Milli-fire Needle "treatment Of Postherpetic Neuralgia Clinical Studies

Objective To assess the efficacy and possible adverse effects of acupuncture on treating postherpetic neuralgia. To observe the clinical effect, operation standards and security of the therapy with filiform-fire needle on postherpetic neuralgia, to generalize a new kind of therapeutics instead of traditional fire needle.Methods Search the trials about acupuncture on treating postherpetic neuralgia registered of the database at home and abroad. 26 cases of postherpetic neuralgia patients were randomly divided into the treatment group (filiform-fire needle) and the control group (electro-acupuncture). Before and after the treatment we recorded pain VAS score, sleep VAS score, HRSD score, symptom score, satisfaction,operational time and adverse events.Results 4 randamised controlled trials related to our question have been found. Amount of participants in the trials ranged from 30 to 126, total 290. The total OR of global function was 3.88 (95%CI 2.01 to 7.49),and the total OR of VAS was -2.49 (95%CI -2.95 to -2.02). Effects of treatment group were better than those of control group (P<0.01). we spent 1.71±0.23 seconds on heating the needle, 2.30±0.33 seconds on the whole operation. After being used 24.78±5.59 times, the needle may become bending. And no adverse events were observed, such as broken needle, infection.Conclusions Acupuncture is effective and safe on treating global function and pain. However, more evidence on validity of postherpetic neuralgia with acupuncture is still needed. It was effective, secure and easily operating to use the filiform-fire needle for postherpetic neuralgia in accordance with norms. The patients were less painful, better sleeping, happier. And the effects can last a long time.