Two Case Reports: Acupuncture Treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia

The trigeminal nerve is the 5th cranial nerve and it carries sensation from the face to the brain. Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic pain disorder that affects the trigeminal nerve and produces intense facial pain along one or more of the three branches of this nerve. Pain may be triggered by eating, brushing of the teeth, touching trigger points on the face during everyday activities such as washing the face or applying make-up or even air drafts, which increase the discomfort of those suffering from this disorder. For trigeminal neuralgia the Western Medicine suggests treatment with medications, surgery and stereotactic radiation therapy. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), trigeminal neuralgia usually occurs when there is blockage in the stomach meridian and the main treatment for trigeminal neuralgia is acupuncture. In this article are shown two patients, males, both 66 years old, diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia. Acupuncture treatments were made in our clinic for TCM and acupuncture with fire needle on a trigger i.e. Ashi points. One of the patients needed only one treatment, the other needed six treatments.