Scalp acupuncture treats the surface of the head as a map of the body and its functions. The zones in common use correspond to the motor and sensory areas, the speech areas and the areas associated with balance and vision. Needles are inserted subcutaneously and left in place, often with stimulation.
The method is used chiefly for stroke sequelae, aphasia, paralysis and some forms of dizziness, and it is one of the few modern developments that has been absorbed into mainstream hospital practice in China. Its rationale borrows from neurology rather than from classical channel theory, which makes it an instructive case of how the tradition incorporates new mapping onto old technique.