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.)