Ear acupuncture in the prophylactic treatment of chronic migraine

Excerpt

Somatic acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis has been scientifically documented in numerous studies. Few, however, have investigated the role of ear acupuncture (EAP) in the treatment of migraine. Romoli et al. [1] demonstrated the efficacy of the needle-contact test (NCT) in identifying EAP points which, when correctly stimulated by needles, reduce and/or resolve an acute attack. The NCT entails identifying the sensitive points on the surface of the auricle of the outer ear by means of an algometer that produces pressure (250 g maximum) at its tip. After the points have been identified, they are stimulated for about 10 seconds with a needle placed perpendicular to the skin, without penetrating the surface. The expected effect is that the headache pain will quickly subside. If such occurs, the needle is inserted and retained in the site for 30 minutes. If semipermanent needles are used, they can be left inserted for 1 to 21 days. If the pain does not remit within 60 seconds of mild superficial stimulation, the search procedure with the algometer is repeated to identify other EAP points that may be more sensitive and effective in reducing pain symptoms. …