Clinical effect of auricular point therapy on burning mouth syndrome

To evaluate the clinical efficacy of auricular acupoint application in the treatment of burning mouth syndrome(BMS).

A total of 155 patients diagnosed with BMS were randomly divided into the auricular acupoint application group (50 patients), drug treatment group (55 patients), and auricular acupoint application combined with drug treatment group (50 patients). One month represented one course of treatment. The changes in pain intensity were evaluated before treatment as well as one month and three months after treatment.

The VAS scores in the auricular acupoint application group (t = 8.949), the drug treatment group (t = 10.52) and the auricular acupoint application combined with drug treatment group (t = 19.33) all decreased 1 month after treatment, with a statistically significant difference compared with the scores before treatment (P < 0.01). The VAS scores of the auricular acupoint application combined with drug treatment group decreased significantly, and the difference was statistically significant compared with the scores in the drug treatment group (t = 3.91, P = 0.0002). 3 months after treatment, the VAS scores of the three group decreased compared with that before treatment, but increased compared with that 1 month after treatment, and the VAS score of the drug treatment group increased most obviously, but the difference was not statistically significant compared with that of the auricular acupoint application group (t = 2.047, P = 0.043), other pairwise comparison differences were not statistically significant. There was no statistically significant difference in VAS score in the auricular acupoint application group (t = 1.752) and in the drug treatment group (t = 0.174) compared with that before treatment (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment, the VAS score in the auricular acupoint application combined with drug treatment group also decreased significantly (t = 3.282, P < 0.05).

Auricular point application is a safe and effective treatment for burning mouth syndrome, and the long-term effect is better when combined with drugs.