Can acupuncture replace painkillers for facial nerve pain?
NCT ID NCT06977932
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether electroacupuncture (a type of acupuncture with mild electric pulses) can reduce pain in people with trigeminal neuralgia, a condition causing severe facial pain. 126 participants will either get real electroacupuncture or a sham version, while continuing their usual medication. The goal is to see if electroacupuncture can offer a safer alternative to carbamazepine, which can cause addiction and other side effects.
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 drug-free option to manage trigeminal neuralgia pain with fewer side effects.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 126 participants. The sham acupuncture group may also show some benefit, making it hard to prove real effect.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
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