Acupuncture for Post-hemorrhoidectomy Pain Control

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if acupuncture improves pain control after hemorrhoidectomy in patients with symptomatic hemorrhoids. It will also learn about the safety of using acupuncture in surgical patients. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does acupuncture lower the maximal pain intensity after hemorrhoidectomy? Does acupuncture reduce analgesics requirement, length of hospital stay and quality of recovery? Researchers will compare fully active acupuncture to a sham treatment (a look-alike procedure with minimum acupuncture stimulation) to see if active acupuncture works to improve pain control. Participants will: Receive acupuncture treatment for 7 times over first 5 days after surgery. Visit the clinic once 2 weeks after surgery for checkups and tests. Keep a diary of their symptoms and the number of times they take pain-killers.

NCT Number	NCT07238504
Lead Sponsor	The University of Hong Kong Collaborators: School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
Conditions	Hemorrhoidectomy, Hemorrhoid Pain, Acupuncture
Enrollment	100 participants
Start Date	2026-03
Primary Completion	2027-02 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-04 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2025-12-02