Migraine Research
Alternative
& Complementary Therapies
Medical
Herbalism
& Migraine
Feverfew: - The most interesting dietary remedy for migraine
is the common herb Feverfew, which has been used to treat headaches since early Roman
times. Several very exciting recent studies have proved that feverfew can prevent migraine
attacks. One study found that 70% of the people who consumed two or three fresh leaves of
the bitter-tasting plant each day has fewer and less severe attacks than a comparable
group of sufferers who did not take the plant. It is essential that you talk to a
qualified herbal practitioner before embarking on any treatment.
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Acupuncture
&
Migraine
Doctors have reported tremendous success with acupuncture
treatment of migraine headaches. In contrast to drugs, acupuncture treatment seems to be
very effective in preventing the attacks from ever occurring or rendering them much less
severe when they do hit.
Acupuncture
research in Denmark
Researchers in Denmark recently demonstrated
that acupuncture offers significant benefits for migraine sufferers. The
researchers monitored 85 patients with a history of migraine in a randomised,
double-blind study in which acupuncture treatment (dry needling to acupoints
in the neck) was compared to the drug metoprolol in the prevention of migraine
attacks. All of the patients, investigators and statisticians were blinded as
to treatment, and the therapist was blinded as to results.
The study took place at an outpatient pain
clinic in the northern Copenhagen area and the patients who participated in
the study were either referred by their general practitioners or had responded
to newspaper advertisements. Certain patients were excluded from the study;
those who were pregnant or had previous experience with acupuncture or
beta-blocking agents, those with chronic pain syndromes, and those with known
contraindications to treatment with beta blockers. The patients were then
allocated to one of two groups: the first group were given a 17-week regimen
with acupuncture and placebo tablets and the second group were given placebo
acupuncture stimulation and 100 mg of metoprolol daily.
The results revealed that both groups exhibited
significant reduction in frequency of migraine attacks and there was no
difference found between the two groups of patients in the average frequency
or duration of migraine attacks. However the severity of the attacks was found
to be lower in the metoprolol group but this was also accompanied by a range
of adverse side effects. The researchers therefore concluded that acupuncture
offers " a valuable supplement to the list of migraine prophylactic
tools" being equipotent to metoprolol in the influence on frequency and
duration (but not severity) of attacks, and superior in terms of negative
side-effects.
There is no doubt that this study provides
additional weight to the argument that acupuncture should be more fully
integrated into western medicine, at the very least as a complementary tool
for pain control. However it should be noted that the study, like many others,
attempts to define acupuncture treatment in western medical terms, with
standardised treatment being administered to every patient in the treatment
group without consideration to the specific needs of the individual patient or
the more complex systems and meridians (flows of energy) upon which oriental
medicine is based. It would be more helpful and certainly increase our
understanding of the true benefits of acupuncture treatment if researchers
would give thought to the oriental approach to medicine when devising research
studies and allow qualified acupuncturists the opportunity to treat each
indivdual according to their diagnoses. As in all other forms of holistic
therapies, treatment cannot be standardised for every patient because the
cause of the problem may differ in each individual case.
Hesse J; Mogelvang B; Simonsen H. Acupuncture
versus metoprolol in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized trial of trigger point
inactivation. Pain Clinic and Medical Department, Skodsborg Sanatorium,
Denmark. Journal of International Medicine (ENGLAND) May 1994, 235 (5) p451-6
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Acupuncture
research in Germany
Acupuncture is becoming an increasingly popular
form of treatment for migraine sufferers. In 1994 Danish researchers
demonstrated that acupuncture was as effective in the treatment of migraine as
the drug metoprolol (1) and concluded that the treatment offers ‘a valuable
supplement to the list of migraine prophylactic tools’. However, more
recently, German researchers continued in this line of study by investigating
the effects of acupuncture in preventing migraine attacks(2).
