Acupuncture, in combination with Chinese Herbs, have been applied to help with many types of nervous system diseases, including but not limited to the following.

Peripheral facial Paralysis

Peripheral facial paralysis is caused by a acute and nonsuppurative inflammation in the stylomastoid foramen. Clinically it is marked by sudden onset, mostly in the morning, with the manifestation of stiffness, numbness and looseness of the face, enlargement of palperbral fissure, deviation of the mouth to the healthy side, disappearance of wrinkles on the forehead, flattening of the nasolabial groove and inability to draw eyebrows, frown, close eyes, show teeth, bulge cheeks, and pout lips. In some patients pain appears behind the ear and in the face in the early stage. It belongs to the category of “wry mouth”, or “deviation of the eye and mouth” in Chinese Medicine. It is mainly caused by wind attack to the meridians in the face, leading to obstruction of meridian qi, malnutrition of tendons and flaccidity of muscles.

Prosopalgia

Prosopalgia refers to a recurrent, transient, paroxymal, lightning-like, stabbing or burning pain in the trigeminal region. Clinically the second and third branches of trigeminal nerve on one side are often involved. Prosopalgia often occurs among people over 40, especially women. It is either primary or secondary. Clinically primary prosopalgia is most encountered. The following discussion mainly focuses on primary prosopalgia. This disease pertains to the category of “facial pain” in the Chinese Medicine. It is usually caused by wind attack to the meridians, or upward flaming of liver and stomach fire, or consumption of qi and blood, and stagnation of the meridians.

Sciatica

Sciatica refers to the pain the pathway of sciatica of sciatica nerve and its distraction area. It is marked by pain radiating to the foot from lumbar region, buttocks, posterior side of the thigh and posterior-lateral side of the shank. The pain is usually unilateral and aggravated when the wrist is bent or the lower limbs are moved. The causes of sciatica are various. Clinically it is divided into primary and secondary types. The secondary type is further classified into root and trunk type. Sciatica pertains to the categories of “obstructive syndrome”, “lumbar pain” and “pain of loin and legs” in Chinese Medicine. It is mainly caused by exogenous pathogenic wind, cold and dampness that obstruct meridians; or by depletion of kidney qi and malnutrition of meridians; or by trauma, sprain, and contusion resulting in stagnation of qi and blood in meridians.

Intercostal Neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia refers to the pain in one or several intercostals regions. It is marked by puncturing or lighting pain in the distribution region of intercostal nerves. It may be worsened by laughing, sneezing or deep breath. In severe cases, pain may radiate to the shoulder and back. Intercostal neuralgia is usually secondary, primary case is rear. This syndrome pertains to “pain of hypochondrium” in Chinese Medicine. It is usually caused by stagnation of liver qi, damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder, obstruction of stagnated blood, and deficiency of yin-blood in the liver and kidney that lead to obstruction or malnutrition of the liver and gallbladder meridians.   

Angioneurotic Headache

Angioneurotic headache, also called vascular headache, is usually believed to be caused by functional disturbance of cerebral nervus vascularies, and to be related to various vasoactive substances in blood. Clinically angioneurotic headache is usually unilateral and recurrent, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and premonitory signs. It is usually of family history and frequently seen among women, and often induced by several factor such as mental stress and overstrain. It is similar to “headache”, “cold headache”, “head-wind” and “migraine” in Chinese Medicine. The causes are either attack by exogenous wind or dysfunction of the facyors in the meridians, or hyperactivity of liver yang, or obstruction of phlegm and stasis, or failure of qi and blood to nurish the head.

Pharyngeal Paraesthenia

Pharyngeal paraesthenia, also called globus hystericus, belongs to pharyngeal neurosis, presenting with abnormal sensation in the throat as if a plum pit stuck in the throat. However, examination of the throat finds no abnormal changes. It mostly occurs among women. The disease is called “plum-pit qi” in Chinese Medicine. This problem is usually caused by mental depression, failure of the liver to smooth flow of qi. Stagnation of qi activity will result in abnormal distribution of body fluid, and the accumulated fluid give rise to phlegm. As the phlegm and qi get together and stuck in the throat, the disease arises.

Paralysis Agitans

Paralysis agitans, also known as Parkinson’s disease, is a common extrapyramidal disease due to degeneration of the central nerve system. It is characterized by static tremor, myotone, and bradykinesia. The disease with definite cause is known as “secondary paralysis agitans or Parkinsonian syndrome”. This disease pertains to the category of “shaking syndrome” and “tremor” in Chinese Medicine. The basic pathogenesis is stirring up of endogenous wind leading to tremor, and malnutrition of musculature of meridian resulting in stiffness and impaired movement. The cause of stirring up of liver-wind is deficiency of yin-blood, and in a prolonged case involvement of yang by yin leading to deficiency of both yin and yang.

Cervical Spondylopathy

Cervical spondylopathy, also known as cervical vertebral syndrome, is a syndrome due to long-term sprain, osseous hyperplasia, protrusion of intervetebral disc and thickening of ligament which compress the cervical disc spinal cord and nerve roots, and cause blood circulation disturbance. The clinical manifestations are pain in the head, neck, shoulders, arms and chest. This disease pertains to “obstructive syndrome” in Chinese Medicine. It is usually caused by invasion of pathogenic wind, cold and dampness into the meridians, blocking the flow of qi and blood; or by insufficiency of of the liver and kidney, deficiency of qi and blood in the aged, leading to malnutrition of the tendons bones and collaterals; or by impairment of the tendons due to long-term strain.