Effect of Acupuncture on Clinical Symptoms of Patients with Intractable Facial Paralysis: A Multicentre, Randomized, Controlled Trial

Xie H, Wang Z, Kan W, Yuan A, Yang J, Ye M, Shi J, Liu Z, Tong H, Cha B, Li B, Yuan X, Zhou C, Liu X · Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine · 2025 July 25

DOI 10.1007/s11655-025-4135-z

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Insights

Acupuncture effectively treats intractable facial paralysis, with characteristic acupuncture manipulation showing enhanced therapeutic results.

The research was carried out as a multicentre, single-blind, randomized controlled trial between October 2022 to June 2024. There were eighty-nine participants with intractable facial paralysis, randomly divided into an ordinary acupuncture group and a characteristic acupuncture group. Main acupoints were selected which included Yangbai, Quanliao, Yingxiang, Shuigou, Dicang, Chengjiang, Taiyang, Jiache, Fengchi, and Hegu. While the ordinary acupuncture group received traditional acupuncture manipulation, the characteristic acupuncture group received its characteristic version. Acupuncture treatments were given three times a week, equalling ten sessions in total for a full course that lasted ten weeks. Participants' facial recovery was evaluated at baseline and after each treatment course using the Anzhong Facial Paralysis Precision Scale and the House-Brackmann Grading Scale. Infrared technology was utilized to notice any temperature differences between the healthy and affected side of participant's faces. The outcomes after the second treatment course showed significant differences in scores between the two groups, with the differences being more considerable after the third course. Similar patterns were recorded in the House-Brackmann Grading Scale scores. Further, there were notable differences in temperatures of the frontal and ocular areas after the second treatments and mouth corner temperature after the third course. No safety-related incidents were observed throughout the research period. Conclusively, a strong correlation was found between the AFPPS-ECGS and the House-Brackmann Grading Scale. Therefore, the results indicate that acupuncture is indeed an effective treatment for intractable facial paralysis. Characteristic acupuncture manipulation even boosted the therapeutic effect and the use of the AFPPS-ECGS provided a more accurate reflection on patients' recovery status.