Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41566026›Full record

Trial reportEuropean archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery2026

Efficacy of acupuncture in burning mouth syndrome: A placebo-controlled trial.

Hitomi Sato, Katharina Gunkel, Ninette Tödtmann, Thomas Hummel, Antje Haehner

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Hitomi SatoSmell & Taste Clinic, University Hospital, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, Dresden, 01307, Germany. satouhitomi@tdc.ac.jp.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3307-3620
Katharina GunkelClinic for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Augsburg, Stenglinstrasse 2, Augsburg, 86156, Germany.
Ninette TödtmannClinic for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Augsburg, Stenglinstrasse 2, Augsburg, 86156, Germany.
Thomas HummelSmell & Taste Clinic, University Hospital, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, Dresden, 01307, Germany.
Antje HaehnerSmell & Taste Clinic, University Hospital, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, Dresden, 01307, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic orofacial disease characterized by symptoms of burning in the oral cavity without being able to detect anatomical lesions. Acupuncture has been suggested as a possible treatment of BMS. This study aimed to examine this alternative form of therapy in a blinded fashion.

methodsForty patients with primary BMS were treated with either verum or sham acupuncture in a series of 10 treatments. Questionnaires regarding pain, clinical symptoms and current sensitivity were completed before and after the acupuncture treatments. In addition, tests for olfactory and gustatory sensitivity were performed as well as measurements of salivary production.

resultsThe results indicate a significantly reduced pain intensity in the verum acupuncture group, which patients noted particularly in the evening. Furthermore, verum acupuncture was associated with an increase in the amount of saliva. No significant changes regarding olfactory and gustatory functions were noted in conjunction in either treatment group.

conclusionThis study shows that acupuncture can be an alternative therapy option for patients with primary BMS.

Indexed as

Acupuncture TherapyBurning Mouth SyndromeAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementSalivaSurveys and QuestionnairesTreatment OutcomeAcupuncture therapyBurning mouth syndromePlacebo-controlled intervention study

Identifiers

PMID41566026

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.