Bell PalsyEABP-SEMGNCT07514117
Electroacupuncture With Two Pulse Patterns for Bell's Palsy Using Surface Electromyography Evaluation
A study testing Electroacupunture(continuous pulse pattern) and Electroacupuncture(intermittent pulse pattern) in people with Bell Palsy, run by The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University.
Trial summary
This clinical trial is designed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of two EA parameter settings for Bell's palsy and to investigate the electromyographic characteristics of the disease. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Bell Palsy
- What is being tested?
- Electroacupunture(continuous pulse pattern) and Electroacupuncture(intermittent pulse pattern)
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 111 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Sep 2026to Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 70 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- diagnosed clinically as BP, with imaging evidence (brain CT and/or MRI) excluding central nervous system lesions associated with facial palsy
- the disease duration of 21 days to 3 months, inclusive
- age 18-70 years
- voluntary participation and provision of written informed consent
- receipt of prednisolone during the acute phase at a daily dose of 30-60 mg for at least 5 days
Who cannot join
- facial paralysis caused by diseases other than Bell's palsy
- previous facial paralysis
- present with facial muscle spasm, synkinesis or contracture
- Ramsay Hunt syndrome
- history of facial surgery
- implanted cardiac pacemakers
Show all 9Show fewer
- pregnancy or lactation
- along with other severe uncontrolled diseases, recognition disorder, aphasia or mental disorders
- present with bilateral facial paralysis
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Electroacupuncture With Different Pulse Patterns for the Post-acute Phase of Bell's Palsy: a Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial With Surface Electromyography Evaluation
This clinical trial is designed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of two EA parameter settings for Bell's palsy and to investigate the electromyographic characteristics of the disease. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Can continuous pulse pattern and intermittent pulse pattern of EA improve the symptoms of Bell's palsy?
- Do continuous pulse pattern and intermittent pulse pattern of EA impact the electromyographic characteristics of facial muscles in patients with Bell's palsy? The researchers will evaluate the effects of continuous pulse pattern and intermittent pulse pattern in treating Bell's palsy by using surface electromyography as an objective indicator of assessment. The trial lasts for 4 weeks and the treatment period lasts for 4 weeks.
Read more
Participants will:
- receive sham EA, EA with a continuous pulse pattern or EA with an intermittent pulse pattern for 3 times weekly for 4 weeks (12 sessions in total).
- receive assessment of symptom severity and social functioning on Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4 and 6 months after the disease onset.
- Conditions
- Bell Palsy
- Being tested
- sham EA, Electroacupunture(continuous pulse pattern), Electroacupuncture(intermittent pulse pattern)
- Keywords
- Bell's palsy, surface electromyography, randomized controlled trial, electroacupuncture
- Medical subject headings
- Bell Palsy
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
sham EAProcedure or surgery
Non-acupoint locations approximately 5 mm away from the corresponding acupoints used in the continuous pulse pattern and intermittent pulse pattern groups will be selected. Superficial needling will be performed at these non-acupoints to a depth of 1-2 mm, without manual manipulation or intentional elicitation of the de qi sensation. EA devices will be connected to 4 paired points via specially customized wires lacking internal conductors: (1) non-acupoints near 1 cun medial to GB14 and 1 cun lateral to GB14, (2) non-acupoints near BL2 and GB1, (3) non-acupoints near ST4 and SI18, and (4) non-acupoints near Jiachengjiang and ST5. Needles will be retained for 30 min per session. Treatment will be administered three times per week for 4 weeks, for a total of 12 sessions.
