April 16, 2008 – Classical acupuncture would be more effective than a placebo treatment in treating migraine, according to an Italian study1.
So far, clinical trials had given results indicating that acupuncture would be effective in relieving headaches, but no more than placebo treatments (needles inserted outside valid acupuncture points)2.
To be sure, Italian researchers conducted a clinical trial on 160 migraine sufferers. For six months, all patients took rizatriptan as needed for pain relief. The effectiveness of this drug is recognized for the treatment of migraine. Participants were divided into four groups of 40 subjects3.
According to the results, the participants who received conventional acupuncture treatments (group 1) were the only ones to experience a significant decrease in their symptoms after six months of session. They were also the only ones to reduce their medication at the end of the trial.
However, the researchers observed a placebo effect in the group 2 participants. The needles were placed over the acupuncture points, but were not driven into the skin. These subjects still noted a reduction in pain after three months of treatment. They also decreased their medication, but the effect wore off after six months.
Patients whose needles were inserted outside valid acupuncture points (group 3) and those who took only rizatriptan (group 4) also experienced improvement in their condition, but not as much as those in groups 1 and 2.
The study authors conclude that sham acupuncture has a placebo effect on migraine, but that genuine acupuncture provides longer lasting benefits than placebo, as does rizatriptan.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
1. Facco E, Liguori A, et al. Traditional acupuncture in migraine: a controlled, randomized study. Headache. 2008 Mar; 48 (3): 398-407.
2. On this subject, see our news: Acupuncture, a good placebo?
3. Group 1 participated in classical acupuncture sessions following the precepts of TCM: the choice of acupuncture points stimulated by needles therefore depended, for each patient, on the acupuncturist’s diagnosis. Those in group 2 were diagnosed in the same way, but the needles were not driven into the skin: they were only put in contact with the epidermis at the acupuncture points chosen by the practitioner.
The patients in group 3 were not diagnosed according to the precepts of TCM and were receiving dummy acupuncture treatment: they were all treated at the same five (dummy) acupuncture points predetermined by the doctor. test protocol without the needles being driven into the skin. In the end, the subjects in group 4 were content with rizatriptan.
