Acupuncture Procedures Must be Accurately Described

Home Electroacupuncture for Persistent Postsurgical Pain: A Patient's Report

A 30-year-woman presented with iatrogenic myofascial facial pain of 12 months’ duration after surgical treatment for bilateral temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Limited response to manual acupuncture was followed by a trial of electroacupuncture. Response to electroacupuncture was limited in duration and one option was to teach her partner to perform electroacupuncture at home. The patient and partner, trained in beauty therapy, embraced this idea and it proved equally effective as therapist-provided acupuncture. We describe this case report from the perspective of the patient, caregiver or acupuncture partner and therapist. Home electroacupuncture seems to be safe, acceptable and practicable as a maintenance treatment for patients with persistent postsurgical pain of myofascial origin.