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Acupuncture for Postherpetic Neuralgia: An Evidence Mapping
Xinrong Li1, Jing Xie1, Yongshuang Wu1
1Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
Journal of Pain Research
|June 10, 2026
Summary
Acupuncture shows promise for treating postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), improving pain and reducing adverse effects. However, more high-quality research is needed to confirm its effectiveness in PHN management.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Integrative Medicine
- Pain Management
Background:
- Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a chronic neuropathic pain condition following herpes zoster infection.
- Current treatment options for PHN have limitations and can cause adverse effects.
- Acupuncture is a traditional therapy with potential benefits for pain relief.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).
- To provide a visual overview of the current acupuncture treatment landscape for PHN.
- To synthesize evidence from systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials on acupuncture for PHN.
Main Methods:
- Systematic search of multiple databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, Wanfang) up to April 18, 2025.
- Inclusion of systematic reviews (SRs) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on traditional Chinese acupuncture for PHN.
- Data analysis using Excel, EndNote 20, and R software; quality assessment with AMSTAR2 tool.
Main Results:
- 40 SRs comprising 926 RCTs and 63,493 patients met the criteria.
- Interventions like fire needling, CPBLC, and others demonstrated significant benefits in effective rate, pain reduction (VAS), and safety.
- Despite positive findings, the overall quality of included SRs was generally low.
Conclusions:
- Acupuncture may serve as a beneficial adjunct therapy for PHN, improving overall efficacy and pain management.
- Acupuncture interventions show potential for reducing adverse reactions in PHN treatment.
- High-quality clinical trials and systematic reviews are essential to validate these findings and inform clinical practice.
