OBJECTIVETo observe and evaluate the short-term and long-term curative effects of the synthetic auricular point therapy on the common migraine in attack stage.

METHODSWith the study method of randomized controlled trial, 108 cases of common migraine at the attack stage were randomly assigned to a treatment group of 72 cases treated with synthetic auricular point therapy (blood-letting on the ear back, point injection of own blood, pricking ear point), and a control group of 36 cases treated with Western medicine. Their short-term and long-term curative effects were observed and evaluated.

RESULTSThe total short-term effective rate and the total long-term effective rate were respectively 98.6% and 79. 6% in the treatment group with less adverse effects, and with a very significant difference as compared with the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe synthetic auricular point therapy has obvious short-term and long-term curative effects on common migraine at the attack stage with safety.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Bloodletting ; Humans ; Migraine without Aura ; therapy

BACKGROUNDMigraine without aura (MWoA), the most common type of migraine, has great impacts on quality of life for migraineurs. Acupuncture is used in the treatment and prevention of migraine for its analgesic effects.

OBJECTIVEThe aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to systematically assess the therapeutic and preventive effect of acupuncture treatment and its safety for MWoA.

SEARCH STRATEGYNine electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Lilacs, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chongqing VIP (CQVIP), Wanfang Data and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR)) were systematically searched from their beginning through June 2017 using MeSH terms such as "acupuncture, acupuncture therapy, electro-acupuncture, ear acupuncture, acupuncture points, acupuncture analgesia," and "migraine disorders, cluster headache." Manual searching included other conference abstracts and reference lists.

INCLUSION CRITERIARandomized controlled trials (RCTs) with a clinical diagnosis of MWoA, which were treated with acupuncture versus oral medication or sham acupuncture treatment.

DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSISTwo evaluators screened and collected literature independently; they extracted information on participants, study design, interventions, follow-up, withdrawal and adverse events and assessed risk of bias and quality of the acupuncture intervention. The primary outcomes were frequency of migraine (FM) and number of migraine days (NM). Secondary outcomes included the visual analogue scale (VAS) score, effective rate (ER) and adverse events. Pooled estimates were calculated as mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for continuous data and relative risk (RR) with 95% CI for dichotomous data.

RESULTSOverall, 14 RCTs including 1155 participants were identified. The analysis found that acupuncture had a significant advantage over medication in reducing FM (MD = -1.50; 95% CI: -2.32 to -0.68; P < 0.001) and VAS score (MD = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.63-1.31; P < 0.00001) and had a higher ER (RR = 1.30; 95% CI: 1.16-1.45; P < 0.00001). Acupuncture also had a significant advantage over sham acupuncture in the decrease of FM (MD = -1.05; 95% CI: -1.75 to -0.34; P = 0.004) and VAS score (MD = -1.19; 95% CI: -1.75 to -0.63; P < 0.0001). Meanwhile, acupuncture was more tolerated than medication because of less side effect reports (RR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.17-0.51; P < 0.0001). However, the quality of evidence in the included studies was mainly low (to very low), making confidence in the FM and VAS score results low.

CONCLUSIONOur meta-analysis shows that the effectiveness of acupuncture is still uncertain, but it might be relatively safer than medication therapy in the treatment and prophylaxis of MWoA. Further proof is needed.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Migraine without Aura ; therapy ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care)

