頭痛に対する鍼灸治療の効果とその作用機序

抄録

Headache is one of the commonly treated symptoms in daily Oriental medicine practice, but there are many challenges in understanding its pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. In Japan, the headache treatment guidelines published in 2021 positively mention acupuncture for migraine (acute treatment, preventive treatment), tension–type headache, and medication–overuse headache. Additionally, overseas, the effectiveness of acupuncture for migraine and tension–type headache has been positively reported in Cochrane reviews and other studies.

In our department, we have collaborated with neurology for many years to investigate the effects of acupuncture treatment for migraine and tension–type headache, as well as its mechanisms of action, and have presented our findings at domestic and international medical conferences. As a result, acupuncture treatment has shown high effectiveness even in patients who do not respond well to pharmacotherapy, suggesting a significant role for acupuncture in modern medicine.

Furthermore, the mechanism of action of acupuncture for headaches, analyzed using indicators such as autonomic nervous system function and cerebral circulation, has shown that acupuncture treatment contributes to symptom improvement not only through local reactions but also through involvement of higher central nervous system functions. Additionally, there are differences in response to acupuncture treatment between headache patients and healthy individuals, and it has been found that symptoms improve with continued acupuncture treatment, approaching patterns seen in healthy individuals. From these findings, it is evident that acupuncture treatment is involved in the normalization of physiological functions, which are considered characteristic of traditional medicine.