Combined Tui na and Western medicine treatment improves pulmonary function and quality of life in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A case report

Abstract

Rationale: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rare disease that cannot be cured. We report a case of a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis whose pulmonary function and quality of life were improved by a combined tui na treatment and Western medicine. Patient concerns: A 48-year-old male was diagnosed with ALS 1 year ago and was treated with western medicine and herbal medicine with no significant effect. This time, he was admitted to our department because of slurred speech, coughing and choking, and weakness of the left upper limb for more than 1 year. Intervention and outcome: After 1 month of treatment with tui na and traditional western medicine, the patient’s lung function and quality of life improved and he was discharged from the hospital. Diagnoses: Motor neuron disease. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Lessons: The physiological function of ALS patients can be improved through the intervention of tui na.

Clinical Effectiveness of Physical training incorporating Tuina therapy in Patients with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…Our team has published a case report suggesting that PT incorporating Tuina therapy can increase muscle strength, reduce muscle tension, and enhance lung function in patients with ALS [13]. Therefore, we intend to conduct a randomized controlled trial to further verify the hypothesis, whether PT incorporating Tuina therapy helps slow down the decline of physical function and improve the QoL of patients with ALS in its early stages against the background of a lack of a cure and rapidly progressive nature of the disease.…”

“…Tuina is a form of manual therapy originating from China, which mainly refers to the use of doctors' ngers, palms, and other parts of the limbs to massage, squeeze, and knead the body [12]. It targets muscles, tendons, and fascia and has great potential to relieve the symptoms of muscle weakness and spasticity caused by diseases such as stroke and spinal cord compression [13][14][15]. Compared with the active training in PT mentioned above, Tuina is a passive manipulation for patients and is a bene cial supplement to active training.…”