Insights & Discussion
Current evidence suggests that Chinese herbal medicine is an effective and safe treatment for spinal cord injury and could be treated as a complementary and alternative option with few side effects.
A total of 26 studies involving 1961 participants were included in this study. No serious heterogeneity or publication bias was observed across each study. The results showed that significant improvements of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA)-grading improvement rate, clinical effective rate, ASIA motor score, ASIA sensory score (total), ASIA sensory score (light touch) ASIA sensory score (pinprick) and activities of daily living (ADL) score in CHM group compared with the control group.
Among the CHM groups, Buyang Huanwu decoction was the most frequently prescribed herbal formula, while Astragalus membranaceus was the most commonly used single herb. In addition, there were no serious and permanent adverse effects in the two groups.
The methodological quality of the most included RCTs was poor and the quality of evidence for the main outcomes was from very low to moderate according to the GRADE system. Current evidence suggests that CHM is an effective and safe treatment for SCI and could be treated as a complementary and alternative option with few side effects.
However, considering the low quality, small size, and high risk of the studies identified in this meta-analysis, higher methodological quality, rigorously designed RCTs with large sample sizes are needed to confirm the results.
Discover Related Insights
Acupuncture can significantly increase motor function and daily living ability of individuals who suffer from spinal cord injury, especially acupuncture of the back + front or the head + back.
2019 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine The Effect of Different Acupuncture Therapies on Neurological Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Feng Xiong , Chenying Fu, Qing Zhang, Lihong Peng , Zejun Liang , Li Chen, et al.
Systematic Review
We used Bayesian frameworks to compare various acupuncture therapies and rehabilitation (and medicine), and the results showed that acupuncture may be an effective and safe treatment, and there are differences between existing acupuncture therapies for spinal cord injury. And, its ranking chart may be useful for clinical practice and further research. In terms of data processing, we used scores at the end of treatment to arrive at clinically valuable conclusions.
The main results of the ranking chart showed that the acupuncture on the back + front, the back + head is most effective in improving muscle strength, followed by the back and back + limbs, head + limbs, limbs, back + front + limbs, and simple rehabilitation training (and drugs); while the back + front is most effective in improving the ability of daily life, followed by the back + head, back + limbs, back + front + limbs, back, rehabilitation training, limbs, and head + limbs.
Acupuncture can be useful to treat spinal cord injury and its complications if patients experience side effects or have no (or a weak) response to a conventional treatment.
2013 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Acupuncture for Spinal Cord Injury and Its Complications: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials In Heo, Byung-Cheul Shin, Young-Dae Kim, Eui-Hyoung Hwang, Chang Woo Han, Kwang-Ho Heo
Systematic Review
This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs that fully evaluates the effectiveness of needle acupuncture for spinal cord injury (SCI) and its complications. Of the 16 trials included in this paper, 8 trials studied the effects of acupuncture on functional recovery in SCI and 8 trials that studied its effect on the secondary complications that follow SCI (6 trials for bladder dysfunction, and 2 trials for pain levels).
The results of our systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that the evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture as a symptomatic treatment for SCI and its complications is encouraging but limited.
Although the effectiveness of acupuncture is unclear in SCI or its complications, acupuncture therapy is a relatively convenient and safe treatment for some conditions. SCI patients who receive long-term rehabilitation or medication treatments may occasionally need a safe nonpharmacological treatment. In this regard, acupuncture can be useful to treat SCI and its complications if patients experience side effects or have no (or a weak) response to a conventional treatment.