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect between heat-sensitive moxibustion and mild moxibustion for migraine without aura. METHODS: A total of 54 patients with migraine without aura were randomized into an observation group (27 cases, 2 cases dropped off) and a control group (27 cases, 2 cases dropped off). The basic western medication treatment was adopted in the two groups. In the control group, mild moxibustion was applied at Shuaigu (GB 8), Fengchi (GB 20) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) on the affected side. In the observation group, the frequent acupoint areas of the affected side i.e. Shuaigu (GB 8), Fengchi (GB 20), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), Taichong (LR 3), Yanglingquan (GB 34) were determined, 3 acupoints with strong heat-sensitive sensation were selected each time and mild moxibustion was adopted. The treatment was given once a day, 5 times of treatment was as one course and 2 courses were required in the two groups. Before and after treatment, the scores of migraine symptom, visual analogue scale (VAS), migraine specific quality of life questionnaire (MSQ) were observed, and the clinical efficacy was evaluated after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of migraine symptom and VAS were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), while the MSQ scores were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.01) in the two groups. After treatment, the scores of migraine symptom and VAS in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05), while the MSQ score in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 92.0% (23/25) in the observation group, which was superior to 72.0% (18/25) in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Both heat-sensitive moxibustion and mild moxibustion can effectively alleviate the clinical symptoms, improve the headache degree and life quality in patients with migraine without aura, the clinical efficacy of heat-sensitive moxibustion is superior to that of mild moxibustion.
Humans ; Moxibustion ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Migraine without Aura/therapy* ; Hot Temperature ; Quality of Life ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of horizontal penetration needling combined with rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets, simple horizontal penetration needling and simple rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets for migraine without aura in acute stage. METHODS: A total of 99 patients with migraine without aura in acute stage were randomized into an acupuncture plus medication group, an acupuncture group and a western medication group, 33 cases in each one. In the acupuncture group, horizontal penetration needling was applied once at Hanyan (GB 4) to Xuanli(GB 6), Shenting (GV 24) to Yintang (GV 29), Baihui (GV 20) to Qianding (GV 21), etc. for 2 h. In the western medication group, oral rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets for 10 mg were given once. In the acupuncture plus medication group, treatment of acupuncture combined with rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets were given, the application was the same as the acupuncture group and the western medication group. Before treatment and 0.5, 2, 24 h after treatment, the visual analogue scale (VAS) score was observed, the remission rate and the disappearance rate of migraine of 2, 24 h after treatment were compared in the 3 groups. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the VAS scores of each time point after treatment were decreased in the 3 groups ( CONCLUSION Horizontal penetration needling combined with rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets have significant therapeutic effect on rapid analgesia and continuous analgesia for migraine without aura in acute stage, its effect is superior to simple horizontal penetration needling and simple rizatriptan monobenzoate tablets.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Humans ; Migraine without Aura ; Tablets ; Treatment Outcome ; Triazoles ; Tryptamines

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of penetrating moxibustion on migraine without aura (MO) patients. METHODS: Totally 60 MO patients from the Acupuncture Clinic of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Chinese Medicine were collected from November 2015 to February 2017. All patients were assigned to a treatment group and a control group using a random number table, 30 cases in each group. The treatment group was treated with penetrating moxibustion, and the control group was treated with mild moxibustion, thrice a week for 4 consecutive weeks. The total effective rate, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, headache intensity, and Migraine Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MSQ) scores of patients after treatment were compared between the two groups. The moxibustion sensation and reaction after moxibustion were observed, and the adverse reactions were evaluated. All patients were followed up at 4 and 16 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: The total effective rate of the treatment group was significantly higher than that of the control group (93.33% vs. 80.00%, P<0.05). The improvement of VAS scores, headache intensity, and the role restrictive and role preventive scores in MSQ in the treatment group was better than those in the control group (P<0.05). The person-time of moxibustion sensations of itching, numbness and cold as well as flushing and sweating after moxibustion in the treatment group was all significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). There was no significant difference in safety evaluation between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Penetrating moxibustion can significantly relieve pain and improve quality of life of MO patients. After penetrating moxibustion, flushing and sweating of patients were obvious, and the curative effect was superior to the mild moxibustion.
Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Migraine without Aura/therapy* ; Moxibustion/adverse effects* ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo assess objectively the efficacy of migraine without aura treated by comprehensive auricular acupuncture.

METHODSNinty patients of migraine without aura from three centers were selected as the observation subjects. Thirty cases from each center were treated with the comprehensive auricular acupuncture. This therapy included the retroauricular venous bleeding on the ears, the autologous blood injection at Fengchi (GB 20) and Yanglingquan (GB 34) and bleeding at the Nie (temporal), Zhen (occiput), Yidan (pancreas), Shenmen, Pizhixia (subcortex) and Neifenmi (endocrine) of auricular point. The therapy was applied once every 7-10 days. The continuous 3 treatments made one session.

RESULTSAt the end of one session for the patients in three centers, the headache scores were reduced apparently as compared with those before treatment (all P< 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in comparison among three centers (all P>0.05). The clinical total effective rates were 93.3% (28/30), 90.0% (27/30) and 93.3% (28/30) in three centers separately. There was no obvious difference in the efficacy in comparison among three centers (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe comprehensive auricular acupuncture reduces apparently the headache score for migraine without aura and relieves the clinical symptoms of migraine. It is the simple and effective therapy for migraine without aura.

Acupuncture, Ear ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Migraine without Aura ; therapy ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo probe into the therapeutic effect of ear point combined therapy on common migraine at the remission stage and the mechanism.

