World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (WJAM)

·62· Vol. 27, No.2, 30th Jun. 2017

Clinical Report
Treatment of cerebral palsy with Chinese
scalp acupuncture
中国头针治疗小儿脑瘫
LÜ Xiao-lin (吕晓琳)1, HAO Ji-shun (郝吉顺)2 , SUN Zhong-ren (孙忠人)1,
David Riley2, NAN Zhi-zhong (南志忠)2, Brian McKenna2, Thomas Hodge2

1. Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Heilongjiang 150040, China; 2. Neuroacupuncture

Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico, 87505, USA（1. 黑龙江中医药大学，哈尔滨 150040，中国；2. 美国神经
针灸研究院，新墨西哥州，美国）

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

First author: LÜ Xiao-lin (1986-), female, Objective To observe the effect of scalp acupuncture on the treatment of
PhD student. children with cerebral palsy (CP). Methods Thirty-six children in the USA
Research field: acupuncture in the with cerebral palsy were treated with Chinese scalp acupuncture at the
treatement of marrowbrain disease. Neuroacupuncture Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA. Foot motor and
E-mail: [email protected]
sensory area, motor area, speech I area, speech II area, balance area, vision
Corresponding author: HAO Ji-shun area, apraxia area, and I vision area were selected base on patient’s clinical
(1958-), male, Professor. manifestation. Rotating manual stimulation was performed during each session
Research field: acupuncture in the
of acupuncture. The retention of needles was 30 minutes. Results These 36
treatement of nervous system disease.
patients received between 3–20 treatments, 5 had complete resolution of
E-mail: [email protected]
their symptom, 14 cases a marked effect, 14 had some effect, and 3 patients
Accepted on November 14, 2016
experienced no improvement. No adverse events were reported. Conclusion
Chinese scalp acupuncture in these 33 cases appears to be an effective
treatment for patients with CP and should be considered as an adjunctive
therapy for more CP patients. Chinese scalp acupuncture relieved many of
these patients’ symptoms, increased their quality of life, and reversed many
physical disabilities. Some of the patients returned to a normal life. Those
treatments have laid a foundation for research into the clinical application of
Chinese scalp acupuncture in the treatment of CP.
KEY WORDS: Chinese scalp acupuncture; neuroacupuncture; cerebral palsy

Chinese scalp acupuncture is a contemporary

acupuncture technique integrating traditional Chinese
needling methods with western medical knowledge
of the cerebral cortex (Figure 1). Scalp acupuncture
has been shown to be effective for treating central
nervous system disorders including from cerebral
palsy, multiple sclerosis, strokes, Parkinson’s disease[1]
traumatic brain injury, and posttraumatic stress
disorder to phantom pain and complex regional pain.
The scalp somatotopic system appears to manifest
the convergence of the central nervous system and
the endocrine system. The scalp somatotopic system
seems to operate as a miniature transmitter-receiver in
contact with the central nervous system and endocrine Figure 1 Lateral View of Left Hemisphere
World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (WJAM)
Vol. 27, No.2, 30th Jun. 2017 ·63·

