Acupuncture is as effective as standard drug therapy in the treatment of migraines, a German study reported last week in The Lancet Neurology Journal .
More than 800 volunteers who suffer at least two to six migraine attacks per month were randomly divided into three controlled groups for treatment: traditional Chinese acupuncture, sham acupuncture (placebo) and standard drug treatment using beta-blockers. The study, led by Prof Hans-Christoph Diener, of University Duisburg-Essen in Germany, was conducted between April 2002 and July 2005.
After six months of treatment 47 percent of the real acupuncture group reported a reduction by half of their migraine days; the other groups showed similarly successful results.
Affecting about 20 percent of the population and mainly women, migraines are intense, throbbing headaches often on one side of the head and can be accompanied by feelings of nausea, increased sensitivity to light, sound and smells. Attacks can last from between four and 72 hours.
According to the British Acupuncture Council (BAC) it is the sixth most common condition treated by acupuncturists.
The approach that acupuncture takes in treating a person is, "strengthening the constitution and removing the underlying problems that cause headaches so that medication is not needed," says Persis Tamboly, PR Manager of the BAC.
Tamboly says that most people who come for acupuncture are receiving drug treatment at the same time.
A statement issued by the BAC said that it "welcomes this research that clearly shows acupuncture to be successful in treating migraines."
"We have known for a long time that migraine sufferers experience a reduction in migraines through acupuncture, now we are able to prove it," they added.
Professor Peter Goadsby from the Headache group at the Institute of Neurology, UCL (University College London), London, is not convinced about the value of the study, "I don't think the study shows the relationship between acupuncture and pharmaceutical treatment." He said that "standard drug therapy" is rather uninformative and he would have to have more detailed knowledge before making a judgement.
"Standard therapy in the U.K. is not the same as standard in Germany," Goadsby adds, highlighting that it is not clear which drugs are used in the study.
For Goadsby the study does, however, show that, "real acupuncture is no better than sham acupuncture."
Tomboly explained that sham acupuncture also has an effect on the body.
"The research model used for acupuncture is the same as pharmaceutical treatment. However, the model doesn't truly apply to acupuncture," she continues.
"Acupuncture has the physical aspect, treatment aspect and interaction aspect."
It is also worth noting that no placebo was used for the drugs in the study.
There is a "real need for resources to be made available for further research of this nature" concludes the BAC.
Sources: The Lancet Neurology www.acupuncture.org.uk
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