Overview
To a Western observer in a Chinese hospital, one of the first things that stands out is the huge number of patients who come to Chinese acupuncture clinics with neurological disorders, including stroke, various forms of paralysis, epilepsy, migraines, dementia, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and trauma to the head and spine. It is not uncommon for Chinese neurologists to refer patients to acupuncture clinics. Moreover, there is a popular conception amongst the Chinese patients themselves that acupuncture is an effective treatment for many neurological disorders. In fact, many patients with mild neurological disorders such as Bell’s Palsy (a form of facial paralysis) come into Chinese acupuncture clinics off the streets.
Numerous studies on the use of acupuncture in the treatment of central nervous system conditions have appeared in Asian medical literature, much of it on stroke rehabilitation. Unfortunately, only a small amount of this research has been translated into English or reviewed by Western medical peers.
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