Can ancient bloodletting technique outsmart facial pain?
NCT ID NCT07750730
First seen Aug 06, 2026 · Last updated Aug 07, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether trigger point bloodletting—a procedure that pricks and cups specific facial points—can reduce pain in people with trigeminal neuralgia, a condition causing severe facial pain. Adults aged 18-75 with classic trigeminal neuralgia and trigger points in the upper lip muscle are randomly assigned to either bloodletting twice weekly for 8 weeks or standard oral carbamazepine. The study compares pain scores and uses ultrasound to see if changes in muscle thickness and blood flow relate to pain relief.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Trigger point bloodletting therapy (a procedure involving pricking and cupping at facial trigger points)
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this could offer a non-drug option for managing trigeminal neuralgia pain, potentially reducing reliance on medications like carbamazepine.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial, so results may not be conclusive. The procedure involves needles and cupping, which carries risks like bleeding, bruising, or infection, and may not be more effective than standard care.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Capital Medical University Affiliated Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Beijing, Beijing Municipality, 250012, China
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.