system. By stimulating those reflex areas, acupuncture normal cognitive function; (4) Resume functional and
appears to have a direct effect on the cerebral cortex, normal social lives with other children.
cerebellum, thalamocortical circuits, thalamus,
hypothalamus, and pineal body [2]. The scalp’s unique The Neuroacupuncture Institute is collaborating
neurologic and endocrinal composition makes it an with the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine
ideal external stimulating field for internal activities in the USA to study the treatment of cerebral palsy
of the brain. Using a small number of needles, scalp with scalp acupuncture. Chinese scalp acupuncture
acupuncture can often produce remarkable results could have a significant role to play in the treatment
almost immediately, sometimes taking only several and rehabilitation of patients with CP and with other
minutes[3]. central nervous system disorders.
CLINICAL DATA TYPICAL CASES
General Data Michael, a 6-year-old with cerebral palsy, came
A total of 36 CP Children treated at from Amarillo, Texas, with his parents to our clinic
Neuroacupuncture Institute located in Santa Fe, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on March 10, 2011.
New Mexico, USA were recruited in the study from His mother reported that he had never spoken an
January 2014 to June 2016. There were 21 boys and understandable English sentence and had almost no
15 girls, aged between 1.5 and 13 years. All coordination in his upper or lower extremities. For
36 patients suffered from CP before or during births example, his hands were so weak that he could not
from mild, medium to severe condition. The main make an observable mark on paper with a pencil.
manifestation included limb and truck paralysis, limbs He had become passive and initiated little or no
spasm, aphasia, balance and coordination problem, communication. His low functional level had resulted
delayed intellectual development, double vision, vision in his being diagnosed with mental retardation and
field loss. All 36 cases completed the 20 treatments. learned helplessness. Multiple medical doctors,
including neurologists and ear, nose, and throat
Thirty-six patients with cerebral palsy were specialists, evaluated Michael, and the diagnosis was
treated with scalp acupuncture. stroke in utero. Michael had been receiving speech
therapy and physical therapy for several years with
Effective rate criteria is based on the Gross Motor no noticeable improvement and had been a passive
Function Classification System (GMFCS). After participant in kindergarten for 2 years because of
20 treatments, 5 cases (33.9%) had symptom his inability to write, speak, or take part in physical
resolution, 14 (38.9%) cases had a marked effect, activities. The examination at our clinic showed no
14 cases (38.9%) had some effect, and 3 (8.3%) cases abnormal findings of his physical development or
had no effect. Total effect rate is 33 (91.7%). There hearing. It was hard to understand him when he said
were no adverse reactions. his name, age, and birthday or when he counted aloud.
His coordination was severely impacted. He could not
Scalp acupuncture was associated with an point to his nose, touch his index fingers together, or
improvement in the symptoms and signs associated kick his legs. His tongue was red with a thin white
with CP such as paralysis, aphasia, ataxia, vision filed coating, and his pulses were wiry and slippery.
loss, mental and physical disabilities. Five children
with CP appeared to completely recover (Table 1),
Treatments
They were able to (1) Move paralyzed limbs and Chinese scalp acupuncture and ear acupuncture
walk without balance problems; (2) Resolve aphasia were used to treat this patient. Primary scalp areas
resulting in normal speech; (3) Return to school with were Speech I and Speech III. The secondary scalp

Table 1 Five CP patients treated with Chinese scalp acupuncture with complete symptom resolution

Age Sex Diagnosis Symptoms and Signs Scalp area Treatments Result
1.5 Male CP Spasm, aphasia FMS, Speech I, Tremor 3 Resolved
5 Male CP Ataxia, aphasia FMS, Balance, Speech I 16 Resolved
6 Male CP Ataxia, aphasia, limb weak FMS, Motor, Balance, Speech I, II 14 Resolved
12 Female CP Paralysis, visual field loss FMS, Motor, Balance, Vision Tremor 18 Resolved
13 Male CP Paralysis, paralysis limb movement FMS, Motor, Balance, Praxia 4 Resolved
 World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (WJAM)
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locations were the foot motor and sensory area of his Michael showed improvement in his speech
scalp (Figure 2, 3, 4). The needles were stimulated during and at the end of his first treatment. It was
slightly. easier to understand him when he said his name and
age, and when he counted, most of the numbers were
clearer after the treatment than they were before the
treatment.

During the second session, Michael was not

afraid. The new toy his mother showed him as the last
needle was inserted diminished any tension he may
have experienced. He tried very hard to make clear
sounds in order to get the new toy. Michael attempted
to repeat the words and sentences the doctor and his
parents were saying and continued to say many clear
words that could be understood. He seemed very
happy when he found he was able to kick his legs and
stand on one leg without difficulty.

Prior to the third session, his mother reported

Figure 2 Motor area Measurements that Michael had started to talk in clearer sentences,
some of which she could understand. She had found
him already dressed when she went to wake him up to
come to the acupuncture clinic. The fourth treatment
was similar to the third, and 4 needles were inserted
without any pain. During this treatment, Michael was
able to speak like a normal child, sing a song clearly,
and laugh. By the fifth session, his parents said he was
more physically active and had less trouble speaking.
His fear and anxiety both at school and at home had
diminished. Michael was playing with other children
and based on his teacher’s report, had made some
improvement in his schoolwork. Examination showed
that he could speak more clearly and could write or
paint like a normal child. His physical activities, such
as jumping, kicking, running, and standing on one leg,
showed no restriction at all. The redness of his tongue
Figure 3 Back View of Stimulation areas was now only on the tip. His treatments were extended
to once every other week.

