Traumatic Brain Injury: Novel Approaches

I have been convinced of the power of acupuncture to help heal TBI for many years. My patients, including my TBI patients, have benefited greatly from treatment by skilled practitioners of this ancient healing modality. 

In this study, Chinese researchers treated patients who had suffered traumatic brain injury as a result of an earthquake. The patients were treated with either a standard Western medicine protocol (Rehab + hyperbaric oxygen) or the same protocol enhanced with traditional Chinese medicine in the form of acupuncture. At two months and six months, the group treated with the enhanced protocol had superior return of cognitive function and improvements in activities of daily living as compared to the standard Western protocol alone.

Recently, one of my patients who was unable to "turn the corner" on recovery from her tenth concussion began treatment with an acupuncturist who was trained by Professor Ming Qing Zhu, the developer of a unique form of neuro-acupuncture involving acupuncture points on the scalp. With the addition of this modality to cranial and other treatment, she has experienced a significant and impressive return of her formerly high energy levels, sleep, and executive and cognitive function within a period of eight weeks of treatment.

Acupuncture has an ancient healing pedigree. It will be most interesting to follow the scientific research on TBI as it uncovers acupuncture's power to help victims of TBI recover and heal.