Therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen and swallowing training combined with acupuncture at Fengchi acu-point on dysphagia caused by pseudobulbar paralysis after stroke

Abstract

Objective To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy and swallowing training combined with Fengchi acupoint acupuncture on dysphagia caused by pseudobulbar paralysis after stroke. Methods Seventy-five patients were randomly divided into control group, HBO therapy group, swallow training group, acupuncture group and combined treatment group (n = 15). Patients in all groups were given cerebro-vascular disease routine treatment. In addition, the patients in HBO therapy group, swallowing training group and ac-upuncture group were given HBO therapy, swallowing training and Fengehi (GB20) acupoint acupuncture simultane-ously, respectively. The patients in combined treatment group were given HBO therapy combined with swallowing training and Fengchi acupoint acupuncture. Modified Kubota-Chiari's swallowing functional classification was used to assess swallowing function before and on the 3rd d,6th d,9th d, 12th d, 15th d, 18th d and 21st d after treatment. Results It was shown that the patients in all groups but the control group got significant improvement in swallowing after treatment, as demonstrated by the swallowing function scores (P acupuncture group > swal-low training group > HBO therapy group > control group(P < 0.05). Conclusion The combination of HBO ther-apy, swallowing training and Fengchi acupoint acupuncture could act synergically to ameliorate dysphagia caused by pseudobulbar paralysis after stroke. Key words: Hyperbaric oxygen; Dysphagia; Pseudobulbar paralysis; Rehabilitation training; Acu-puncture