Electroacupunture(continuous pulse pattern)Procedure or surgery
Acupoint selection for the continuous pulse pattern group will be guided by the principle of combining both local and distal acupoints, with a depth of 5 to 30mm and de qi sensation: Cuanzhu (BL2), Sizhukong (SJ23), Yuyao(EX-HN4), QiYangbai (three points including GB14, 1 cun medial to GB14, and 1 cun lateral to GB14), Tongziliao (GB1), Quanliao (Sl18), Dicang (ST4), Daying (ST5), Jiache (ST6), Jiachengjiang, Yifeng (SJ17), Sibai (ST2), Yingxiang (Ll20), Taiyang(EX-HN5) on the affected side, and Hegu (L114) bilaterally. EA devices (Hwato SDZ-ⅡB, Suzhou Medical Supplies Co., Ltd.) will be connected to 4 paired points: (1) 1 cun medial to GB14 and 1 cun lateral to GB14, (2) BL2 and GB1, (3)ST4 and SI18, (4) Jiachengjiang and ST5. A continuous pulse pattern at 2 Hz will be used for electrical stimulation with intensity adjusted to the maximum tolerable level below the pain threshold. The EA treatment will last for 30 min per session, three times per week for 4 weeks, 12 sessions in total.
Electroacupuncture(intermittent pulse pattern)Procedure or surgery
Acupoint selection for the intermittent pulse pattern group will be guided by the principle of combining both local and distal acupoints: Cuanzhu (BL2), Sizhukong (SJ23), Yuyao(EX-HN4), QiYangbai (three points including GB14, 1 cun medial to GB14, and 1 cun lateral to GB14), Tongziliao (GB1), Quanliao (Sl18), Dicang (ST4), Daying (ST5), Jiache (ST6), Jiachengjiang, Yifeng (SJ17), Sibai (ST2), Yingxiang (Ll20), Taiyang(EX-HN5) on the affected side, and Hegu (L114) bilaterally. EA devices will be connected to 4 paired points: (1) 1 cun medial to GB14 and 1 cun lateral to GB14, (2) BL2 and GB1, (3)ST4 and SI18, and (4) Jiachengjiang and ST5. An intermittent pulse pattern at 35 Hz will be used for electrical stimulation, with intensity adjusted to the maximum tolerable level below the pain threshold. The EA treatment will last for 30 min per session, three times per week for 4 weeks, 12 sessions in total.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| sham EA | Sham comparator | Not described Receives: Procedure: sham EA |
| electroacupunture with a continuous pulse pattern | Experimental | Not described Receives: Procedure: Electroacupunture(continuous pulse pattern) |
| Electroacupuncture with a intermittent pulse pattern | Experimental | Not described Receives: Procedure: Electroacupuncture(intermittent pulse pattern) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Facial Nerve Grading System 2.0(FNGS 2.0)
FNGS 2.0 is a clinician-rated scale widely used to evaluate the severity of facial nerve dysfunction based on resting symmetry, voluntary facial movements, and synkinesis, with a composite score ranging from 4 to 24. The total score is categorized into Grade I (normal function) to Grade VI (complete paralysis), with higher scores and grades indicating worse facial nerve dysfunction.
Measured: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Secondary outcomes (4)
Root Mean Square ratio(RMS%)
RMS is an assessment parameter of surface electromyography, and it reflects the amplitude of muscle electrical activity during facial movements. RMS% is the comparison of RMS values between affected side and healthy side, and it can help quantify the degree of recovery and objectively assess the facial muscle activation.
Measured: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Median Frequency ratio (MDF%)
MDF is one of the sEMG parameters which has potential value in revealing muscle characteristics, such as fatigue patterns. MDF% is the comparison of MDF values between affected side and healthy side.
Measured: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Sunnybrook Grading Scale(SBGS)
The SBGS is a standardized clinician-rated scale used to assess the severity of facial muscle dysfunction. The score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher score indicating better facial nerve function. An increase in score over time reflects clinical improvement.
Measured: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Facial Disability Index (FDI)
The FDI includes physical and social subscales. FDI is a patient-reported measure that assesses the physical and social impact of facial dysfunction. The score of each subscale ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better function and less disability.
Measured: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Apr 2026
- Study startSep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionOct 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (19)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Bell PalsyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 111 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- The Third Affiliated hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ruohan Sun, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07514117
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025-KL-067-01
- Acronym
- EABP-SEMG
- Status last verified
- Aug 2026
- First submitted
- 29 Mar 2026
- Last updated
- 2 Sep 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data (IPD) collected in this study will not be made available to other researchers.
