Burning mouth syndrome: Is acupuncture a therapeutic possibility?

Abstract

Background Burning mouth syndrome is a chronic pathology of unknown ethiopathogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether acupuncture can produce a reduction of the burning sensation by influencing the oral microcirculation.Methods Thirty patients (10 male and 20 female; mean age SD = 65.4 2.17) and 30 healthy subjects (10 male and 20 female; mean age SD = 62.06 6.72) were recruited for the study. The patients were treated with acupunctural techniques based on traditional Chinese medicine. Microcirculation was observed in vivo using videocapillaroscopy at three different times: t 0) in the absence of acupuncture; t 1) 1 minute after the insertion of the needles; and t 2) 5 minutes after the insertion of the needles and following their stimulation.Results The capillaroscopic observation revealed a significant increase of the capillary tortuousness and density, a reduction of the arborescence and a reduction of burning sensation in such patients.Conclusion The study shows that acupuncture influences oral microcirculation, resulting in a significant variation of the vascular pattern to which is associated a significant reduction of the burning sensation after three weeks of therapy. Such reduction of the burning sensation has been permanent for the 18 months following the acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture appears a valid therapeutic choice in the management of such patients. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.