After the 10th session, Michael’s speech and

grades in school, as well as speech and physical
activities at home, had significantly improved. He
still had trouble saying some words, primarily those
beginning with s or r. After his 15th session, Michael
had become a happy, communicative, and physically
active boy who could say whatever he wanted, express
his feelings with clear words, and move his body and
limbs as he wished. He had no restriction of any of
his mental and physical activities. His parents were
happy to report that his math and reading scores had
progressed by a grade level and he was moved to first
grade.

Figure 4 Lateral View of Stimulation areas Our final examination at the clinic showed that
World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (WJAM)
Vol. 27, No.2, 30th Jun. 2017 ·65·

his tongue was a little red with a thin white coating a lifelong multidimensional process focused on
and his pulses were soft. A report from five-year overcoming developmental disabilities or learning new
following up showed that Michael became a normal ways to accomplish challenging task. The incidence of
boy in both mental and physical activities. He was dysarthria is estimated to range from 31% to 88% [7].
doing well in past five years at both school and home.
Michael was happy to report that he attended a state To treat children with dysarthria with Chinese
200-meter rifle shooting competition and won second scalp acupuncture, the needles are inserted bilaterally
place, demonstrating excellent coordination. in Speech areasⅠ or Ⅲ. The thinnest needles that can
be inserted into the scalp should be selected. One
DISCUSSION needle should be inserted on the shénmén (神门 TF 4)
Scalp acupuncture appears to have significant on the ear to help young patients relax and to reduce
success in treating CP and other central nervous sensitivity to needle insertion and stimulation of the
system disorders as compared to other acupuncture scalp. The least number of needles possible should
modalities including acupuncture on the ear, body, be used in the scalp in the initial treatment, and the
and hand. It is associated with not only improvement needles should be rotated at least 200 times per minute
in symptoms and quality of life but also the reversal with thumb and index finger for 1 minute. The needles
of mental and physical disability and restoration of should be twirled as gently as possible so that the child
can tolerate the sensation, and the stimulation should
normal brain function.
be repeated every 10 minutes. The practitioner should
select motor and sensory area accordingly to which the
We have used Chinese scalp acupuncture to treat
child’s symptoms and signs. Verbal communication
children with CP with symptoms including paralysis,
with children and their parents during treatment helps
ataxia, hypotonia or hypertonia, apraxia, dysarthria,
to reduce their fear and anxiety. It is often important to
dysphasia, and mental retardation. With advanced
encourage a child with aphasia to talk, count, or sing
brain research and imaging technology, scientists
in order to exercise the power of speech.
continue to understand better how the brain can adapt
after damage and even regain its ability to function [4].
During treatment, some patients may have some
It is now apparent that a child’s brain is not fully
or all of the following sensations: hot, cold, tingling,
developed until about the age of 8 years and has the
numbness, heaviness, distension, and the sensation
ability to reorganize, adapt, and reroute signals if
of water or electricity moving along their spine, legs,
it is stimulated properly[5]. Brain cells not only can or arms [8]. The practitioner should tell the parents
change in function and shape but also can take over and child that those sensations are normal and those
the functions of nearby damaged cells [6]. Based on patients who experience some or all of these sensations
these abilities, scalp acupuncture appears to stimulate usually respond and improve more quickly. However,
and facilitate the recovery of affected brain tissue those who do not have such sensations may still have
and/or support retraining unaffected brain tissue to positive results—sometimes immediate.
compensate for the lost functions of damaged tissue.
To treat area on the scalp treats weakness of limbs
Cerebral palsy may occur in children in utero, or a paralyzed extremity[9]. For instance, for a patient
during childbirth, or after birth up to about the age with weakness in the right leg and foot, the left side
of 3 years. The majority of children with cerebral of the Motor area on the scalp should be needled. The
palsy are born with it, although it may not be detected middle two-fifths region is used to treat contralateral
until months or years later. The brain damage is often dysfunctional movement of the upper extremity.
caused by genetic abnormalities, stroke, maternal The lower two-fifths region is used to treat bilateral
infections and fevers, or fetal injury including stroke dysfunctional movement of the face and head[10].
in utero.
To treat patients with coordination and balance
Conventional western medicine has historically problems needles are inserted and stimulated needles
believed that the damage from CP is not repairable in the balance area bilaterally. It is important to have
and the disabilities that result are permanent. The patients move the affected limb actively as well as
diagnosis of CP has relied upon the patient's history passively. Initially, the patient should be treated 2 to 3
and physical examination. Once a child is diagnosed times a week until major improvements are achieved.
with cerebral palsy, further diagnostic tests are Then treatment may be tapered to once weekly, then
optional. Treatment for cerebral palsy is commonly every 2 weeks, and then scheduled as indicated by the
 World Journal of Acupuncture-Moxibustion (WJAM)
·66· Vol. 27, No.2, 30th Jun. 2017

