A team in Brazil studying acupuncture and headaches, has shown in a small trial that acupuncture can improve the effect of drug treatment. A total of 34 female patients aged 18 to 60, attending the Federal University of Maranhão’s hospital clinic, were randomised to receive either true acupuncture or sham acupuncture. The latter comprised non-insertive “needling”. Acupuncture was given twice a week for eight weeks. Both groups continued to take their prescribed pain medication.
Compared with the sham group, the true acupuncture group achieved significantly better control of their headaches in several respects, including number of headaches, pain intensity, quantity of medication used, and quality of life. The researchers conclude that acupuncture can be considered an auxiliary treatment for chronic headache.
(Effectiveness of acupuncture as auxiliary treatment on chronic headache. Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies, 27 July 2018.)