International Clinical and Medical Case Reports Journal (ISSN: 2832-5788) | Volume 3, Issue 11 | Case Report | Open Access
Eric A. Jones1* , Bogdan Davidescu2*
1Department of Rehabilitation and Human Performance, Mount Sinai Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
2Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, NY
*Correspondence to: Eric A. Jones1* , Bogdan Davidescu2
Fulltext PDFBackground: Neurological and musculoskeletal conditions are a leading cause of disability worldwide, posing significant challenges despite conventional therapies, often resulting in chronic pain and functional limitations. Scalp acupuncture (SA), a needling technique combining traditional acupuncture methods with Western medical knowledge of neuroanatomy, offers a promising low-cost, low-risk alternative treatment modality. Its applications have been shown to span various musculoskeletal and neurological conditions, yet current literature is limited, necessitating further research to integrate SA into clinical practice effectively.
Objective: We aim to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of SA in 4 cases of refractory musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions including phantom limb pain, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), cervical paraspinal pain, and facial paralysis.
Methodology: This is a retrospective case series of 4 patients who were either referred to the James J. Peters Veterans Administrations Outpatient Pain Medicine Clinic or consulted for inpatient pain management. Patient exhibited symptoms refractory to conservative management, namely pain and/or paralysis/tremor. Pain scores were assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
Results: All 4 patients experienced immediate post-treatment relief of symptoms after 1 acupuncture treatment, including improved VAS score. Long-term effects were not uniformly assessed, but improvements were also seen at all follow-up visits documented varying from 2 weeks to 4 months’ post-treatment. No adverse events were reported.
Conclusion: SA demonstrates efficacy as an adjunctive treatment for a diverse range of musculoskeletal and neurological pathologies, offering immediate and long-term pain relief and improved quality of life.
Acupuncture; Pain medicine; Phantom pain
Eric A. Jones, Bogdan Davidescu. Scalp Acupuncture for the Management of Musculoskeletal and Neurological Conditions: A Case Series. Int Clinc Med Case Rep Jour. 2024;3(11):1-7.