Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Auxiliary Treatment for Chronic Headache

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture as an auxiliary analgesic treatment for chronic headaches and the influence of this treatment on the quality of life, as the effectiveness of acupuncture in chronic headache is still controversial. Methods: Thirty-four patients selected from a U...

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Main Authors: Wildete Carvalho Mayrink, João Batista Santos Garcia, Alcione Miranda dos Santos, Joana Kátya Veras Rodrigues Sampaio Nunes, Tárcia Heliny Nojoza Mendonça
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Medical Association of Pharmacopuncture Institute 2018-10-01
Series:Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2005290117300614
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spelling doaj-109a51ca0b664e918ee0a841025bfdbd2021-04-02T04:08:04ZengMedical Association of Pharmacopuncture InstituteJournal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies2005-29012018-10-01115296302Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Auxiliary Treatment for Chronic HeadacheWildete Carvalho Mayrink0João Batista Santos Garcia1Alcione Miranda dos Santos2Joana Kátya Veras Rodrigues Sampaio Nunes3Tárcia Heliny Nojoza Mendonça4CEUMA University, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil; Corresponding author. Street 4, Block 2, Number 6, SM Garden 2, Bequimão district, São Luís, Maranhão, CEP 65061-290, Brazil.Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, BrazilFederal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, BrazilCEUMA University, São Luís, Maranhão, BrazilFederal University of Maranhão, São Luís, Maranhão, BrazilObjectives: To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture as an auxiliary analgesic treatment for chronic headaches and the influence of this treatment on the quality of life, as the effectiveness of acupuncture in chronic headache is still controversial. Methods: Thirty-four patients selected from a University Hospital Clinic on Chronic Pain were divided into two groups: True acupuncture (Group 1), in which the recommended points of the Traditional Chinese Medicine were used for each type of headache and sham acupuncture (Group 2), in which the needles were inserted into a device (the stick-on moxa), at the same points as Group 1. Both groups used the prescribed preventive medication for pain. The verbal numeric scale before (VNS0) and after (VNS1) treatment, the number of crisis, and the number of analgesics used during the first and second months of treatment were used for assessment. Quality of life was also assessed before and after treatment with the Brazilian version of the Quality of Life Questionnaire: SF-6D, 2002. Results: The true acupuncture group showed greater effectiveness in controlling pain in chronic headache, which was statistically significant in all domains compared to the sham acupuncture group, including quality of life. Conclusions: Acupuncture can be considered an auxiliary treatment for chronic headache, reducing the intensity of pain, the number of crisis, the quantity of analgesics used, and improving the quality of life in patients with this painful condition. Keywords: Acupuncture, Headache, Quality of life, Painhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2005290117300614
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Wildete Carvalho Mayrink
João Batista Santos Garcia
Alcione Miranda dos Santos
Joana Kátya Veras Rodrigues Sampaio Nunes
Tárcia Heliny Nojoza Mendonça
spellingShingle Wildete Carvalho Mayrink
João Batista Santos Garcia
Alcione Miranda dos Santos
Joana Kátya Veras Rodrigues Sampaio Nunes
Tárcia Heliny Nojoza Mendonça
Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Auxiliary Treatment for Chronic Headache
Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies
author_facet Wildete Carvalho Mayrink
João Batista Santos Garcia
Alcione Miranda dos Santos
Joana Kátya Veras Rodrigues Sampaio Nunes
Tárcia Heliny Nojoza Mendonça
author_sort Wildete Carvalho Mayrink
title Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Auxiliary Treatment for Chronic Headache
title_short Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Auxiliary Treatment for Chronic Headache
title_full Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Auxiliary Treatment for Chronic Headache
title_fullStr Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Auxiliary Treatment for Chronic Headache
title_full_unstemmed Effectiveness of Acupuncture as Auxiliary Treatment for Chronic Headache
title_sort effectiveness of acupuncture as auxiliary treatment for chronic headache
publisher Medical Association of Pharmacopuncture Institute
series Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies
issn 2005-2901
publishDate 2018-10-01
description Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of acupuncture as an auxiliary analgesic treatment for chronic headaches and the influence of this treatment on the quality of life, as the effectiveness of acupuncture in chronic headache is still controversial. Methods: Thirty-four patients selected from a University Hospital Clinic on Chronic Pain were divided into two groups: True acupuncture (Group 1), in which the recommended points of the Traditional Chinese Medicine were used for each type of headache and sham acupuncture (Group 2), in which the needles were inserted into a device (the stick-on moxa), at the same points as Group 1. Both groups used the prescribed preventive medication for pain. The verbal numeric scale before (VNS0) and after (VNS1) treatment, the number of crisis, and the number of analgesics used during the first and second months of treatment were used for assessment. Quality of life was also assessed before and after treatment with the Brazilian version of the Quality of Life Questionnaire: SF-6D, 2002. Results: The true acupuncture group showed greater effectiveness in controlling pain in chronic headache, which was statistically significant in all domains compared to the sham acupuncture group, including quality of life. Conclusions: Acupuncture can be considered an auxiliary treatment for chronic headache, reducing the intensity of pain, the number of crisis, the quantity of analgesics used, and improving the quality of life in patients with this painful condition. Keywords: Acupuncture, Headache, Quality of life, Pain
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2005290117300614
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