Clinical Study of Scalp Acupuncture Treatment for Migraine without Aura / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of scalp acupuncture plus electroacupuncture in treating migraine without aura.Methods Three hundred and twenty-six patients with migraine without aura were randomly allocated to a treatment group of 157 cases and a control group of 169 cases. The treatment group received scalp acupuncture plus electroacupuncture and the control group, medication alone. The Pain Rating Index (PRI) score and the TCM syndrome rating scale score were scored in the two groups of patients before and after treatment. The numbers of taking medicine and the numbers of headache attacks were compared between the two groups of patients during treatment. An analysis was made of factors influencing the therapeutic effect on migraine. Results There were statistically significant differences in the PRI score and the TCM syndrome rating scale score at the end of treatment and at one, two and three months of follow-up compared with before treatment in the two groups (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the PRI score and the TCM syndrome rating scale score at the end of treatment and at one and two months after it between the treatment and control groups (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the weekly number of taking medicine between the treatment and control groups during treatment (P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the number of headache attacks between the treatment and control groups at two, three and four weeks of treatment (P<0.05). In the treatment group, the therapeutic effect at one, two and three months of follow-up was related to both TCM syndrome type and the VAS score; the therapeutic effect at two months of follow-up was related to the sex; the therapeutic effect at three months of follow-up was related to the educational level.Conclusion Scalp acupuncture plus electroacupuncture is an effective way to treat migraine without aura.