ABSTRACT
Background Migraine is one of the most
common types of headache, with significant
socioeconomic effects. Prophylactic drugs are
used to prevent migraine headaches but are
unpromising.
Objective To assess the effects of adding
acupuncture to conventional migraine prophylaxis.
Methods One hundred patients with migraine
(41 male, 59 female), in whom prophylactic drugs
had not produced a fall of at least 50%in the
number of attacks, entered the study. The patients
were randomised into two groups, sham and true
acupuncture. The patients in both groups
continued their prophylactic treatment and
received 12 sessions of either true or sham
acupuncture. Each session was 30 min and was
repeated three times a week. The number of
headaches in the two groups was compared at
baseline, and at the end of four successive
months.
Results There was no significant difference in the
frequency of attacks between the two groups
before intervention. After 1 month, the frequency
of attacks each month decreased from 5.1 (0.8) to
3.4 (1.2) in the true acupuncture group, and from
5.0 (0.8) to 4.4 (1.1) in the sham acupuncture
group (a significant difference, p