A study conducted by Brazilian researchers showed that acupuncture in the ear area may help alleviate the pain caused by chronic migraines and reduce their negative impact on daily life.
The study included 68 women who had suffered from chronic migraine for at least one year, with a minimum of 15 migraine days per month. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: the first underwent eight sessions of treatment by acupuncture at specific points on the auricle associated with migraine, while the second received sham sessions simulating this treatment.
The researchers assessed the severity of the pain, the impact of the headache on quality of life, and the level of oxygen saturation in brain tissue, before treatment, immediately after treatment, and 30 days after the sessions ended.
The results showed that participants in the actual treatment group experienced an 11% reduction in pain intensity immediately after the sessions ended, and an 18% reduction after a month. The impact of migraines on their daily activities also decreased. However, a similar improvement was also recorded in the placebo group, and no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups, making it impossible to conclude that the actual acupuncture was more effective than the placebo.
The researchers stressed that they consider this technique promising as a complementary treatment alongside traditional therapies, not a replacement for them, and announced that they will continue their research with a larger number of participants to determine whether stimulating certain points in the ear can really alleviate chronic migraine headaches.
