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Meta-Analysis
. 2010 Aug 4;2010(8):CD002914.
doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002914.pub5.

Acupuncture for Bell's palsy

Ning Chen  1 , Muke Zhou, Li He, Dong Zhou, N Li
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Acupuncture for Bell's palsy

Ning Chen et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. .

Abstract

Background: Bell's palsy or idiopathic facial palsy is an acute facial paralysis due to inflammation of the facial nerve. A number of studies published in China have suggested acupuncture is beneficial for facial palsy.

Objectives: The objective of this review was to examine the efficacy of acupuncture in hastening recovery and reducing long-term morbidity from Bell's palsy.

Search strategy: We updated the searches of the Cochrane Neuromuscular Disease Group Trials Specialized Register (24 May 2010), The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Issue 2, 2010), MEDLINE (January 1966 to May 2010), EMBASE (January 1980 to May 2010), AMED (January 1985 to May 2010), LILACS (from January 1982 to May 2010) and the Chinese Biomedical Retrieval System (January 1978 to May 2010) for randomised controlled trials using 'Bell's palsy' and its synonyms, 'idiopathic facial paralysis' or 'facial palsy' as well as search terms including 'acupuncture'. Chinese journals in which we thought we might find randomised controlled trials relevant to our study were handsearched. We reviewed the bibliographies of the randomised trials and contacted the authors and known experts in the field to identify additional published or unpublished data.

Selection criteria: We included all randomised controlled trials involving acupuncture by needle insertion in the treatment of Bell's palsy irrespective of any language restrictions.

Data collection and analysis: Two review authors identified potential articles from the literature search, extracted data and assessed quality of each trial independently. All disagreements were resolved by discussion between the review authors.

Main results: The literature search and handsearching identified 49 potentially relevant articles. Of these, six RCTs were included involving 537 participants with Bell's palsy. Two more possible trials were identified in the update than the previous version of this systematic review, but both were excluded because they were not real RCTs. Of the six included trials, five used acupuncture while the other one used acupuncture combined with drugs. No trial reported on the outcomes specified for this review. Harmful side effects were not reported in any of the trials. Poor quality caused by flaws in study design or reporting (including uncertain method of randomisation, allocation concealment and blinding) and clinical differences between trials prevented reliable conclusions about the efficacy of acupuncture.

Authors' conclusions: The quality of the included trials was inadequate to allow any conclusion about the efficacy of acupuncture. More research with high quality trials is needed.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

No conflict of interest reported.

Figures

1
1
Methodological quality summary: review authors' judgements about each methodological quality item for each included study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Update of

References

References to studies included in this review

Li 2005 {published data only}
    1. Li Jiangping. Comparison the efficacy between acupuncture and manipulation for Bell's palsy. Chinese Clinical Medicine Research 2005;11(12):1715‐6.
Liu 1996 {published data only}
    1. Liu Min. Comparison of acupuncture and drug treatment for 130 patients with facial palsy. Journal of Clinical Acupuncture 1996;12(5,6):56.
Ma 2004 {published data only}
    1. Ma Zubin. Clinical observations on acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of HIV positive peripheral facial paralysis. Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2004;23(10):19‐20.
Shao 1999a {published data only}
    1. Shao Shufeng. Acupuncture and western medicine for 58 patients with peripheral facial palsy. New Chinese Medicine 1999;30(1):14.
Yang 2001 {published data only}
    1. Yang Guangyi. Comparison of the efficacy between acupuncture and therapy apparatus for Bell's palsy. Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2001;17(8):28‐9.
Yu 1999 {published data only}
    1. Yu Yaqin. Analysis of acupuncture for peripheral facial palsy. Shanghai Journal of Acupuncture and Moxibustion 1999;18(5):26.

