Uso da auriculoterapia para tratamento da dor neuropática em pessoas com hanseníase: um relato de experiência

Abstract

Leprosy is an infectious disease, caused by the Mycobacterium Leprae bacillus, and presents several symptoms and reactions, including neuropathic pain, which causes damage to the individual, depriving them of even carrying out daily activities. There are several approaches to treating neuropathic pain, such as integrative and complementary therapies, among which auriculotherapy stands out. The objective of this article is to describe the application and effects of auriculotherapy on neuropathic pain in patients with leprosy in a secondary reference health center in Piauí. This is an experience report, carried out based on the treatment of eight patients, through intervention with the technique and visual analogue assessment of neuropathic pain. The patients attended the health service at Centro Maria Imaculada, whose complaints of neuropathy were similar to pain, tingling, shocks and cramps in the upper and lower limbs, which progressed to numbness. The treatment was carried out once a week, totaling ten sessions, the eight patients in the first intervention noticed results in improving their pain, which stabilized to mild pain between the sixth and seventh session. It is concluded that the proposed method with auriculotherapy proved to be a promising and effective technique in the treatment of neuropathic pain in patients with leprosy.