Acupuncture for trigeminal neuralgia appears to have better analgesic potential than the drug carbamazepine, according to Korean authors of a systematic review. They examined data from 30 randomised controlled trials covering nearly 2300 patients. Compared with the drug, acupuncture was associated with improved pain scores, better response rates, lower frequency of attacks and fewer adverse effects.
The authors note that all but one of the trials had a risk of bias, and call for additional independent studies in a variety of countries.
(Acupuncture for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: A systematic review & meta-analysis. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, August 2023.)
Author: Robin Costello
I offer traditional Chinese acupuncture in Exeter, from a tranquil clinic a mile from the city centre, and next to the University of Exeter. I graduated originally from the London School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine’s 3 year full time Acupuncture Diploma (DipAc) course. I am on the practitioners register of the British Acupuncture Council (MBAcC), a regulatory and professional body with an entry standard of a full three year undergraduate degree level training.
I have worked in a hospital in south west China, deepening my knowledge and using acupuncture and Chinese massage (tuina) as the treatment of choice in its country of origin. I have taught Chinese medicine in colleges, the NHS and at university level. I also practise Qi Gong, and Chinese dietary therapy, that is the medicinal use of ordinary foods, chosen to help achieve particular therapeutic effects in different individuals.
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