International Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Open Access

Abstract

Acupressure as a Model for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Treatment Following Acquired Brain Injury: Translating Lessons from the Laboratory

Theresa D Hernández, Christine Palafox, Kristina L McFadden, Gail Ramsberger, Jeffrey Rings and Lisa A Brenner

Background: Acquired brain injury (e.g., stroke and traumatic brain injury or TBI) and associated sequelae are highly prevalent in the United States (U.S.), impacting both civilians and military populations. Because conventional treatments can be limited and functional recovery incomplete, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is often sought out. The popularity of CAM exists despite inconclusive research findings for CAM treatments for injuryassociated sequelae. Apparent methodological limitations in CAM studies include issues related to experimental design, control groups, sample size, blinding and disparities in outcome measures. Overcoming these limitations poses challenges, but not insurmountable ones.

Objective: Delineate and describe the necessary evidence-based infrastructure so that efficacious CAM treatments can be identified and this information disseminated to individuals seeking CAM therapies. With the full information of both risks and benefits, there is a increased likelihood of resources being invested in treatments that will achieve outcomes of interest. Design: The present review of a published body of work will describe, step-by-step, the fundamental framework within which researching the CAM intervention acupressure for two types of acquired brain injury (traumatic brain injury/TBI and stroke), can be accomplished using the highest methodological rigor.

Results: Included is a review and description of the "choice points" encountered in the decade-plus of published research from the CAIRR (Clinical Assessment of Injury, Recovery and Resilience) Neuroscience Laboratory, the methodological framework underlying these choice points, and how decisions at each choice point were made to optimize rigor.

Conclusions: Cogent scientific research is essential for identifying effective treatments for acquired brain injury, regardless of whether the treatments are conventional or CAM-based. In terms of CAM, such work will provide the opportunity to characterize both efficacy and limitations of CAM treatments, so that CAM may be fully understood and accessed appropriately by both treatment teams and those engaged in rehabilitation.