A headache patient has requested acupuncture treatment

Abstract

Acupuncture, a traditional therapy in Oriental medicine, has been extensively studied for its effects on headaches. The Cochrane Review has provided positive comments regarding its efficacy for migraines and tension–type headaches. In Japan, the 2021 Guidelines for the Treatment of Headache provide weak recommendations for the use of acupuncture in managing migraines, tension–type headaches, and medication–overuse headache (MOH).

At our department, we have been collaborating with the neurology department since our establishment to advance the clinical treatment and research of headaches. A survey conducted on headache patients visiting our department revealed that the most common diagnosis was tension–type headache (48 patients), followed by MOH (13 patients), migraine (12 patients), and chronic daily headache (3 patients).

This study focused on MOH patients who underwent acupuncture treatment, specifically examining the recurrence rate. The results indicated a recurrence rate of approximately 30%. These findings suggest that combining acupuncture with preventive medications may help reduce the recurrence of MOH.