References to studies excluded from this review

Anon 1998 {published data only}
    1. Anonymous. Traditional Chinese Medicine for facial neuritis. Journal of Youjiang Medical College for National Minorities 1998;18(2):230‐1.
Chen 2000 {published data only}
    1. Chen Chaomin. Efficacy analysis of four acupuncture‐based treatments for Bell's Palsy. Jiangsu Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2000;21(10):41‐4.
Chen 2003 {published data only}
    1. Chen Qingping. Acupuncture plus facial palsy recovery herb for 30 peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Chinese Rural Physician 2003;5(5):47‐8.
Chen 2004 {published data only}
    1. Chen Ying. Comparison the efficacy between electronic acupuncture and corticosteroids for Bell's Palsy in acute phase. Beijing Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2004;23(2):105‐6.
Chen 2008 {published data only}
    1. Chen Suhua. Observation of acupuncture for peripheral facial paralysis. Modern Journal of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine 2008;17(7):990‐1.
Chen 2009 {published data only}
    1. Chen X, Zheng H, Hu K, et al. A randomized controlled trial of acupuncture and moxibustion to treat Bell's palsy according to different stages: design and protocol. Contemporary Clinical Trials 2009;30(4):347‐53. - PubMed
Diao 2002 {published data only}
    1. Diao Lihong, et al. Comparison of the efficacy between acupuncture and manipulation for Bell's palsy. Journal of Huaihua Medical College 2002;1(2):34‐5.
Diao 2003 {published data only}
    1. Diao Lihong, et al. Acupuncture for 50 acute peripheral facial paralysis. Study Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2003;21(11):1943.
Gao 1998 {published data only}
    1. Gao S, Gao Q. Can the addition of moxibustion during acupuncture therapy improve recovery from Bell's Palsy?. American Journal of Acupuncture 1998;26(1):33‐6.
Huang 1999 {published data only}
    1. Huang Xinsheng. Qianzhengsan herb for 86 Bell's palsy patients. Traditional Chinese Medicine Research 1999;12(5):31‐2.
Huang 2001 {published data only}
    1. Huang Weizhen. Acupuncture plus digital compression for 23 refractory facial palsy. Jilin Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2001;3:44‐5.
Li 1987 {published data only}
    1. Li Zhiming, et al. Acupuncture for 1014 facial palsy patients. Chinese Acupuncture 1987;3:1‐3.
Li 1997 {published data only}
    1. Li L, Chen J, Shi T. The therapeutic effects of lifting‐twirling manoeuvre in acupuncture treatment of facial paralytic sequelae. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1997;17(3):203‐6. - PubMed
Li 2002 {published data only}
    1. Li Ning. Clinical observation of the effects of acupuncture on acute Bell's facial paralysis. Journal of Beijing University of TCM 2002;25(2):66‐8.
Li 2004a {published data only}
    1. Li Ying, et al. Efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating Bell's palsy : a multicenter randomized controlled trial in China. Chinese Medical Journal 2004;117(10):1502‐6. - PubMed
Li 2004b {published data only}
    1. Li Chun. Acupuncture plus methycobal for peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Practical Traditional Chinese Medicine 2004;20(5):245.
Li 2009 {published data only}
    1. Li Xue, Jia Chengwen. Acupuncture for 35 patients with peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Shanxi College of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2009;32(3):43.
Liu 1995 {published data only}
    1. Liu Guizhen. Electronic acupuncture for acute peripheral facial palsy. Journal of Shanghai Acupuncture 1995;14(6):257.
Liu 2001 {published data only}
    1. Liu Wei. Acupuncture for 187 peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Beijing University of TCM 2001;24(2):74‐5.
Liu 2005 {published data only}
    1. Liu Xiuling. Acupuncture for peripheral facial paralysis. Fujian Journal of TCM 2005;36(1):29‐30.
Luo 2010 {published data only}
    1. Luo HP, Lin TD, Cai M, Huang XX, Wang BB, Gao WK. [Optimization of acupuncture treatment programs for facial paralysis]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2010;30(2):93‐6. - PubMed
Pan 2004 {published data only}
    1. Pan Liangde. Acupuncture plus short wave for 38 peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2004;20(4):26‐7.
Peng 2002 {published data only}
    1. Peng Zhifeng, et al. Comparison the efficacy between acupuncture and drug for Bell's palsy. Guangdong Journal of odontiasis prevention and cure 2002;10(3):211‐2.
Reheman 2009 {published data only}
    1. Reheman A, Liu HS, Kang MF. [Clinical study on acupuncture combined with moxibustion on temperature‐sensitive points for treatment of Bell palsy in the acute stage]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2009;29(1):17‐20. - PubMed
