Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture?
- How does Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture differ from traditional acupuncture?
- How does Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture differ from other styles of scalp acupuncture?
- How is treatment usually applied?
- How long is a typical treatment session?
- How many treatments are usually needed to obtain results?
- Do scalp needles puncture into the brain?
- Do scalp needles cause bleeding or infection?
- Can patients on blood thinner use scalp acupuncture?
- Is scalp acupuncture contra-indicated for acute stroke?
- What medical conditions respond well to Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture?
- Are there clinical tests that demonstrate the efficacy of scalp acupuncture?
- How effective is scalp acupuncture for the treatment of stroke?
What is Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture?
Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture is one of a number of specialized microsystem acupuncture techniques. The more general acupuncture therapy is often called body acupuncture. In scalp acupuncture, very short, fine needles are placed on the scalp to achieve the desired therapeutic effects on different parts of the body. This technique has yielded outstanding results for thousands of patients, and has become recognized worldwide as one of the most effective methods for the treatment of a wide variety of difficult-to-manage medical conditions.
How does Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture differ from traditional acupuncture?
The major differences between Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture and body acupuncture are
- It is more convenient as the patient can receive a treatment in any position and it does not interfere with daily activities.
- There is less pain associated with scalp acupuncture than with body acupuncture.
- For most conditions results tend to be faster.
- The locations of the needling differ. Although the scalp has numerous traditionally identified acupuncture points along several of the major meridians, Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture has its own unique treatment zones.
How does Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture differ from other scalp acupuncture methods?
One main difference between Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture and other styles is that Zhu's needles are shorter and thinner, so there is virtually no pain. Zhu's treatment areas are also located differently, and Zhu's ways of manipulating the needles are unique. In addition, the simultaneous use of physical and mental exercises called "dao-yin tu-na" (not tuna nor tui-na) greatly enhance our therapeutic results.
How is treatment usually applied?
Patients can receive scalp acupuncture treatment in a natural sitting or lying position. Very fine, short needles are inserted superficially in the scalp and generally produce no pain or discomfort. While stimulation is applied to the needles, patients are instructed to follow specific physical and breathing exercises, focusing energy on the target areas.
How long is a typical treatment session?
A treatment session usually lasts 1 hour. Throughout the session, the needles are manipulated 3 or more times. Needles can be retained in the scalp for 2 to 72 hours. These periods are generally shorter for children.
How many treatments are usually needed to obtain results?
Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture is remarkable for its immediate effects. In most cases, patients feel improvement after the first treatment, with these positive responses usually continuing for 3–4 days. To sustain the results, it is often necessary to repeat the treatment. The frequency of treatments is determined by the acuteness and severity of the ailment. For acute conditions, daily treatment or 3–5 treatments per week is recommended. For chronic problems 2 treatments per week may be adequate.
Do scalp needles puncture into the brain?
No, our brains are enclosed in skulls so hard that surgeons need an electric drill to perform a brain surgery. The needles used in Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture are so thin that it is impossible to puncture through the bone. Practitioners are trained to avoid needling into areas where the skull bone is removed or not closed, such as an infant's fontanelle.
Do scalp needles cause bleeding or infection?
Although the scalp is richly supplied with blood vessels, there are no large arteries within the treatment zones of Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture. Therefore bleeding is rare and, when present, is so minimal that it can be stopped easily by light pressure on the bleeding site.
Every practitioner of Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture routinely follows an antiseptic procedure on the scalp, employing only sterilized, single-use disposable needles. The risk of infection is extremely low. Special care is also taken to not needle into inflammed areas.
Can patients on blood thinning medication use scalp acupuncture?
Patients on blood thinners such as coumadin can safely use scalp acupuncture. There is no clinical evidence that the needles increase the risk of bleeding.
Is scalp acupuncture contra-indicated for acute stroke?
No. Quite the contrary, early intervention with Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture is highly recommended. Whether it is an ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture can help minimize the scope of damage and promote more rapid recovery.
What medical conditions respond well to scalp acupuncture?
Zhu's Scalp Acupuncture treats the same variety of diseases as body acupuncture. It has wide application in internal medicine, pediatrics, geriatrics, gynecology, etc. However, it is effective most notably in the treatment of acute conditions, pain and nervous system disorders. Specific examples include: acute and chronic pain syndromes, stroke, spinal cord injuries, motor and senory dysfunctions, neuropathies, Bell's Palsy, sciatica, aphasia, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, attention deficit disorder, hyperactive syndrome, depression, anxiety, insomnia, neurasthenia, schizophrenia and other psychological and psychosomatic disorders, senile dementia, Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and many others.
Are there clinical tests demonstrating the efficacy of scalp acupuncture?
Yes. Many clinical reports from China indicate a high degree of effectiveness, many in cases where body acupuncture had not been sufficiently effective. 2,917 cases of hemiplegia treated in 34 Chinese clinics revealed an effective rate of 94.5%, with 58.9% markedly improved. In an article on scalp acupuncture reviewing 110 cases of hemiplegia of 110 cases, 29 were essentially cured, with mobility of limbs recovered. Analysis of these cases showed that the location, number and extent of the cerebral lesions correlated closely with the therapeutic effects, with early institution of the acupuncture treatments leading to better results. In a report on pseudobulbar paralysis, in which scalp acupuncture and body acupuncture were combined, the treatment was effective in all 28 cases. 19 cases (68%) were cured and 9 cases (32%) were markedly effective. The shortest course of treatment was 4 sessions and the longest 4 courses [40 sessions]. In treating hemiplegia, single treatments for upper and lower extremities improved muscle strength by about 20%, whole blood cholinesterase was reduced by about 15%, and speed of blood flow through nail bed capillaries increased by over 30%. In our own clinic, we have achieved a 100% cure rate for acute Bell's Palsy, using typically 10-20 treatment sessions, given once daily.
How effective is scalp acupuncture for the treatment of stroke?
In a study of scalp acupuncture applied immediately following a stroke it was reported that both thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 6-ketone prostaglandin F10 (6KP) levels in the blood plasma were affected. These biochemicals are the stable metabolites of substances involved in platelet clumping: thromboxane A2, which induces clumping of platelets and contraction of arteries, and prostaglandin I2, which inhibits platelet clumping and inhibits formation of arterial atheromas (by reducing cell proliferation). The physicians treated 20 patients who had suffered an ischemic stroke within the prior 10 days. It was shown that stroke patients had higher plasma TXB2 levels and lower plasma 6KP levels than healthy persons. After performing acupuncture on the stroke patients, the TXB2 levels declined and the 6KP levels rose. The changes were statistically significant, though the parameters did not reach the levels of healthy patients. The improvements in TXB-6KP levels were interpreted as a biochemical manifestation of harmonizing yin and yang. The authors thought that the effect of acupuncture was mediated by the cerebral cortex and the nervous humoral system.
