A prospective study undertaken by researchers in Pennsylvania, USA, has shown that acupuncture has persistent beneficial effects on both the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks. A total of 59 migraine patients were asked to keep daily headache and quality of life diaries for three months. They were then given acupuncture twice a week for four weeks, followed by a further four weeks of treatment once per week, all whilst continuing with their diaries.
On comparing pre- and post-treatment data, migraine frequency and pain intensity were found to have decreased significantly after a course of acupuncture. Furthermore, at follow-up twelve weeks after the last acupuncture session, both frequency and intensity remained lower than they had been prior to the start of treatment. Acupuncture also had a significant impact on patients’ quality of life.
(Standardized set-point acupuncture for migraines. Altern Ther Health Med, Nov-Dec 2013.)