Publications
Funk PF, Schneider R, Schramm M, Volk GF, Anders C, Guntinas-Lichius O. Bilateral muscle activation in postparalytic facial synkinesis: a cross-sectional high-resolution surface electromyography study. Sci Rep. 2026 Jan 14;16(1):2057. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-36015-1.
PubMed 41535392Schneider R, Schramm M, Funk PF, Volk GF, Anders C, Guntinas-Lichius O. Synchronous surface electromyography as objective method to evaluate the outcome of a biofeedback training in patients with facial synkinesis. Sci Rep. 2025 May 19;15(1):17335. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-01278-7.
PubMed 40389431Balbinot G, Joner Wiest M, Li G, Pakosh M, Cesar Furlan J, Kalsi-Ryan S, Zariffa J. The use of surface EMG in neurorehabilitation following traumatic spinal cord injury: A scoping review. Clin Neurophysiol. 2022 Jun;138:61-73. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.02.028. Epub 2022 Mar 19.
PubMed 35364465Li J, Kang X, Li K, Xu Y, Wang Z, Zhang X, Guo Q, Ji R, Hou Y. Clinical significance of dynamical network indices of surface electromyography for reticular neuromuscular control assessment. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2023 Dec 20;20(1):170. doi: 10.1186/s12984-023-01297-3.
PubMed 38124144Guntinas-Lichius O, Volk GF, Olsen KD, Makitie AA, Silver CE, Zafereo ME, Rinaldo A, Randolph GW, Simo R, Shaha AR, Vander Poorten V, Ferlito A. Facial nerve electrodiagnostics for patients with facial palsy: a clinical practice guideline. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Jul;277(7):1855-1874. doi: 10.1007/s00405-020-05949-1. Epub 2020 Apr 8.
PubMed 32270328Balbinot G, Li G, Wiest MJ, Pakosh M, Furlan JC, Kalsi-Ryan S, Zariffa J. Properties of the surface electromyogram following traumatic spinal cord injury: a scoping review. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2021 Jun 29;18(1):105. doi: 10.1186/s12984-021-00888-2.
PubMed 34187509Pozzi M, Rezoagli E, Bronco A, Rabboni F, Grasselli G, Foti G, Bellani G. Accessory and Expiratory Muscles Activation During Spontaneous Breathing Trial: A Physiological Study by Surface Electromyography. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Mar 10;9:814219. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.814219. eCollection 2022.
PubMed 35372418Felici F, Del Vecchio A. Surface Electromyography: What Limits Its Use in Exercise and Sport Physiology? Front Neurol. 2020 Nov 6;11:578504. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.578504. eCollection 2020.
PubMed 33240204Cassoni A, Catalano C, Di Giorgio D, Raponi I, Di Brino M, Perotti S, Valentini V. Masseter-facial neurorrhaphy for facial palsy reanimation: What happens after masseter denervation? Histomorphometric and stomatognathic functional analysis. J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2020 Jul;48(7):680-684. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2020.04.009. Epub 2020 Jun 2.
PubMed 32507669Aoyagi M, Saito O, Tojima H, Maeyama H, Koike Y. Distribution of facial nerve conduction velocities in patients with Bell's palsy. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1994 Dec:S514-6. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-85090-5_205. No abstract available.
PubMed 10774437Eviston TJ, Croxson GR, Kennedy PG, Hadlock T, Krishnan AV. Bell's palsy: aetiology, clinical features and multidisciplinary care. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;86(12):1356-61. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2014-309563. Epub 2015 Apr 9.
PubMed 25857657Sun J, Liu G, Sun Y, Lin K, Zhou Z, Cai J. Application of Surface Electromyography in Exercise Fatigue: A Review. Front Syst Neurosci. 2022 Aug 11;16:893275. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.893275. eCollection 2022.
