Mechanism Analysis of Acupuncture Intervention in Stroke Rehabilitation Guided by the Concept of “Promoting Healthy Qi”

Abstract

Stroke is characterized by high incidence and high disability rates, and its core pathogenesis can be summarized as “root deficiency and branch excess, with impaired movement of healthy qi.” The concept of “promoting healthy qi” originates from the Huangdi Neijing, which emphasizes that, in addition to reinforcing healthy qi, one should also unblock locally stagnant healthy qi and revive dormant healthy qi, thereby restoring the normal movement of healthy qi. Acupuncture, as an important rehabilitation intervention for stroke, exerts multi‑level regulatory effects through stimulating acupoints: during the acute and subacute stages, it improves cerebral hemodynamics, promotes collateral circulation, and reduces inflammatory injury in the ischemic penumbra; during the recovery stage, it upregulates the expression of neurotrophic factors and synapseassociated proteins, facilitating neural repair and remodeling; during longterm rehabilitation, it regulates monoamine neurotransmitters such as serotonin (5HT) and dopamine (DA), alleviating poststroke depression. These effects correspond respectively to the conditions of “insufficient healthy qi that cannot move,” “obstructed healthy qi that fails to move,” and “dormant healthy qi that is unable to move,” reflecting the regulatory characteristics of acupuncture in reinforcing healthy qi, removing stagnation, and awakening healthy qi. Elucidating the mechanisms of acupuncture in treating stroke based on the concept of “activating healthy qi” helps enrich the theoretical framework of traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation and provides new perspectives for acupuncture intervention in stroke rehabilitation.