total of 76
migraine patients in the stage of attack were recruited in the present study and randomly (stratified random and central random) allocated to 9 groups by means of orthogonal experimental design [L9 (3(4)), 4 factors (F) and three levels (L)] i.e., F1: ody-
acupoints combination; F1-L1: regional
acupoints [Sizhukong (TE 23), Shuaigu (GB 8), Taiyang (EX-HN 5), etc.] near the focus, F1-L2:regional +distal
acupoints [Hegu (L 4), Taichong (LR 3), etc.] far from the focus, and F1-L3:regional + remote acupoints+ those selected according to syndrome differentiation [for instance, Ganshu (BL 18), Yanglingquan (GB 34), Qiuxu (GB 40) and Taixi (KI 3) for hyperactivity of Liver-yang, etc.]; F2: manual acupuncture or EA of body
acupoints; F2-L1:no acupuncture stimulation, F2-L2:manual acupuncture stimulation, and F2-L3:manual + EA stimulation; F3:
auricular acupuncture therapy; F3-L1:no acupuncture stimulation, F3-L2: otopoint-manual acupuncture (Shenmen, Jiaogan, etc.), and F3-L3:otopoint-EA; F4:
bloodletting; F4-L1 : EX-HN 5 + Ashi point
bloodletting, F4-L2:EX-HN5
bloodletting, and F4-L3: no
bloodletting. The
therapeutic effect of acupuncture was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and analyzed by investigators who did not participate in the treatment course.
RESULTS: Within 24 hours after the treatment, the four factors influencing
headache relief from bigger to smaller are body-
acupoints combination > manual acupuncture or EA stimulation >
bloodletting >
auricular acupuncture. Among the therapeutic schemes evaluated by orthogonal deduction, the
analgesic effect was most stable in the manual acupuncture at regional + distal
acupoints group which was recommended to be the ba-sic scheme for
migraine. The auricular EA could effectively reduce VAS levels from 10 min to 30 min after stimulation, while
bloodletting at Taiyang (EX-HN 5)+ Ashi points was effective in relieving
migraine from 4 h to 24 h after the treatment, suggesting a long lasting post-therapeutic
analgesic effect.
CONCLUSION: Manual acupuncture stimulation of the local + distal body
acupoints combined with otopoint-EA and
bloodletting at Taiyang (EX-HN 5) + Ashi points is the best option for relieving
migraine during attack.