Acupuncture with a jolt: new hope for shingles nerve pain?

NCT ID NCT04560361

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This completed trial tested whether electroacupuncture (acupuncture with a mild electric current) can reduce pain in people with postherpetic neuralgia, a lingering nerve pain after shingles. 448 adults aged 45-75 with moderate-to-severe pain were randomly assigned to real or sham electroacupuncture. The main goal was to see if pain scores dropped by at least 30%.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: electroacupuncture
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a non-drug option for managing nerve pain after shingles.
What could go wrong: The trial is completed but results are not yet widely confirmed. Sham acupuncture may also provide some relief, making it hard to know the true effect.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Neuralgia, Postherpetic postherpetic neuralgia

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

POSTHERPETIC NEURALGIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Huai'an Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Huai'an, Jiangsu, 223001, China
Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine

Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China
Lianyungang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Lianyungang, Jiangsu, 222004, China
Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine

Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210001, China
Nantong Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Nantong, Jiangsu, 226001, China
Shuyang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Suqian, Jiangsu, 223600, China
Wuxi Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Wuxi, Jiangsu, 214071, China

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