In the German study, patients with a history of
migraine attacks were randomly selected to one of two groups ; one group
received treatment involving a traditional deep needle insertion on
acupuncture points, the other group were used as controls and given a placebo
treatment using superficial needle insertion on non-acupuncture points. All of
the patients kept a diary of headaches and migraine attacks before, during and
after treatment for a period of one year.
The results revealed that there was a
statistically significant therapeutic effect and marked decrease in migraine
attacks observed in the patients in the acupuncture treatment group which was
not observed in the placebo group. The researchers concluded that their
results indicated that acupuncture ‘is a useful interval therapeutical agent
for migraine sufferers’ and called for further studies to be carried out to
try and identify and understand the exact mechanism or trigger that is
responsible for the treatment.
(1) See ALTERNATIVES in health™ Vol 1, No,2,
5.
(2)Weinschutz T.K.; Niederberger U.. Relevance of acupuncture in migraine
therapy (Zum Stellenwert der Akupunctur in der Migranetheerapie) Klinik fur
Neurologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universitat, Niemannsweg 147, D-24105 Kiel
Germany Nervenheilkunde (Germany) , 1995, 14/5 A (295-301)
Acupuncture &
migraine (Germany)
- The fact that 25% of the German population
have the problem of headache, or migraine is uniquely characteristic
of Germany. The administration of analgesics which used to be their
local treatment for the problem can neither give a radical cure nor
avoid certain side effects.
- It can be seen from the therapeutic result of
a 80% effective rate in 89 cases of migraine that acupuncture
treatment is an effective therapy for "German migraine"
without any side effects.
- Since 10% of the migraine cases were related
to the improper sleeping posture, due attention should be paid and
appropriate measures be taken to prevent occurrence of headache.
- While receiving acupuncture treatment, the
cases of migraine related to menstruation should also try to regulate
their emmeniopathy.
- It seems somewhat difficult for acupuncture
treatment to give good effects in those with migraine related to
psychological pressures and in those given long-term administration of
contraceptives. This needs further study.
J Tradit Chin Med
1998 Jun;18(2):99-101 Hu J . Institute of
Acupuncture and Moxibustion, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine,
Beijing.
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Reflexology
& Migraine
According to a large nationwide research study undertaken
in Denmark, reflexology treatment has a beneficial effect on patients suffering from
migraine and tension headaches. The study was conducted at the Department of Social
Pharmacy, The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy in co-operation with five reflexology
associations. 220 patients participated with treatment being given by 78 fully trained
reflexologist across the country.
Headaches remain the most common health problem amongst the adult population and it has
been estimated that they are the reason for the loss of three mil-lion working days every
year. Reflexology is renowned for its ability to help relax and calm patients and for this
reason it was considered an interesting therapy to study for the treatment of tension
headaches and migraine.
Of all the patients who took part in the study, 90 percent said that they had taken
prescribed medication for their headaches within the month prior to the commencement of
the study and, of them, 36 percent had experienced side effects from the medicines. 81
percent of the prescribed medicine in the acetvlsalicyclic acid and paracetamol group was
taken at least twice a week and 72% of the stronger migraine medicines were taken at least
once a fortnight which indicates that the majority of the patients were suffering from
moderate to severe symptoms. 34 percent had taken medications for ailments other than
headaches.
Three months after a completed series of reflexology treatments, 81 percent of patients
confirmed that reflexology had either cured (16%) or helped (65%) their symptoms. 19
percent of the patients re-ported that they had been able to completely dispense with the
medications they had been taking before the study.
The reflexologist also found that there was a strong link between headaches and the
gall bladder, stomach, bladder, and endocrine hormone meridians. At the end of the study
the patients who benefited from the treatment showed less stress on the reflex points for
the ovaries, small intestine, bladder, stomach, liver and kidneys than they had
experienced on their first treatment. The likelihood of successful cure was found to be
greatest for: a) those patients whom the reflexologist found no stress on the reflex zones
of the uterus or gall bladder, and b) younger patients who had suffered from headaches for
a short period of time.
