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Acupuncture Treatment for Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia:A Longitudinal Case-Control Double Blinded Studydiseases
  
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KeyWord:acupuncture, idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia, orofacial pain, temporomandibular disorders, quantitative sensory testing, case-control study
Author NameAffiliationE-mail
Michelle Cristina Ichida, Mariana Zemuner, Jorge Hosomi   
Silvia R D T de Siqueira 1. Neurology Department, Medical School, University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo (05403-010), Brazil
2. Group of Oral Medicine and Neuroscience of the Dentistry Division, Psychiatry Institute, Clinical Hospital, Medical School, University of Sao Paulo, S?o Paulo (05403-010), Brazil
3. School of Arts, Science and Humanities, University of S?o Paulo, S?o Paulo (05403-010), Brazil 
silviadowgan@hotmail.com 
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Abstract:
      Objective: To evaluate the treatment effect of acupuncture on patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN) by case-control longitudinal blinded study. Methods: Sixty ITN patients and 30 healthy subjects were included. The ITN patients were randomly assigned to acupuncture group (15 cases), sham-acupuncture group (15 cases) and carbamazepine group (30 cases), respectively. Clinical orofacial evaluation (including pain intensity and medication doses), research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) and Helkimo indexes (for functional evaluation of the masticatory system), and quantitative sensory testing for sensory thresholds (gustative, olfactory, cold, warm, touch, vibration and superficial and deep pain) were evaluated before treatment, immediately after treatment, and 6 months after treatment. Results: The mean pain intensity by the Visual Analogue Scale only decreased in the acupuncture group at the last evaluation (P=0.012). Patients in the sham-acupuncture group had an increase in carbamazepine doses according to the prescriptions (P<0.01). There was a reduction in secondary myofascial pain and mandibular limitations at the acupuncture and sham-acupuncture groups, however only the acupuncture group kept the changes after 6 months (P<0.01, P=0.023). There was a decrease in mechanical thresholds in the acupuncture group (tactile, P<0.01; vibration, P=0.027) and an increase in deep pain thresholds in both acupuncture and sham-acupuncture groups (P=0.013). Conclusion: Acupuncture can be an option in the treatment of ITN due to its analgesic effect in both ITN and secondary myofascial pain associated with it.
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