Ren 1987 {published data only}
    1. Ren Liujiang. Acupuncture for 450 facial palsy patients. Chinese Acupuncture 1987;3:13‐4.
Shao 1999b {published data only}
    1. Shao Mingyue. Acupuncture for 195 patients with facial palsy. Clinical Journal of Acupuncture 1999;15(12):14‐5.
Shui 1999 {published data only}
    1. Shui Ruiying. Qianzhengsan Herb for 35 peripheral facial palsy patients. Hebei Journal of Conjugation of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine 1999;8(5):782‐3.
Wang 2003 {published data only}
    1. Wang Guanming. Treatment for 87 Cases of peripheral facial paralysis with the Integration of TCM and Western Medicine and the use of herbs and acupuncture and moxibustion. Shanghai Journal of Stomatolog 2003;12(4):304‐6. - PubMed
Wang 2004 {published data only}
    1. Wang XH, Zhang LM, Han M, Zhang KQ, Jiang JJ. Treatment of Bell's palsy with combination of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. West China Journal of Stomatology 2004;22(3):211‐3. - PubMed
Wang 2005a {published data only}
    1. Wang Zhaoyang, et al. Acupuncture for acute peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Beijing University of TCM 2005;12(2):12‐14.
Wang 2005b {published data only}
    1. Wang Sufang. Acupuncture for 80 peripheral facial paralysis by stages. Modern Traditiona1 Chinese Medicine 2005;25(5):47‐8.
Wu 1987 {published data only}
    1. Wu Jingwei. Acupuncture for 220 peripheral facial palsy patients. Chinese Acupuncture 1987;3:19‐20.
Xing 1997 {published data only}
    1. Xing W, Liu H. Clinical Observation on acupuncture treatment of persistent facial paralysis. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1997;17(1):18‐20. - PubMed
Yang 2002 {published data only}
    1. Yang Jinshan. Acupuncture plus herbs for peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2002;18(5):5‐6.
Yang 2003 {published data only}
    1. Yang Yi. Acupuncture for 80 Acute peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Emergency in Traditional Chinese Medicine 2003;5:444‐5.
Yang 2009 {published data only}
    1. Yang Y, Zhang W, Zhu JP. [Clinical observation on therapeutic effect of different acupuncture therapies on acute peripheral facial paralysis]. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu 2009;29(6):452‐4. - PubMed
Ye 2003 {published data only}
    1. Ye Tianshen. Acupuncture plus methycobal injection for 35 refractory facial palsy. Jiangxi Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2003;34(3):40‐1.
Yu 2003 {published data only}
    1. Yu Jindong. Point Injection plus acupuncture for acute peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Clinical Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2003;19(12):22‐3.
Zang 1999 {published data only}
    1. Zang Junqi. 80 Cases of peripheral facial paralysis treated by acupuncture with vibrating shallow insertion. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1999;19(1):44‐7. - PubMed
Zeng 2006 {published data only}
    1. Zeng Xian. Acupuncture plus point injection for 90 peripheral facial paralysis. Zhejiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2006;41(1):35‐6.
Zhang 1997a {published data only}
    1. Zhang Xuexun. Electric needle therapy for peripheral facial paralysis. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1997;17(1):47‐9. - PubMed
Zhang 1997b {published data only}
    1. Zhang Yuhong. Clinical experience in acupuncture treatment of facial paralysis. Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 1997;17(3):217‐9. - PubMed
Zhang 2003 {published data only}
    1. Zhang Xin. Acupuncture for 52 facial palsy. Xinjiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2003;21(3):25‐6.
Zhang 2005 {published data only}
    1. Zhang Hao. Acupuncture combined with facial muscle training for peripheral facial paralysis. Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory Practice 2005;11(12):1037‐8.
Zhong 2005 {published data only}
    1. Zhong Yingzhi. Acupuncture and moxibustion cooperates with the point to inject and treat obstinate 32 cases of facial paralysis. Journal of Yunnan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2005;28(3):22‐3.
Zhou 2004 {published data only}
    1. Zhou Yanling, et al. Acupuncture plus manipulation for 88 peripheral facial paralysis. Hei Longjiang Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2004;4:38‐9.
Zhu 1995 {published data only}
    1. Zhu Lejin. Different therapy for 214 facial palsy patients. Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine 1995;16(3):31‐2.

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References to other published versions of this review

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