patient’s condition. A therapeutic course generally be $1 million. Medical profession has been researching
consists of 10 treatments. the best treatment for CP for long time. This study
shows the correlation between the use Chinese scalp
T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l d i ff e r e n t a c u p u n c t u r e acupuncture and improvements in patients with
techniques to treat weakness of limbs or paralysis. CP. This therapeutic intervention is accessible, cost
Although scalp acupuncture has the best and fastest effective and not associated with adverse events to
response, other techniques are necessary for a fuller date. And the response rate is rapid.
recovery. According to the individual’s condition,
regular body acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and Many healthcare practitioners are familiar with
moxibustion, as well as physical therapy and massage, acupuncture for pain management. However, scalp
can be combined with scalp acupuncture to speed acupuncture, as a useful tool for the treatment of
recovery. CP and other central nervous system disorders is
a new concept. Chinese scalp acupuncture may be
Electrical stimulation may be helpful if the able to provide solutions in situations where Western
practitioner has difficulty performing the rotation medicine treatments are limited and holds the potential
of the needles more than 200 times per minute. It is to expand treatment options for patients with CP and
suggested that only 1 to 2 pairs of the scalp needles other central nervous system disorders.
be stimulated at any one session or the brain can
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ABSTRACT IN CHINESE

[摘 要] 调督通络针法是“燕赵高氏针灸学术流派”治疗头痛的特效针法。该方法是将燕赵高氏家传的
治疗头痛的四组经验对穴与调督针法、子午流注开穴法及经筋疗法等针法相结合，根据患者的临床情况
恰当组合应用，治疗各种头痛的特色针法。临床应用得当不仅能够收到针入痛止的即时疗效，还能有效
的缩短治疗时间，并取得良好的远期效果。本文所介绍的就是该针法的具体操作方法及理论基础，并附
验案两则以说明。
[关键词] 头痛 针灸 调督通络针法 燕赵高氏针灸学术流派

(Continue from page 66)

ABSTRACT IN CHINESE

[摘 要] 目的：观察头针治疗脑性瘫痪的疗效。方法：笔者在美国对36位脑性瘫痪儿童进行了头针治
疗。选穴以足运感区、平衡区为主，根据患者个体情况，配合选择言语Ⅰ区，言语Ⅱ区，视区等，针刺
过程中行针捻转后留置头针30分钟。结果：在3到20次治疗后，治愈5例，14例取得了显著疗效，14例有
效，3例无效。在治疗过程中无不良反应发生。结论：目前头皮针刺已成为脑瘫治疗的首选方法，通过观
察纳入病例，发现头针缓解了脑瘫患儿的肢体痉挛、运动障碍、言语不能、认知障碍等，提高了病人的
生活质量，改善了身体残疾症状，部分脑瘫患者可以完全康复。这些脑瘫的病例为美国神经针灸研究院
与博瑞西医大学联合研究头针治疗小儿脑瘫的临床应用奠定了良好的基础。
[关键词] 头针 脑瘫