Objective: To treat 10 cases of trigeminal neuralgia with a new method of acupuncture in accordance with traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis based on anamnesis, complexion, tongue observation and pulsological technique.

Methods: Patients were selected by means of an in-depth anamnesis and they were assessed by means of a pressure on the paraungual cutaneous acupoints of hands and feet (Ashi extra-channel points). The treatment was not by following the classical three branches, but rather by using an exclusively individual therapy based on traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis. This individual antalgic therapy was combined with pathogenetic therapy in accordance with traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis based on anamnesis, complexion, and tongue observation and pulsological technique. The pathogenetic therapy aimed at stabilizing the therapeutic effects of the antalgic therapy. The acupuncture was done on the Ashi points (on the paraungual cutaneous acupoints of hands and feet) only. During the acute phase some bleeding after the extraction of needles was often observed. In each session we have to assess paraungual Ashi points and if necessary change the number of acupoints in relation to the patient's subjective response. The more the patient's symptoms improved, the fewer Ashi points you found and the fewer needles you used in the paraungual zone. If necessary the auricular Forehead, Mandible, Maxilla and Sympathetic points may be added, or other points which resulted in algic when pressing upon them. It is worth pointing out that no patient was needled in the cranial or cervical zone. The etiopathogenic treatment was also chosen according to the two differential syndromes of the "fullness" type (shi) and "emptiness" type (Xu). For "fullness" type (shi) the use of Fenglong (ST 40) eliminates catarrh and heat (calore), whereas Neiting (ST 44) and Zulinqi (GB 41) eliminate wind and fire; all acupoints were treated aiming at dispersion. For emptiness (Xu) the use of Taixi (KI 3) and Taichong (LR 3) tonicized the yin and pacified the yang; all the acupoints were treated aiming at tonification. The patients were acupunctured twice a week for two-month period.

Results: All patients had excellent results. Following up results were good and as late as l.5 years after the treatment no relapse had been observed.

By Gori G., Carrubba R. & Valentini AF