An interventional study of Warm acupuncture and Gabapentin and Gabapentin in Postherpetic Neuralgia ( PHN ), sponsored by University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City. Not yet recruiting. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-03-25.
Sponsored by University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is the most common clinical complication of herpes zoster. PHN can persist for months to years, and in some cases, the pain may last for more than five years. Patients suffering from severe, prolonged pain endure significant distress, which seriously affects their quality of life and daily activities. Moreover, PHN can lead to insomnia, anxiety, depression, or even suicide. Currently, the treatment of PHN primarily focuses on pain management. First-line treatment options include gabapentin, pregabalin, tricyclic antidepressants, and 5% lidocaine patches.
Acupuncture is a widely used non-pharmacological therapy. A large number of clinical trials have demonstrated its effectiveness in treating various neuropathic pain conditions, including PHN. Acupuncture not only reduces pain perception but also alleviates anxiety and improves the quality of life for PHN patients. Among different acupuncture techniques, Warm Acupuncture (WA) is considered the most effective for treating peripheral neuropathic pain. Clinical case reports have also shown its pain-relieving effects in PHN patients.
However, there has been no study in Vietnam on the effectiveness of WA in pain reduction for patients with PHN. Therefore, this study is conducted to evaluate whether WA is effective in reducing pain and ensuring safety for treating PHN patients with Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis syndrome. The findings will serve as a basis for the broader application of WA in the treatment of PHN.
Patients with Postherpetic neuralgia in the trunk area, belonging to the Blood Stasis syndrome. They will be treated with a combination of Warm Acupuncture and Gabapentin.
The intervention period is four weeks. Warm Acupuncture will be performed five times a week and Gabapentin is administered daily for 4 weeks.
Data on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and side effects of Warm Acupuncture and Gabapentin will be recorded before the study and weekly for 4 weeks.
1,287 studies on the registry are indexed under Neuralgia; 256 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 36 is below the median of 52 across 973 interventional studies indexed under Neuralgia.
Browse Neuralgia studies →University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City is the lead sponsor of 118 studies on the registry; 39 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
The study group used gabapentin 300mg per tablet, twice a day, for a treatment period of 4 weeks, combined with Warm acupuncture at the Ashi point, EX-B2, LI4, TE6, PC5 and SP6, five times a week for 4 weeks.
Other: Warm acupuncture and Gabapentin
The control group used gabapentin 300mg per tablet, twice a day, for a treatment period of 4 weeks
Drug: Gabapentin
This group used gabapentin 300mg per tablet, twice a day, for a treatment period of 4 weeks, combined with warm acupuncture at the Ashi point, EX-B2, LI4, TE6, PC5 and SP6, five times a week for 4 weeks.
This group used gabapentin 300mg per tablet, twice a day, for a treatment period of 4 weeks
The change of the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
Pain will be measured using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Patients will be asked to circle a number from 0 to 10, where 0 represents "no pain" and 10 represents "the worst possible pain.
Time frame: Assessments were conducted before intervention and after each intervention week throughout the four weeks (Week 0, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4)
Proportion of intervention-related adverse events
While Warm acupuncture is generally considered safe, some patients may experience minor side effects at the application site. Studies on Warm Acupuncture have reported negligible adverse effects. The recorded adverse effects include burns, pain at the acupuncture site, and bleeding at the acupuncture site. The study will closely monitor and document any unexpected adverse events associated with the procedure.
Time frame: Up to four weeks
No study locations are listed for this record.
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Mar 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City