Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation nursing in the rehabilitation of language function in stroke patients. This study compares the effects of TCM syndrome differentiation nursing and conventional rehabilitation nursing by assessing changes in language function using the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) scores and clinical efficacy evaluation. This study is a retrospective study in which we reviewed cases of poststroke rehabilitation from 2020 to 2023. A total of 100 stroke patients were enrolled and divided into 2 groups: the TCM syndrome differentiation nursing group (n = 50) and the conventional rehabilitation nursing group (n = 50). TCM syndrome differentiation nursing was tailored based on individual patients' TCM diagnoses (e.g., Qi deficiency, blood stasis, or phlegm-dampness) and involved a combination of targeted nursing care, acupuncture, and herbal remedies. The conventional rehabilitation nursing group received standard poststroke rehabilitation therapies, including speech therapy and physical exercises. Both groups were assessed using BDAE scores and clinical efficacy evaluations at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention. The TCM syndrome differentiation nursing group showed significantly greater improvements in BDAE scores compared with the conventional rehabilitation group (mean increase: 15.2 vs 8.6, P < .05). In addition, 72% of patients in the TCM group were classified as having "marked improvement" in clinical efficacy, compared with 48% in the conventional rehabilitation group (P < .05). The TCM group also reported fewer complications such as fatigue and stress compared with the conventional rehabilitation group (P < .05). TCM syndrome differentiation nursing significantly enhances language function recovery in stroke patients and serves as a valuable supplement to conventional rehabilitation methods. This study provides novel evidence supporting the integration of TCM-based interventions in stroke rehabilitation, offering a complementary approach to existing therapeutic strategies. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects and underlying mechanisms of TCM syndrome differentiation nursing.