PubMed 36032326Karthick PA, Ghosh DM, Ramakrishnan S. Surface electromyography based muscle fatigue detection using high-resolution time-frequency methods and machine learning algorithms. Comput Methods Programs Biomed. 2018 Feb;154:45-56. doi: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2017.10.024. Epub 2017 Nov 9.
PubMed 29249346Khan AJ, Szczepura A, Palmer S, Bark C, Neville C, Thomson D, Martin H, Nduka C. Physical therapy for facial nerve paralysis (Bell's palsy): An updated and extended systematic review of the evidence for facial exercise therapy. Clin Rehabil. 2022 Nov;36(11):1424-1449. doi: 10.1177/02692155221110727. Epub 2022 Jul 5.
PubMed 35787015Baugh RF, Basura GJ, Ishii LE, Schwartz SR, Drumheller CM, Burkholder R, Deckard NA, Dawson C, Driscoll C, Gillespie MB, Gurgel RK, Halperin J, Khalid AN, Kumar KA, Micco A, Munsell D, Rosenbaum S, Vaughan W. Clinical practice guideline: Bell's palsy. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013 Nov;149(3 Suppl):S1-27. doi: 10.1177/0194599813505967.
PubMed 24189771
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Sep 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Electroacupuncture With Different Pulse Patterns for the Post-acute Phase of Bell's Palsy: a Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial With Surface Electromyography Evaluation
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07514117
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- EABP-SEMG / 2025-KL-067-01
- Conditions
- Bell Palsy
- Keywords
- Bell's palsy, surface electromyography, randomized controlled trial, electroacupuncture
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 111 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- The Third Affiliated hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
- Study start
- Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Oct 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 7 Apr 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This clinical trial is designed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of two EA parameter settings for Bell's palsy and to investigate the electromyographic characteristics of the disease. The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Can continuous pulse pattern and intermittent pulse pattern of EA improve the symptoms of Bell's palsy?
- Do continuous pulse pattern and intermittent pulse pattern of EA impact the electromyographic characteristics of facial muscles in patients with Bell's palsy? The researchers will evaluate the effects of continuous pulse pattern and intermittent pulse pattern in treating Bell's palsy by using surface electromyography as an objective indicator of assessment. The trial lasts for 4 weeks and the treatment period lasts for 4 weeks.
Participants will:
- receive sham EA, EA with a continuous pulse pattern or EA with an intermittent pulse pattern for 3 times weekly for 4 weeks (12 sessions in total).
- receive assessment of symptom severity and social functioning on Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4 and 6 months after the disease onset.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| sham EA | Sham comparator | Procedure: sham EA |
| electroacupunture with a continuous pulse pattern | Experimental | Procedure: Electroacupunture(continuous pulse pattern) |
| Electroacupuncture with a intermittent pulse pattern | Experimental | Procedure: Electroacupuncture(intermittent pulse pattern) |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 70 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- diagnosed clinically as BP, with imaging evidence (brain CT and/or MRI) excluding central nervous system lesions associated with facial palsy
- the disease duration of 21 days to 3 months, inclusive
- age 18-70 years
- voluntary participation and provision of written informed consent
- receipt of prednisolone during the acute phase at a daily dose of 30-60 mg for at least 5 days
Key exclusion criteria (9 listed)
- facial paralysis caused by diseases other than Bell's palsy
- previous facial paralysis
- present with facial muscle spasm, synkinesis or contracture
- Ramsay Hunt syndrome
- history of facial surgery
