Clinical study on Fu’s subcutaneous needling with laser for postherpetic neuralgia

Objective

To observe the therapeutic efficacy of Fu’s subcutaneous needling (FSN) with laser for postherpetic neuralgia and analyze its action mechanism.

Methods

A total of 102 cases with postherpetic neuralgia were randomly allocated into a treatment group and a control group, 51 in each group. FSN with laser was used for patients in the treatment group, whereas electroacupuncture was used for patients in the control group. After 6 months of treatment, the total effective rates, action time and cure courses in recovery cases were compared between the two groups. Three months after the treatment was completed, a follow-up was done to compare relapse rates between the two groups.

Results

The recovery and total effective rates in the treatment group were 56.9% and 94.1% respectively, versus 35.3% and 68.6% in the control group, showing statistical differences (P<0.05); the action time and cure courses in the observation group were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P<0.05); the relapse rate in the treatment group was 6.9%, versus 44.4% in the control group, showing a statistical difference (P<0.05).

Conclusion

FSN with laser can obtain better effect for postherpetic neuralgia than electroacupuncture and pose lower relapse risks.