NCT06893172

Effectiveness of Warm Acupuncture in Patients with Postherpetic Neuralgia

Effectiveness of Warm Acupuncture for Postherpetic Neuralgia in the Context of the Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis Syndrome: a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 36 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common clinical complication of herpes zoster. PHN can persist for months to years, and in some cases, the pain may last for more than five years. Patients suffering from severe, prolonged pain endure significant distress, which seriously affects their quality of life and daily activities. Moreover, PHN can lead to insomnia, anxiety, depression, or even suicide. Currently, the treatment of PHN primarily focuses on pain management. First-line treatment options include gabapentin, pregabalin, tricyclic antidepressants, and 5% lidocaine patches. Acupuncture is a widely used non-pharmacological therapy. A large number of clinical trials have demonstrated its effectiveness in treating various neuropathic pain conditions, including PHN. Acupuncture not only reduces pain perception but also alleviates anxiety and improves the quality of life for PHN patients. Among different acupuncture techniques, Warm Acupuncture (WA) is considered the most effective for treating peripheral neuropathic pain. Clinical case reports have also shown its pain-relieving effects in PHN patients. However, there has been no study in Vietnam on the effectiveness of WA in pain reduction for patients with PHN. Therefore, this study is conducted to evaluate whether WA is effective in reducing pain and ensuring safety for treating PHN patients with Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis syndrome. The findings will serve as a basis for the broader application of WA in the treatment of PHN.

Detailed description

Patients with Postherpetic neuralgia in the trunk area, belonging to the Blood Stasis syndrome. They will be treated with a combination of Warm Acupuncture and Gabapentin. The intervention period is four weeks. Warm Acupuncture will be performed five times a week and Gabapentin is administered daily for 4 weeks. Data on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and side effects of Warm Acupuncture and Gabapentin will be recorded before the study and weekly for 4 weeks.

Conditions

• Postherpetic Neuralgia ( PHN )

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Warm acupuncture and Gabapentin	This group used gabapentin 300mg per tablet, twice a day, for a treatment period of 4 weeks, combined with warm acupuncture at the Ashi point, EX-B2, LI4, TE6, PC5 and SP6, five times a week for 4 weeks.
DRUG	Gabapentin	This group used gabapentin 300mg per tablet, twice a day, for a treatment period of 4 weeks

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-04-01
• Primary completion: 2025-08-29
• Completion: 2025-08-29
• First posted: 2025-03-25
• Last updated: 2025-03-25