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

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.

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.

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.

Acupuncture is often used in conjunction with medication to effectively reduce the severity and duration of pain in patients with trigeminal neuralgia.