Brendstrup E, Launso L, Eriksen L. Reflexions March 1996, 10
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Music therapy
& electro-acupuncture to treat migraine
An interesting new randomised, controlled study conducted at
the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation investigated a
new form of treatment which combines music therapy with electroacupuncture. The potential
analgesic effects of acupuncture is well documented and music therapy is becoming an
increasingly popular means of enhancing pain relief and alleviating anxiety in stressful
situations including dental treatment, childbirth, coronary care units and post-surgery.
It was for this reason that the researchers decided to experiment with both therapies to
treat patients suffering from migraine or cervical tension headaches.
A device was developed which delivers an electrical stimulation to acupuncture needles
(electroacupuncture) and this has its frequency modulated by the sound of classical music
being played to the patient (i.e. the frequency of the electrical stimulation altered with
the change in the sound of the music).
Fifty patients (14 male and 36 female), all with a history of migraine or cervical
tension headaches for at least one year, participated in the study. The patients were
randomly assigned to one of two groups; one group received standard electroacupuncture at
100Hz while the other group had electroacupuncture stimulation. Pain levels were scored by
the patients on a five point scale ranging from 0 (= no pain) to 5 (intractable pain).
The analgesic effects observed in the acupuncture group was statistically significant,
but the effects in the music therapy/acupuncture group were significantly greater. 23 out
of the 25 (92%) patients in the music sound electroacupuncture group reported that they
found the music very beneficial and reliable, and all stated that they would be happy to
use it again.
Whilst there was no placebo control group in this study, this may be because the
analgesic effects of acupuncture are well documented and supported by literally hundreds
of studies. The study concludes that music sound electroacupuncture provides a "safe,
re-liable and effective method for the management of pain and anxiety in migraine and
cervical tension headache" and is, "on the basis of this trial more effective in
pain relief than standard acupuncture". However, the report goes on to acknowledge
that this was a "preliminary study" and that "additional investigations are
warranted".
It is clearly too small a study to draw firm conclusions, especially as there was no
placebo control group. But as a pilot study, this research was a fascinating investigation
into an innovative approach to complementary therapies in which two therapies with a
proven track record in an area of medicine can be combined and tested to see whether they
are more effective when used together.
I. Tekeoglu: Introduction of a new therapy method: Music sound electroacupuncture
stimulation. Acupuncture in Medicine. Nov 1995; 13:2,71-72.
Music
therapy - effective treatment of migraine (switzerland)
Music therapy is effective for
migraine sufferers according to researchers in Switzerland.
Researchers studied the use of Psychofonia, a new form of music
therapy for the treatment of migraine. As alternative treatment has
gained more widespread acceptance, especially for this common yet
often difficult to treat condition, each patient had their own
individualised sound pattern created based upon their individual EEG
using computer technology. 55 migraine patients treated with
EEG-based music therapy were then studies prospectively.
The results showed that 56% of
patients showed improvement of at least 50% of symptoms following a
12 month treatment period. From this we can say that the findings
suggest that this form of music therapy is effective in treating
migraine patients and should be studied in a prospective, randomised,
controlled trail.
MEISTER and colleagues, Medizinische
Klinik, Kantonsspital Glarus, Switzerland write that migraine
Meister M et al. Psychofonia – a
neurophysiological music therapy in migraine. Schweizerische
Rundschau faer Medizin Praxis 88;21:946-9 20/05/99
Migraine
patients eased by massage
Researchers at the Department of Neuropsychiatry, Bootham Park Hospital,
York UK studied the effects of acupuncture and massage with relaxation upon
chronic headache. Sufferers were assigned to either acupuncture or massage
with relaxation instead of a change to their prescribed medication.
In both treatments there was a significant
improvement in pain, but migraine patients treated by massage with
relaxation showed significantly greater improvements compared with those
patients who received acupuncture.
Wylie KR et al. Does
psychological testing help to predict the response to acupuncture or
massage/relaxation therapy in patients presenting to a general neurology
clinic with headache? Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 17(2): 130-9.
Jun 1997
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