Efficacy of Needling at Sympathetic Point (an Auricular Acupuncture Point) in Migraine Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study

Background: Migraine is a common disabling headache that affects every aspect of a person's life.Auricular acupuncture is a cost-effective treatment modality for the management of painful neurological conditions.Previous studies have shown the beneficial effects of a combination of ear points in the management of migraines.However, no studies have evaluated the efficacy of a single auricular point (i.e., sympathetic point) in migraine.Thus, this study evaluated the efficacy of sympathetic points on pain intensity and depression levels in patients with migraine.Methods: In this randomized controlled study, 100 patients with migraine aged 18-45 years were randomly divided into either an auricular acupuncture group (AAG) (n = 50) or a placebo control group (PCG) (n = 50).The AAG underwent needling at the sympathetic point (an auricular acupuncture point), whereas the PCG underwent needling at a non-acupuncture point for 20 minutes daily for 7 days.Assessments were performed before and after the intervention using a 6-item headache impact test (HIT-6) and Beck depression inventory (BDI) scale.Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 16.Results: In within-group analysis, the AAG showed a significant reduction in HIT-6 and BDI, whereas the PCG showed a significant increase in HIT-6 and a significant reduction in BDI.In between-groups analyses, HIT-6 reduced significantly in the AAG compared with that in the PCG, whereas BDI reduced significantly in the PCG compared with that in the AAG. Conclusion:In patients with migraine, needling at the sympathetic point produces a greater reduction in the pain intensity level and lesser reduction in the depression level compared to needling at a non-acupuncture point.