Chinese researchers investigating acupuncture for stroke rehabilitation have found that the addition of acupuncture to physical therapy for patients with shoulder-hand syndrome, significantly contributes to pain reduction and functional improvements. A total of 178 patients received either standard rehabilitation therapy or standard therapy plus acupuncture, in a hospital setting. Acupuncture was given once per day for a month.
At the end of the treatment period, early pain relief, upper extremity motor function and quality of life, were all significantly better in the acupuncture group.
(A clinical study on acupuncture in combination with routine rehabilitation therapy for early pain recovery of post-stroke shoulder-hand syndrome. Experimental & Therapeutic Medicine, 18 December 2017.)