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Patient Experience Survey on Thread-Embedding Acupuncture for Facial Nerve Palsy Sequelae

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Facial nerve palsy sequelae affect approximately 30% of patients and substantially reduce quality of life.Although thread-embedding acupuncture (TEA), which embeds absorbable polydioxanone threads into acupoints, has been used as a therapeutic option, patient-centered evidence remains limited.This study investigated patients' experiences with TEA for managing facial nerve palsy sequelae, focusing on perceived symptom changes, safety, and treatment costs.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among patients who had undergone TEA for facial nerve palsy sequelae at least once ≥ 6 months after onset.Demographics, symptom discomfort, perceived symptom improvement, adverse events, and cost perceptions were descriptively analyzed.Results: Thirty participants (mean age 48.3 ± 12.6 years; 66.7% female) were included.The most common preintervention symptom was facial asymmetry, particularly involving the mouth and cheeks.Emotional stress and lack of sleep were the most frequently reported symptom-worsening factors.After TEA, patients reported the greatest improvements in facial stiffness, asymmetry, and incomplete movement across multiple facial regions.Adverse events were mild and transient, mainly pain, bruising, and foreign body sensation, with no severe complications.Most participants (63.3%) considered the treatment cost reasonable, and all reported feeling safe during the procedure.Conclusions: TEA was perceived by patients as a safe and acceptable therapy that improved the complicating symptoms of facial nerve palsy sequelae.These findings highlight patient-reported benefits and support the need for randomized controlled trials to confirm the clinical and cost-effectiveness of TEA.

Source: Journal of Acupuncture Research

DOI: 10.13045/jar.25.0034