Acupuncture Outcome of Patients With Migraine

Abstract

Background: Population-based studies suggest that 17.6% of women and 5.6% of men suffer from migraine. Different mechanisms of pathophysiology are reported in allopathic medicine on which pharmaceutical treatments are based. Traditional Chinese Medicine delineates Excess Liver Yang (Wood Element), either relative or absolute resulting from Liver Yin Deficiency, as causing explosive sensations and headaches in migraine. Since Liver opens into the eye, some visual symptoms like photophobia may occur. Objectives: To use Five Element principles to find a different hypothesis for pathophysiology and to determine the outcomes of patients with migraine after acupuncture treatment. Design, Setting, and Participants: A protocol was established to enhance Liver Yin (Wood) with tonification to balance Liver Yang. Water, the Mother Element to the affected Element, Wood, was tonified. In addition, the excess Wood Yang was balanced by tonification of Earth Yang. Finally, dispersion of excess Yang was treated by needling Governing Vessel (GV) 20 and Ah Shi points of Water and Wood Yang Meridians. There were 47 patients with migraine in this study but no controls. The author treated all patients and collected the data prospectively. The study was conducted in Phoenix, Arizona, from January 1998 to December 2005. Follow-up was for 1 year. Intervention: Needling Liver (LR) 3, 5, 8, and 14, and a 2-Hz stimulation from LR 3 to LR 14 completed Liver Yin enhancement. Also needled were Pericardium (PC) 6 and Triple Heater (TH) 5, Kidney (KI) 3, Spleen (SP) 6, and Stomach (ST) 25, 36, and 44. All these needles were bilateral. Then, a single needle was placed on GV 20 for dispersion of any excess Yang. After 20 minutes of this treatment, all needles were removed. Patients assumed a sitting position and all the Ah Shi points of LR and GB Meridians were felt and needled. This lasted for 10 minutes. Treatments were done weekly. Main Outcome Measures: A complete cure was defined as no further headaches; moderate cure, requiring periodic acupuncture treatments to remain headache-free; and treatment failure, no response to acupuncture. Results: Headache resolution was seen in 38 of the 47 patients (81%), moderate cure was noted in 7 patients (15%), and treatment failure was seen in 2 patients (4%). Conclusions: Using the intervention described herein, a cure or moderate cure is possible in the vast majority of migraine cases.