Clinical study on three treatment methods of postherpetic neuralgia

• Main Authors: Yan-zhi XIA, Jun ZHA, Jie-mei CHEN, Shi-gang QIAO, Hua LI, Chen WANG, Shun LI
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tianjin Huanhu Hospital 2018-09-01
• Series: Chinese Journal of Contemporary Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Subjects: Neuralgia, postherpetic; Acupuncture analgesia; Nerve block; Pulse radiofrequency (not in MeSH)
• Online Access: http://www.cjcnn.org/index.php/cjcnn/article/view/1839

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture trigger point, nerve block and pulse radiofrequency in the treatment of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). Methods A total of 60 cases with PHN were randomly divided into 3 groups: acupuncture trigger point therapy (group A, N = 20), epidural nerve block (group B, N = 20) and selective dorsal root ganglion (DRG) pulse radiofrequency (group C, N = 20). All patients in 3 groups took gabapentin orally at the same time after treatment. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used to record the degree of pain in 3 groups before and after treatment (2, 4 and 12 weeks after operation). Results Compared with before treatment, NRS scores in 3 groups were significanthly decreased at 2, 4 and 12 weeks after operation (P = 0.000, for all). There was no significant difference on NRS scores among 3 groups before treatment (P > 0.05, for all). Two weeks after operation, NRS scores in group B and C were significantly lower than that in group A (P = 0.013, 0.000), and NRS score in group C was significantly lower than that in group B (P = 0.000). Up to 4 and 12 weeks after operation, NRS score in group C was significantly lower than that in group A (P = 0.000, 0.000) and B (P = 0.000, 0.000), while there was no significant difference on NRS scores between group A and B (P > 0.05). Conclusions Selective dorsal root ganglion pulse radiofrequency is effective in the treatment of PHN, which can relieve the pain quickly and improve the work and life quality of patients.