Acupuncture for Migraine with Comorbidities of Dry Eye / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

[Introduction] We report a case of patient with migraine that improved after acupuncture and additional treatment for comorbidities of dry eye.[Case presentation] Subject was a 59-year-old female patient who was 156 cm tall and 49 kg in weight (BMI: 20.1). Her blood pressure was 122/69 mmHg, and her pulse was 70 beats per minute. She had suffered from headaches for about ten years and had been previously diagnosed with migraine. Due to the worsening of the headaches, she began acupuncture treatments. Since the onset of the headaches, she was also diagnosed with dry eye.[Treatment] At the initial visit, the subject's Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) score was 65. Manual acupuncture in her back and neck area and C2 peripheral nerve field stimulation with electroacupuncture were performed for migraine. At week four of treatment, the HIT-6 score was 60 and the headaches appeared 14 times a month, which improved to 48 and 7, respectively, at week 12. However, her headaches worsened after treatment interruption. At week 40, the HIT-6 score and headache frequency worsened and increased to 60 and 13, respectively. Acupuncture treatment for migraine was resumed, and treatment for comorbidities of dry eye, that included manual acupuncture around the orbits and self-care, was also performed. Subsequently, her headaches ameliorated significantly. At week 56, the HIT-6 score was 48 and the headaches appeared only five times a month. Migraine relief persisted and the symptoms of dry eye also improved.[Discussion and Conclusion] The additional dry eye treatment had a positive effect in improving the symptoms of migraine. It has been speculated that the pathogenesis of both diseases is related to central sensitization of the optical and trigeminal nervous systems. If so, the improvement of dry eye symptoms may have had an effect on migraine relief as well.