METHODSThirty-two cases of common migraine at the remission stage were treated with ear point combined therapy, including blood-letting at ear back, injection of autoblood into Fengchi (GB 20), Yanglingquan (GB 34), and pricking at ear points Nie, Yi-dan (pancreas and gallbladder), Shenmen, etc.. Clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated at the end of one therapeutic course, and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and endotheline (ET) were detected before and after treatment, and the CGRP and ET contents were compared with those in 22 normal persons.

RESULTSThe effective rate was 78.1% (P<0.001), CGRP and ET contents had very significant changes after treatment (P<0.01), and CGRP and ET showed negative correlativity (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe ear point combined therapy can regulates the balance between the plasma CGRP and ET in the patient of common migraine and improve vasodilative, vasoconstrictive and endothelial fuctions in the brain, hence stopping pain.

Acupuncture, Ear ; methods ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; blood ; Endothelins ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Migraine without Aura ; blood ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the therapeutic effect of ear point combined therapy on no-aura migraine at different stages and the mechanism.

METHODSThirty cases of no-aura migraine at different stages were treated with ear point combined therapy, including blood-letting at the ear back, injection of auto-blood into Fengchi (GB 20), Yanglingquan (GB 34), and pricking at ear points Nie (AT2), Yidan (CO11), Shenmen (TF4), etc. Their clinical therapeutic effects were evaluated at the end of one therapeutic course, and substance P (SP) contents were detected before and after treatment.

RESULTSThe clinical effective rate was 86.7%, and the effective rate was 87.5% at the attack stage and 86.4% at the remission stage with no significant difference between the attack stage and the remission stage (P>0.05); after treatment, SP content had significant change as compared with that before treatment (P<0.05, P<0.01), and there was very significant difference in SP content between the attack stage before treatment and the remission stage (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe ear point combined therapy can relieve pain possibly through decreasing plasma SP content, and the SP con tent possibly is one of main factors inducing migraine attack.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture, Ear ; Adult ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Migraine without Aura ; blood ; pathology ; therapy ; Substance P ; blood ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the modulatory effect of acupuncture treatment on the resting-state functional connectivity of brain regions in migraine without aura (MWoA) patients.

METHODSTwelve MWoA patients were treated with standard acupuncture treatment for 4 weeks. All MWoA patients received resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning before and after acupuncture treatment. Another 12 normal subjects matched in age and gender were recruited to serve as healthy controls. The changes of restingstate functional connectivity in MWoA patients before and after the acupuncture treatment and those with the healthy controls were compared.

RESULTSBefore acupuncture treatment, the MWoA patients had significantly decreased functional connectivity in certain brain regions within the frontal and temporal lobe when compared with the healthy controls. After acupuncture treatment, brain regions showing decreased functional connectivity revealed significant reduction in MWoA patients compared with before acupuncture treatment.

CONCLUSIONSAcupuncture treatment could increase the functional connectivity of brain regions in the intrinsic decreased brain networks in MWoA patients. The results provided further insights into the interpretation of neural mechanisms of acupuncture treatment for migraine.

Acupuncture Therapy ; Brain ; physiopathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Demography ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Migraine without Aura ; physiopathology ; Nerve Net ; physiopathology ; Rest ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo assess the therapeutic effects on acupuncture preventive treatment of no-aura migraine and its influence on the QOL (quality of life) of the patients.

METHODSRandomized controlled, double-blind and double-dummy research methods were adopted, 60 cases were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each group. The observation group was treated with acupuncture combined with oral administration of Flunarizine Hydrochloride vacuity capsules, and Baihui (GV 20), Shenting (GV 24) and Benshen (GB 13) were selected as main points. The control group was treated with oral administration of Flunarizine Hydrochloride capsules combined with acupuncture at placebo-points, thrice each week, for 4 weeks. The SF-36 QOL Scale and effective rate were used for assessment of therapeutic effects before treatment, after treatment and 3 months later.

RESULTSThere were significant differences in each dimension scores of SF-36 at 3 time points between the two groups (all P < 0.05). The dimension of the physiological function in the observation group was superior to that of the control group after treatment (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in other 7 dimensions between the two groups (all P > 0.05). After treatment and 3 months later, the effective rates were 68.0%, 68.0% in the observation group and 24.0%, 32.0% in the control group, respectively, with significant differences between the two groups (all P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture preventive treatment can effectively improve the life quality of the patients with migraine and reduce the migraine attack. There is no significant difference in improving the physical and psychological health of the migraine patients between acupuncture and Flunarizine Hydrochloride, and acupuncture is more effective in reducing the migraine attack days.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; methods ; Adult ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Flunarizine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Histamine H1 Antagonists ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Migraine without Aura ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult