[Clinical observation on the efficacy of transcranial repeated acupuncture in treating mild to moderate idiopathic facial paralysis during the recovery phase].

OBJECTIVES

To observe the clinical efficacy of transcranial repeated acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) and the lower 1/5 of the healthy-side motor area in treating idiopathic facial paralysis (IFP) during the recovery phase.

METHODS

A total of 72 IFP patients in the recovery phase were randomly divided into control group (36 cases, 3 dropped off) and treatment group (36 cases, 2 dropped off). Both groups received basic western medical treatment, including neurotrophic drugs, until the end of the treatment course. The control group underwent conventional electroacupuncture (EA) for 30 min, followed by an additional 10 min of needle retention, totaling 40 min per session. The treatment group received the same 30 min EA as the control group, with the addition of transcranial repeated acupuncture involving manual twisting of needles at GV20 and the lower 1/5 of the healthy-side motor area for 5 min each, also totaling 40 min per session. Both groups were treated once daily, with 6 sessions constituting 1 treatment course. After each course, a 1-day break was taken, and treatment continued for 4 consecutive courses. Before and after treatment, efficacy was evaluated using the House-Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve grading scale, facial disability index (FDI) scale (including physical function [FDIP] and social function [FDIS] subscales), and a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom efficacy scoring scale. Clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

Compared with pre-treatment levels, both groups showed improvement in H-B grading (P<0.05, P<0.01), increased FDIP scores (P<0.05), and decreased FDIS and TCM symptom scores (P<0.05) after treatment. Post-treatment, the treatment group exhibited significantly greater improvement in H-B grading (P<0.05), higher FDIP scores (P<0.05), and lower FDIS and TCM symptom scores (P<0.05) compared to the control group. The total effective rate was 94.12% (32/34) in the treatment group and 87.88% (29/33) in the control group, with the treatment group demonstrating statistically superior efficacy (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Combining transcranial repeated acupuncture at GV20 and the lower 1/5 of the healthy-side motor area with conventional EA enhances clinical efficacy, significantly improves facial muscle paralysis and related symptoms such as facial deviation, food retention, and taste dysfunction in IFP patients during the recovery phase.