Acupuncture and Swallowing Reflex in Post-stroke Patients

Pneumonia is the fourth leading cause of death in Japan. Impairment of the swallowing reflex is a significant factor to developing silent aspiration in post-stroke patients. We examined 41 patients with old cerebral infarction or bleeding. The latency time in the swallowing reflex was measured before and after the acupuncture. Substance P levels in the saliva and plasma were quantified and these values were compared before and 30 min after the acupuncture. There were significant improvements in the latency time in the swallowing reflex 30 min after the acupuncture. The beneficial effects of acupuncture on the swallowing reflex continued for up to seven days.