient’s symptoms. The degree of improvement in symptoms was evaluated using the Korean version of the Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB) and Mini-Mental State Examination-Korea (MMSE-K). Quality of life was evaluated with the Korean version of the Stroke and Aphasia Quality of Life Scale-39 (K-SAQOL-39). After 66 days of treatment, the aphasia quotient score of the K-WAB test increased from 19 to 34.6 after treatment. The K-SAQOL-3 score increased from 2.77 to 3.18, and the MMSE-K score increased from 4 to 21. This case report suggests that Korean medical therapy can be effective in improving the language functions of patients with Wernicke’s aphasia.