Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of intradermal needle-embedding therapy in the treatment of dysphagia in stroke patients.Methods A total of 80 stroke patients with dysphagia were randomly divided into treatment group and control group(n = 40 in each).The control group was treated with conventional medicines

neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the bilateral midlines of the neck and swallowing function training

and the treatment group treated by intradermal needleembedding at Lianquan(CV 23)

Jialianquan-point

Yifeng(TE 17)

Ashi-point

etc.(once every other day for 20 days)on the basis of the treatments used in the control group.Swallowing function(0-10 points scaling

the bigger the better)and surface electromyography(sEMG)of the bilateral suprahyoid muscles and infrahyoid muscles in the relaxing

nothing swallowing and water-swallowing conditions were tested before and after the treatment.Results After treatment

the swallowing scores were significantly increased in both groups compared with those of their individual pre-treatment(P<0.05)

suggesting an improvement of swallowing function.During relaxing

nothing swallowing and water-swallowing conditions

the peak amplitudes of sEMG were considerably increased in both groups relevant to those of their individual pre-treatment(P<0.05).The swallowing function score

and maximum amplitudes of sEMG during relaxing

nothing swallowing and water-swallowing conditions were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group(P<0.05)

suggesting a better efficacy of intradermal needle-embedding treatment.Conclusion Intradermal needle-embedding can significantly improve the swallowing function of stroke patients with dysphagia.