Ear acupuncture in the treatment of migraine attacks: a randomized trial on the efficacy of appropriate versus inappropriate acupoints

Abstract

Ear acupuncture can be a useful mean for controlling migraine pain. It has been shown that a technique called the Needle Contact Test (NCT) can identify the most efficacious ear acupoints for reducing current migraine pain through just a few seconds of needle contact. The majority of the points were located on the antero-internal part of the antitragus (area M) on the same side of pain. The aim of this study was to verify the therapeutic value of area M and to compare it with an area of the ear (representation of the sciatic nerve, area S) which probably does not have a therapeutic effect on migraine attacks. We studied 94 females suffering from migraine without aura, diagnosed according to the ICHD-II criteria, during the attack. They were randomly subdivided into two groups: in group A, tender points located in area M, positive to NCT were inserted; in group B, the unsuitable area (S) was treated. Changes in pain intensity were measured using a VAS scale at various times of the study. During treatment, there was a highly significant trend in the reduction of the VAS value in group A (Anova for repeated measures: p < 0.001), whereas no significance was observed in group B. VAS values were significantly lower in group A than in group B at 10, 30, 60 and 120 min after needle insertion. This study suggests that the therapeutic specificity of auricular points exists and is linked to the somatotopic representation of our body on the ear.

Does Ear Acupuncture Have a Role for Pain Relief in the Emergency Setting? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…The most frequent forms of ear acupuncture were BFA (4 studies) 28,[30][31][32] and ear acupuncture using a point finder (skin conduction and algometer; 2 studies). 33,34 ( Fig. 1 and Table 2) Primary Outcome Fig.…”

“…All 8 studies used set points in both ears, however 2 studies located efficacious points within or adjacent to set anatomical points, using localized tenderness (including use of an algometer), skin-resistance measurement, and the ''point contact test.'' 33,34 The numbers of intervention ear acupuncture points ranged from 1 to 10. The points used, along with their anatomical locations, if used in more than one study were as follows: Thalamus/antitragus (6 studies), Cingulate/inter-tragic notch (4 studies), Shenmen/apex of triangular fossa (4 studies), Point Zero/concha ridge (4 studies), and Omega 2/helix adjacent to base of triangular fossa (3 studies; see Fig.…”

“…16,28,30,32 Five studies specified the use of semipermanent needles that were retained >24 hours. [30][31][32][33][34][35] (Fig. 5).…”

“…The time required to apply ear acupuncture was specified for 6 of the 8 studies and ranged from 2 to 10 minutes. 16,39,30,[32][33][34] Three studies quoted actual costs of consumables as < $5 USD/per patient. 16,31,32 and ''low cost'' was also mentioned by another study.…”

Complementary and integrative medicine in the management of headache

“…VAS was significantly reduced 10 minutes after needle insertion time and the effect lasted for two hours (P<0.001). 29 Another RCT compared ear acupuncture with traditional acupuncture in 35 patients with migraine without aura. The severity of pain (using the migraine index) was reduced after eight weeks of weekly treatments; it was significantly improved from baseline and both groups were comparable after treatment and three months later (residual pain 54.83% and 63.43% for somatic and ear acupuncture, respectively).…”