Ear needles may help wake brain injury patients

This study tested whether adding ear acupuncture (auricular thumbtack needle therapy) to standard care and nerve stimulation could help people with traumatic brain injury regain consciousness. Sixty patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 4-8 were randomly assigned to receive either standard care plus nerve stimulation alone or the same plus ear acupuncture. The researchers measured awakening rates, coma recovery scores, and family satisfaction over 8 weeks.