Speech and Language Pathology

Speech Pathology

Expert Speech Language Pathologists and Acupuncture as a Cure for Aphasia

This assignment has provided me with an opportunity to present my position on a current controversial issue within my chosen profession. The concern that even the experts and supports of a topic disagree would definitely be tested with this issue. The chosen topic for this report will in fact be highly controversial in the near future and for some time to come. It stands to reason that the rival theories will cause the expected strife. Upon weighing the arguments, I will choose the side of that I believe will be the most successful solution for the issue. I chose curing aphasia symptoms as my topic.

Aphasia is a medical condition that Speech Pathologists are very familiar with. The condition impairs a person's ability to speak, write, and in many cases fail to comprehend the speech and writings of others. Doctors often describe what is happening to a patient by using the example that the symptoms are similar to a world traveler in a new foreign country for the first time and therefore is not capable of understanding the native language even though it is heard clearly. To clarify, a person suffering from the aphasia can hear the language but cannot understand what is being verbalized or written.

Aphasia is the direct symptom when damage has been done to the specific 'language centers' within the human brain. "Such damage can arise from a number of causes, including stroke, closed head injuries (frequent in automotive accidents), penetrating head wounds (such as gunshot wounds), less frequently tumors and other causes." (New Advances in the Treatment of Aphasia) Unfortunately for hundreds of thousands of Americans each year, anything that damages the brain matter in these specific locations increase the risk of the person also getting aphasia. Recovery is not guaranteed. "While some people do recover from the aphasic symptoms immediately following a stroke, many others follow a different course." (New Advances in the Treatment of Aphasia) The recovery period over the course of the first few weeks starts quickly however, it tapers off over time. Around the six-month mark after initial onset, the patient usually reaches a plateau and anything lost at that point may be permanent.

The approach to therapy has traditionally been focused on getting the patient speech-language therapy as quickly as possible after the onset due to the plateau scenario explained above. Thus, reeducation is the cure all. However, patients are rarely satisfied with the results and usually feel they could do more.

Two new strategies have recently become available for aphasia sufferers. Out of China studies show that acupuncture can increase recovery for the condition. And out of the United States, a new company claims that their computer technology has had positive results in aphasia suffers' recovery.

Rival 1: "Clinical observation on acupuncture treatment of pseudobullbar palsy: a report of 325 cases. Traditional Chinese Medicine etiologies are listed for this devastating disorder. Eighty-nine percent of the authors' patients had 2 or more strokes, 73% were male, and 74% were seen less than 60 days following a stroke. All choked when eating, 128 had chronic cough, 153 received nasal feeding, 185 were hoarse, 115 had lung infections, and all were sluggish mentally. More than one third had motor aphasia. They were treated with a variant of Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture, using GB 20, SJ 17, or GB 12 aimed at the larynx, SP 6, PC (MH) 6, and GV (DU) 26. The technique is described in the article. Treatment was daily for three 15-day courses. Sixty-nine percent were clinically cured, and 17% were markedly better. The effect was improved if treatment was within 60 days of stroke." (1999 Acupuncture Literature Review)

Rival 1 Argument: "The findings were very impressive, and our rehabilitation units need to have a trial of this. If the results were even half that of the report, it would still be worthwhile." (1999 ACUPUNCTURE LITERATURE REVIEW)

Rival 2: "One of the very exciting developments over the past years has been the development of advanced tools, methods, and service delivery for the treatment of aphasia. These tools include the Lingraphica® System, a patented, portable, interactive, highly stimulating, flexible, and adult-appropriate medical device which has been specially designed for use by and with aphasic patients. When employed by specially trained speech-language pathologists together with an extensive and detailed Algorithm of Patient Care, this system has consistently demonstrated its ability to produce superior clinical outcomes in adults recovering from aphasia." (New Advances in the Treatment of Aphasia)

Rival 2 Argument: "Several factors appear to contribute to producing these superior clinical outcomes. For one thing, the consistent use in a Language Care Center Program of the extensive Algorithm of Patient Care ensures consistency of treatment and of results. Next, the specialized and ongoing training received by speech-language pathologists means that they are constantly upgrading their own qualifications for achieving superior outcomes. Additionally, the specialized technology - the Lingraphica System - has been designed to be useful and stimulating to adult aphasic patients, with the result that they enjoy working with it. When patients have it at home, they often spend hours using it for practice and stimulation, and the sheer cumulative effect of all that time is frequently significant. And finally, the use of a database to capture treatment and response data of patients generally allows the Centers together to analyze and track treatment trends generally, establish benchmarks for superior service delivery, and constantly raise Centers to new level of achievement through Continuous Quality Improvement."