In Janské Lázně, patients with complete spinal cord severance are successfully regaining movement
February 19, 2024, Janske Lazne – There has never been a functional form of treatment in the world that could help patients with complete spinal cord injuries. In Janské Lázně, a unique treatment for paralysis using electroacupuncture has been helping patients for several years. The author of the AC-TIVE ENF treatment method, which was created by combining medical acupuncture and knowledge of physical medicine, is rehabilitation physician Peter Olšák, who has treated more than 700 patients, including those with complete spinal cord injuries.
This is a huge breakthrough in the treatment of these patients, with the first 3 patients gradually experiencing partial restoration of movement in the trunk and lower limbs. Peter Olšák developed the method in cooperation with Palacký University in Olomouc. Every month, dozens of patients with severe movement disorders visit the Janské Lázně treatment center, and some of them have documented very rapid progress in treatment. This involves a number of procedures that aim to make it easier for patients to sit, stand, or perform other activities that they were unable to do before treatment. In addition, the treatment has virtually no side effects.
"We managed to partially restore movement in the trunk and lower limbs of a 16-year-old boy, Viktor, who was paralyzed as a result of an accident in the forest. According to reports from the spinal unit and the clinical condition, it was a complete interruption of the spinal cord. In practice, this manifests itself in the fact that the patient stops feeling his body from a certain height of the trunk and cannot control his movement below this limit. This was also the case with Viktor, and this condition lasted 13 months after the accident. As soon as he received treatment with electroacupuncture, he gradually began to actively use the muscles of the trunk and in the hip area. Today, he is able to partially move not only his trunk, but also his lower limbs. However, he still has a complete disorder of movement perception," said Dr. Peter Olšák.
The method, whose full name is electroacupuncture neuromuscular facilitation, combines traditional acupuncture, which is an official medical method in the Czech Republic, with current knowledge of physical therapy. The doctor inserts acupuncture needles into the patient and then uses a device to deliver an electric current to the acupuncture needles. Patients perceive this as a tingling sensation, and at higher intensities, visible muscle contractions also occur. The current helps damaged pathways in the body to function better.
Thanks to the development of special acupuncture needles, developed at Palacký University in Olomouc, the application will also be more comfortable for the patient in the future. "The needles are innovative primarily in three main parameters, which are increased efficiency of the result by 30-40 percent compared to a classic acupuncture needle, greater comfort for the patient during application, and a lower risk of unwanted withdrawal during application, “ explained MUDr. Peter Olšák. The treatment is currently not covered by public health insurance. One 30-minute application costs 500 crowns.
Currently, a 32-year-old adult woman is also undergoing treatment, having suffered a severe spinal cord injury and coming to treatment after 7 months. She also suffered a complete spinal cord rupture with complete loss of movement and sensation. "After 5 applications of electroacupuncture, it can partially activate some movements of the trunk and hips, and there is even a change in perception in these parts of the body. I believe that these patients will still be able to restore movement so that the quality of their daily lives can improve despite the severe disability. In total, we have 3 patients in treatment so far with complete spinal cord interruption, where movement has demonstrably been restored after electroacupuncture treatment. Our vision is to perform applications on other patients with complete spinal cord interruption in order to determine the percentage of patients with complete spinal cord interruption that our treatment will be effective for,” the author of the treatment method stated.
People who have a confirmed diagnosis of complete spinal cord injury can apply for treatment. Other criteria include the time since the injury, or discharge from the spinal unit within 6 months of the injury, and a condition without restoration of movement or sensitivity of the trunk and limbs.
Not all patients progress the same, it always depends on the nature and severity of the disability. The spectrum of diagnoses for which the application of this method is considered in Janské Lázně is very wide. "It is always necessary to assess the patient's overall condition and set realistic goals. The method is suitable for most paralyzed patients in whom movement is restored very slowly. They have suffered from stroke, spinal cord damage and peripheral nerve injuries. We also achieve good results in the treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis who have an acute attack that results in limited movement. The more severe the disability, the more important it is for patients to receive the application quickly,” clarified Dr. Peter Olšák.
Dr. Peter Olšák
He was born in 1985 in Ilava, Slovakia. After studying at the Faculty of Medicine of Palacký University in Olomouc, he worked as a rehabilitation physician at the Olomouc University Hospital for ten years. In the fall of 2020, he joined the Vesna Children's Hospital, where he still works.
He began using electroacupuncture in patients with severe movement disorders in 2016, and has treated more than 700 of them with this method. He lectures on electroacupuncture, teaches acupuncture and electroacupuncture for doctors, and is the scientific secretary of the Czech Medical Acupuncture Society (JEP).
Last year, he led a team of scientists from Palacký University in Olomouc who won the Transfera technology day 2023 competition with innovative needles for electroacupuncture applications.
