To study the effect of head and body acupuncture combined with high-low frequency repetitive transcranial brain stimulation (rTMS) on nerve and limb function of hemiplegic patients with cerebral infarction.

Eighty patients with hemiplegia due to cerebral infarction were selected as the research subjects and were all treated in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of Henan Provincial Veterans' Hospital from May 2022 to May 2024. The subjects were randomly and equally divided into the control group and the observation group. Both groups were given conventional medical treatment. The control group was treated with high-low frequency rTMS on the basis of the above, while the observation group was treated with head-body acupuncture and giant needling therapy + high-low frequency rTMS on the basis of conventional medical treatment. The clinical efficacy of the subjects was evaluated. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and activities of Daily Living (Barthel Index) were used to assess the neurological function, limb motor function, balance function, and activities of daily living of the subjects. The cerebral hemodynamics [mean blood flow velocity (Vm) of the middle cerebral artery, pulsatility index (PI)] and serum neurotransmitter levels [brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] of the subjects were detected before and after the treatment.

The total effective rate in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Compared with before treatment, the levels of NIHSS score and pulse index (PI) were decreased (P <0.05), while the levels of FMA, BBS, Barthel score, middle cerebral artery Vm, BDNF, DA and 5-HT were increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the NIHSS score and PI level of the observation group were lower after treatment (P < 0.05), while the FMA, BBS, Barthel scores, Vm, BDNF, DA, and 5-HT levels were higher (P <0.05).

Head and body acupuncture combined with high-low frequency rTMS can effectively improve the clinical efficacy of patients with cerebral infarction hemiplegia, improve nerve function, limb function and balance function, promote hemodynamics and neurotransmitter release.