[Treatment of trigeminal neuralgia with electroacupuncture. Experience with 104 cases]

The essential or secondary trigeminal neuralgia is a very frequent and invalidant disease. In this forms, the medical or surgical conventional therapies are often inadequate. In this study we evaluated the effects of the acupunctural therapy on 104 patients (mean age 52.3 +/- 13 years) with idiopathic or secondary trigeminal neuralgia. Utilizing cycles of twelve sessions, the acupunctural treatment was performed with an electrostimulator on local points and a distance or on aching points, in the secondary forms. The results was evaluated on the basis of three parameters (reappearance of the symptomatology, absence of pain in months and preceding treatments) and was defined using this scale: very well, well, fair and null. In conclusion we can say that acupuncture is an elective treatment in all kinds of secondary tregeminal neuralgia, while, in the idiopathic form, its validity is conditioned by preceding medical treatments and by beginning of the disease.