Case report - Stroke (hemiplegia and Millard-Gubler
syndrome)
In May 2000, I was called to attend M., a 43-year-old
female patient who was in a rehabilitation hospital
following a severe stroke with pons hemorrhage. The patient
had suffered complete paralysis (hemiplegia) of the right
side and facial paresis (Millard-Gubler syndrome) on the
left side.
Neurosurgery to correct hydrocephalus and a year of
rehabilitation using the must up-to-date multimodal
treatment approach had not brought any significant
improvement in M.’s condition. At the time I began
treatment with YNSA in August 2001, she was still
struggling with paralysis of the entire right side of her
body. She described her arm as “cold and foreign”, and
could not lift it off the table. The muscles of her face
were slack, but felt “tight”, and her leg was “useless”.
She suffered from frequent bouts of depression.
Over a period of four weeks, M. received 12 sessions of
YNSA, in which I needled zones A, B, C, D and cerebrum. The
zones were extremely sensitive. Acupuncture was not applied
directly to the cranial surgery scar. In addition to YNSA,
Chinese scalp acupuncture points were needled twice during
the course of treatment. At each YNSA treatment, the
patient reported a sensation of warmth in the affected
extremities, especially the arm. Over the series of
treatments, there was a considerable increase in the
strength and mobility of the affected side, and reduced
spasticity. On the other hand, there was little change, at
least outwardly, in the facial paresis. However, M.
reported that her face felt “lighter” and less “tight”. The
feeling of improved mobility was maintained even after the
20-minute acupuncture sessions, and this was confirmed
during subsequent physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
After a month (12 acupuncture sessions), M. was able to
touch her hand to her nose without assistance, and hold
objects such as a cup. Movement returned to her foot and
leg as well. Thus she was able to lift her leg a few
centimeters while sitting in the wheelchair, which made it
much easier for her to move from the bed to the wheelchair,
and greatly improved her quality of life. Later on, when M.
requested that her rehabilitation treatment be continued,
she expressly asked that acupuncture be included.
YNSA zones needled:
YNSA A zone, YNSA B zone, YNSA C zone, YNSA brain points,
YNSA Ypsilon points
Chinese scalp acupuncture:
Motor and sensory zone, sensomotory foot zone
Additional therapeutic measures:
Regular rehabilitation therapy offered at the clinic
Reported by Dr. Friedrich Molsberger, Berlin