title: Acupuncture and burning mouth syndrome: a pilot study.
abstract: Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic condition most common in middle-aged and elderly women, with prevalence rates in the general population ranging from 0.5% to 5%. Defined by the International Headache Society as "an intraoral burning sensation for which no medical or dental cause can be found," BMS is considered a form of neuropathic pain. The management of BMS remains unsatisfactory. In this pilot study, we investigated the use of acupuncture in a small group of BMS patients. The study group, after 4 refusals, was composed of 10 BMS patients (9 females and 1 male; mean age, 65.2 years; range, from 48 to 80 years; mean duration of BMS, 2.6 years; SD ± 0.8 years). Oral pain/burning sensation (primary outcome) was measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Health-related quality of life (secondary outcome) was measured using the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). Acupuncture treatment lasted 8 weeks and consisted of 20 sessions. Patients reported a mean reduction in pain of 0.99 points on the VAS (max 2.1-min 0.1), which, although slight, was statistically significant (Wilcoxon test P < 0.009). No significant improvement in the overall score for quality of life was observed, although subjects receiving acupuncture treatment seemed better able cope with their oral symptoms.
authors: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Chirurgiche e Odontoiatriche Unità di Medicina Orale, Patologia Orale e Odontoiatria Geriatrica, Università di Milano, Milan, Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Sardella
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Lodi
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Tarozzi
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Varoni
authors: Roberto
authors: R
authors: Franchini
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Carrassi
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002054:Burning Mouth Syndrome / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life
keywords: Burning mouth syndrome; Health-related quality of life; SF-36; acupuncture; visual analogue scale