Journal of Isfahan Dental School

Therapeutic Effect of Acupuncture in Patients with Trigeminal Neuralgia Undergoing Drug Treatment

Document Type : مقاله‌های پژوهشی

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial, School of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial, School of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

3 Resident, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial, School of Dentistry, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Trigeminal neuralgia is the most common brain neuralgia. It occurs in the form of shock-like pain. The chance of contracting the mandibular branch is higher. Acupuncture relieves pain by inserting thin, disposable sterile needles into specific areas of the body. Most methods are effective in the short term. This study aimed to determine the therapeutic effect of acupuncture in patients with trigeminal neuralgia undergoing drug treatment.
Materials and Methods: The study was an interventional study conducted on patients referred to Azhara Hospital in Isfahan. The sample size is 16 people who are divided into two groups of 8 people. The patients in the study were treated with carbamazepine. At the end of this period, patients' pain was taken and compared. In the control group, drug therapy continued, while in the intervention group, in addition to drug therapy, they received acupuncture. Finally, the data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance and Paired t-test with a significance level of 0.05.
Results: There was a significant difference in pain index between the intervention and control groups at different times. The independent t-test revealed that there was no significant difference between the two groups during the first and second weeks. However, there was a significant difference between the two groups during the other weeks.
Conclusion: Acupuncture is often used in conjunction with medication to effectively reduce the severity and duration of pain in patients with trigeminal neuralgia.
Keyword: Acupuncture therapy; Trigeminal neuralgia; Facial neuralgia

1. Liao JY, Zhou TH, Chen BK, Liu ZX. Schwann cells and trigeminal neuralgia. Mol Pain 2020; 16: 1744806920963809.
2. Cruccu G, Di Stefano G, Truini A. Trigeminal neuralgia. N Engl J Med 2020; 383(8): 754-62.
3. Han ZC. Treatment of 32 cases of primary trigeminal neuralgia by acupuncture plus moxibustion with warming needle on Xiaguan (ST7). J Acupucnt tuina Sci 2007; 5(4): 255-56.
4. Guang-wen Q, Pei-hua S. Clinical observation on treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia by point penetrating injection plus Ear pressing. J Acupunct Tuina Sci 2007; 5(4): 221-3.
5. Sert H, Usta B ,Muslu B, Gözdemir M. Successful treatment of a resistance trigeminal neuralgia patient by acupuncture. Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2009; 64(12): 1225-6.
6. Tang YZ, Jin D, Li XY, Lai GH, Li N, Ni JX. Repeated CT-guided percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation for recurrent trigeminal neuralgia. Eur Neurol 2014; 72(1-2): 54-9.
7. Allam H, Mohammed NH. The role of scalp acupuncture for relieving the chronic pain of degenerative osteoarthritis: A pilot study of Egyptian women. Med Acupunct 2013; 25(3): 216-20.
8. Darlow LA, Brooks ML, Quinn PD. Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 1992; 50(6): 621-26.
9. Berman BM, Lao L, Langenberg P, Lee WL, Gilpin AM, Hochberg MC. Effectiveness of acupuncture as adjunctive therapy in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2004; 141(12): 901-10.
10. Rosenbaum BP, Kelly ML, Kshettry VR, Vadera S, Weil RJ. Practice patterns of in-hospital surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia from 1988 to 2010. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2014; 120: 55-63.
11. Wang Z, Ma W, Chang L, Xu L, Jian X, Zhang J, et al. The treatment of trigeminal neuralgia by resecting maxillary nerve and infraorbital nerve under the endoscopy at the pterygopalatofossa through approach to the maxillary sinus [in Chinese]. Lin Chung Er Bi Yan Hou Tou Jing Wai Ke Za Zhi 2014; 28(2): 113-4.
12. Stavropoulou E, Zis P, Vadalouca A. The use of intravenous lidocaine in trigeminal neuralgia pain relief and palliative care unit. Pain Physician 2014; 17(2): E235-6.
13. Li GW, Zhang WC, Yang M, Ma QF, Zhong WX. Clinical characteristics and surgical techniques of trigeminal neuralgia caused simply by venous compression. J Craniofac Surg 2014; 25(2): 481-4.
14. Sivakanthan S, Van Gompel JJ, Alikhani P, van Loveren H, Chen R, Agazzi S. Surgical management of trigeminal neuralgia: Use and cost effectiveness from an analysis of the Medicare Claims Database. Neurosurgery 2014; 75(3):220-6; discussion 225-6.
15. Hodaie M, Coello AF. Advances in the management of trigeminal neuralgia. J Neurosurg Sci 2013; 57(1): 13-21.
Journal of Isfahan Dental School
Volume 20, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
May 2024
Pages 1-5