Prehospital emergency care is frequently constrained by diagnostic limitations and resource scarcity, creating barriers to optimal treatment during critical windows. Acupuncture addresses these challenges through rapid symptom alleviation independent of complex diagnostics, offering distinct advantages in emergency settings: immediate applicability, technical simplicity, and demonstrated efficacy.
Objective:
To evaluate the biological/physiological and clinical evidence for integration of acupuncture in prehospital stroke care.
Methods:
Articles were retrieved from China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, and PubMed using “acupuncture” + “stroke” + “prehospital” or “emergency” as keywords from the databases’ inception to July 2025.
Results:
Research highlights specific acupoints with targeted therapeutic effects—Renzhong (GV26) and Neiguan (PC6) show particular promise in cerebral hemorrhage, while other combinations may benefit conditions like cerebral infarction, lumbar sprain, and facial paralysis. Notably, prehospital acupuncture may extend thrombolysis timeframes in ischemic stroke in a preclinical study. Although further studies are needed to clarify mechanisms and standardize protocols, current evidence supports acupuncture’s role as a valuable adjunct in integrated emergency systems.
Conclusions:
This review evaluates acupuncture’s integration into prehospital stroke care, highlighting its immediate applicability and technical simplicity. Basic Medical evidence indicates specific acupoints, like GV26 and PC6, offer targeted benefits, potentially extending thrombolysis windows and improving outcomes in cerebral hemorrhage and ischemic stroke. Current findings support its role as a valuable adjunct in emergency systems, though further research is needed.
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