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| sham EANon-acupoint locations approximately 5 mm away from the corresponding acupoints used in the continuous pulse pattern and intermittent pulse pattern groups will be selected. Superficial needling will be performed at these non-acupoints to a depth of 1-2 mm, without manual manipulation or intentional elicitation of the de qi sensation. EA devices will be connected to 4 paired points via specially customized wires lacking internal conductors: (1) non-acupoints near 1 cun medial to GB14 and 1 cun lateral to GB14, (2) non-acupoints near BL2 and GB1, (3) non-acupoints near ST4 and SI18, and (4) non-acupoints near Jiachengjiang and ST5. Needles will be retained for 30 min per session. Treatment will be administered three times per week for 4 weeks, for a total of 12 sessions. | Procedure or surgery | sham EA |
| Electroacupunture(continuous pulse pattern)Acupoint selection for the continuous pulse pattern group will be guided by the principle of combining both local and distal acupoints, with a depth of 5 to 30mm and de qi sensation: Cuanzhu (BL2), Sizhukong (SJ23), Yuyao(EX-HN4), QiYangbai (three points including GB14, 1 cun medial to GB14, and 1 cun lateral to GB14), Tongziliao (GB1), Quanliao (Sl18), Dicang (ST4), Daying (ST5), Jiache (ST6), Jiachengjiang, Yifeng (SJ17), Sibai (ST2), Yingxiang (Ll20), Taiyang(EX-HN5) on the affected side, and Hegu (L114) bilaterally. EA devices (Hwato SDZ-ⅡB, Suzhou Medical Supplies Co., Ltd.) will be connected to 4 paired points: (1) 1 cun medial to GB14 and 1 cun lateral to GB14, (2) BL2 and GB1, (3)ST4 and SI18, (4) Jiachengjiang and ST5. A continuous pulse pattern at 2 Hz will be used for electrical stimulation with intensity adjusted to the maximum tolerable level below the pain threshold. The EA treatment will last for 30 min per session, three times per week for 4 weeks, 12 sessions in total. | Procedure or surgery | electroacupunture with a continuous pulse pattern |
| Electroacupuncture(intermittent pulse pattern)Acupoint selection for the intermittent pulse pattern group will be guided by the principle of combining both local and distal acupoints: Cuanzhu (BL2), Sizhukong (SJ23), Yuyao(EX-HN4), QiYangbai (three points including GB14, 1 cun medial to GB14, and 1 cun lateral to GB14), Tongziliao (GB1), Quanliao (Sl18), Dicang (ST4), Daying (ST5), Jiache (ST6), Jiachengjiang, Yifeng (SJ17), Sibai (ST2), Yingxiang (Ll20), Taiyang(EX-HN5) on the affected side, and Hegu (L114) bilaterally. EA devices will be connected to 4 paired points: (1) 1 cun medial to GB14 and 1 cun lateral to GB14, (2) BL2 and GB1, (3)ST4 and SI18, and (4) Jiachengjiang and ST5. An intermittent pulse pattern at 35 Hz will be used for electrical stimulation, with intensity adjusted to the maximum tolerable level below the pain threshold. The EA treatment will last for 30 min per session, three times per week for 4 weeks, 12 sessions in total. | Procedure or surgery | Electroacupuncture with a intermittent pulse pattern |
Primary outcome
Facial Nerve Grading System 2.0(FNGS 2.0)
Time frame: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
FNGS 2.0 is a clinician-rated scale widely used to evaluate the severity of facial nerve dysfunction based on resting symmetry, voluntary facial movements, and synkinesis, with a composite score ranging from 4 to 24. The total score is categorized into Grade I (normal function) to Grade VI (complete paralysis), with higher scores and grades indicating worse facial nerve dysfunction.
4 secondary outcomes
Root Mean Square ratio(RMS%)
Time frame: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Median Frequency ratio (MDF%)
Time frame: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Sunnybrook Grading Scale(SBGS)
Time frame: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Facial Disability Index (FDI)
Time frame: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Sep 2026.
- Background: PubMed 41535392Funk PF, Schneider R, Schramm M, Volk GF, Anders C, Guntinas-Lichius O. Bilateral muscle activation in postparalytic facial synkinesis: a cross-sectional high-resolution surface electromyography study. Sci Rep. 2026 Jan 14;16(1):2057. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-36015-1.
- Background: PubMed 40389431Schneider R, Schramm M, Funk PF, Volk GF, Anders C, Guntinas-Lichius O. Synchronous surface electromyography as objective method to evaluate the outcome of a biofeedback training in patients with facial synkinesis. Sci Rep. 2025 May 19;15(1):17335. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-01278-7.
