Electroacupuncture following deep needle insertion at ST7 improves nasopharyngeal airway obstruction caused by adenoid hypertrophy: a case report.

Adenoid hypertrophy (AH) is a common cause of nasopharyngeal airway obstruction in pediatric patients. On account of the hypertrophic adenoid, symptoms of AH mostly manifest as nasal obstruction, snoring, apnea, mouth breathing and lack of attention due to chronic hypoxia. Nasal endoscopy and lateral neck radiography are the two most common diagnostic methods used to evaluate severity and the necessity of surgery for AH.1 The most recognized therapies for AH include glucocorticoid nasal sprays, oral cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonists and adenoidectomy.2 Nevertheless, adenoidectomy carries risks of general anesthesia and complications like bleeding, adenoid tissue recurrence and postoperative respiratory problems. Evidence for the safety and long-term efficacy of treatment using medicine is limited. Recently, acupuncture has been widely used as a therapeutic modality for various otolaryngological disorders. Here, we present a case report describing electroacupuncture (EA) following deep needle insertion at ST7, in which nasopharyngeal airway obstruction caused by AH was improved.