Clinical study on tri-tongue acupuncture combined with low-frequency electrical stimulation for treating post-stroke dysarthria.

Abstract

Few studies have investigated low-frequency electrical stimulation combined with tri-tongue acupuncture for the treatment of post-stroke dysarthria. This randomized clinical study assessed the correlation between the clinical efficacy of low-frequency electrical stimulation combined with tri-tongue acupuncture in patients with post-stroke dysarthria. To investigate the clinical effects of tri-tongue acupuncture combined with low-frequency electrical stimulation for treating post-stroke dysarthria. Ninety patients with post-stroke dysarthria, who were admitted to our hospital from December 2019 to June 2021, were selected and equally divided into two groups (n = 45/group) according to the random number table method. Tri-tongue acupuncture was administered in the control group. The treatment group received both tri-tongue acupuncture and low-frequency electrical stimulation. The clinical efficacy, Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) score, general quality of life inventory (GQOLI-74) score, Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment score, and speech function grades were compared and analyzed between both groups. The overall efficacy in the treatment group was better than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, the WAB, Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, or GQOLI-74 scores (P > 0.05) did not differ between the groups. After therapy, the WAB, Frenchay Dysarthria Assessment, and GQOLI-74 scores in both groups increased significantly (P < 0.05), and the treatment group exhibited a significantly greater increase than that of the controls (P < 0.05). Moreover, the classification of speech function did not differ between the two groups before treatment (P > 0.05), whereas significant improvements were observed in both groups after treatment (P < 0.05). The degree of improvement in the treatment group was greater than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Low-frequency electrical stimulation, in conjunction with tri-tongue acupuncture, exhibits a good clinical effect on post-stroke dysarthria.