- Background: PubMed 35364465Balbinot G, Joner Wiest M, Li G, Pakosh M, Cesar Furlan J, Kalsi-Ryan S, Zariffa J. The use of surface EMG in neurorehabilitation following traumatic spinal cord injury: A scoping review. Clin Neurophysiol. 2022 Jun;138:61-73. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2022.02.028. Epub 2022 Mar 19.
- Background: PubMed 38124144Li J, Kang X, Li K, Xu Y, Wang Z, Zhang X, Guo Q, Ji R, Hou Y. Clinical significance of dynamical network indices of surface electromyography for reticular neuromuscular control assessment. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2023 Dec 20;20(1):170. doi: 10.1186/s12984-023-01297-3.
- Background: PubMed 32270328Guntinas-Lichius O, Volk GF, Olsen KD, Makitie AA, Silver CE, Zafereo ME, Rinaldo A, Randolph GW, Simo R, Shaha AR, Vander Poorten V, Ferlito A. Facial nerve electrodiagnostics for patients with facial palsy: a clinical practice guideline. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2020 Jul;277(7):1855-1874. doi: 10.1007/s00405-020-05949-1. Epub 2020 Apr 8.
- Background: PubMed 34187509Balbinot G, Li G, Wiest MJ, Pakosh M, Furlan JC, Kalsi-Ryan S, Zariffa J. Properties of the surface electromyogram following traumatic spinal cord injury: a scoping review. J Neuroeng Rehabil. 2021 Jun 29;18(1):105. doi: 10.1186/s12984-021-00888-2.
- Background: PubMed 35372418Pozzi M, Rezoagli E, Bronco A, Rabboni F, Grasselli G, Foti G, Bellani G. Accessory and Expiratory Muscles Activation During Spontaneous Breathing Trial: A Physiological Study by Surface Electromyography. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Mar 10;9:814219. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.814219. eCollection 2022.
- Background: PubMed 33240204Felici F, Del Vecchio A. Surface Electromyography: What Limits Its Use in Exercise and Sport Physiology? Front Neurol. 2020 Nov 6;11:578504. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2020.578504. eCollection 2020.
- Background: PubMed 32507669Cassoni A, Catalano C, Di Giorgio D, Raponi I, Di Brino M, Perotti S, Valentini V. Masseter-facial neurorrhaphy for facial palsy reanimation: What happens after masseter denervation? Histomorphometric and stomatognathic functional analysis. J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2020 Jul;48(7):680-684. doi: 10.1016/j.jcms.2020.04.009. Epub 2020 Jun 2.
- Background: PubMed 10774437Aoyagi M, Saito O, Tojima H, Maeyama H, Koike Y. Distribution of facial nerve conduction velocities in patients with Bell's palsy. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 1994 Dec:S514-6. doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-85090-5_205. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 25857657Eviston TJ, Croxson GR, Kennedy PG, Hadlock T, Krishnan AV. Bell's palsy: aetiology, clinical features and multidisciplinary care. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;86(12):1356-61. doi: 10.1136/jnnp-2014-309563. Epub 2015 Apr 9.
- Background: PubMed 36032326Sun J, Liu G, Sun Y, Lin K, Zhou Z, Cai J. Application of Surface Electromyography in Exercise Fatigue: A Review. Front Syst Neurosci. 2022 Aug 11;16:893275. doi: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.893275. eCollection 2022.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data (IPD) collected in this study will not be made available to other researchers.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Electroacupunture(continuous pulse pattern) and Electroacupuncture(intermittent pulse pattern) in people with Bell Palsy, run by The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 9 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ruohan Sun (86-15757194080, srh1207@163.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Facial Nerve Grading System 2.0(FNGS 2.0) (time frame: Day 0, end of week 2, end of week 4, 6 months after the disease onset.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07514117, which also lists 19 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Sep 2026.