NYC Headache Treatment Acupuncture Provides Relief

West Village Acupuncture
4 Milligan Place
Suite 1F
New York, N.Y. 10011
6th Ave btwn 10th & 11th
917.968.2854

Duke University Researchers Find Acupuncture is more Effective than Medication in Treating Headache

A recent study conducted by researchers at Duke University concluded that acupuncture is more effective than medication in treating a variety of headaches.

Overall 4,ooo patients where involved with the following break down. Seventeen of the studies involved migraines; ten involved tension headaches and four involved other chronic headaches. Each of the studies compared acupuncture to medication. Researchers found that 62% of the acupuncture groups reported relief compared to only 45% of the medication groups. In studies comparing real to sham acupuncture53% of the acupuncture patients as compared with 45% of the sham patients, reported improvement.

The Duke study analyzed 31 prior research studies, all of which were randomized controlled studies, conducted for more than 4 weeks and involving adult subjects suffering from chronic headaches.

Another recently published study found significant improvement in migraine headache disability in patients who underwent a particular acupuncture protocol. Facco E, Liguori A, Petti F, Zanette G, Coluzzi F, DeNardin M, Mattia C: Traditional Acupuncture in Migraine: A Controlled Randomized Study. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 2008, 48,(3):398-407.

The results were calculated across four separate groups: those receiving 1)traditional acupuncture; 2)traditional sham acupuncture (acupuncture at non-acupuncture points); 3)sham using blunted needles at real acupuncture points; and 4) no supplemental treatments. Participants in all groups were provided with medication (Rizatriptan) to relieve symptoms as they arose.

The study involved a total of 160 patients randomly assigned to each of the four groups and was conducted over a period of six months, with patients receiving acupuncture twice weekly. Each patient completed a headache questionnaire at the inception of the study, then again at three months and six months. There were 33 dropouts, with a total of 127 subjects completing the study, including 32 in group 1; 30 in group 2; 31 in group 3; and 34 in group 4. Prior to the start of treatments the patients reported headaches ranging from moderate to severe, with no significant differences across groups. All groups reported a decrease in headaches at 3 and 6 months, however, only the true acupuncture group reported a significant improvement at both 3 and 6 months.

So whether you suffer from migraines, tension headaches or any other kind of chronic headache, acupuncture may be the answer for you.

Acupuncture Treatments

The specific treatment protocol used for treating headache will vary depending on the type of headache and the individual patient. Chinese medicine recognizes many different types of migraine headaches.

Possible types of migraines headache include:

• Liver Yang Rising;
• Liver Channel Cold Stagnation; and
• Blood Stasis.

To allow for the best possible outcome, the practitioner needs to identify the particular type/pattern of migraine that the patient has. The treatment for each type of migraine headache is unique, requiring different acupuncture point prescriptions and different herbal formulas.

For additional information on acupuncture in the treatment of headaches, see our other headache webpages click here If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment, contact Elizabeth at 917.968.2854

West Village Acupuncture
4 Milligan Place
Suite 1F
New York, N.Y. 10011
6th Ave btwn 10th & 11th
917.968.2854

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