A rigorous 448-patient randomized trial across 7 Chinese hospitals found that 20 sessions of electroacupuncture over 4 weeks significantly reduced pain scores in postherpetic neuralgia compared to sham treatment. The electroacupuncture group achieved a mean pain reduction of 1.52 points on an 11-point scale versus 0.99 for sham, and nearly half of electroacupuncture patients (46.7%) experienced clinically meaningful pain relief — defined as 30% or greater reduction — compared to just 24.3% in the sham group. Benefits persisted through a 1-month follow-up with no serious adverse events, suggesting electroacupuncture could be a viable non-drug option for this difficult-to-treat neuropathic pain condition.
