title: A sham-controlled trial of acupuncture as an adjunct in migraine prophylaxis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Migraine is one of the most common types of headache, with significant socioeconomic effects. Prophylactic drugs are used to prevent migraine headaches but are unpromising.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of adding acupuncture to conventional migraine prophylaxis.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients with migraine (41 male, 59 female), in whom prophylactic drugs had not produced a fall of at least 50% in the number of attacks, entered the study. The patients were randomised into two groups, sham and true acupuncture. The patients in both groups continued their prophylactic treatment and received 12 sessions of either true or sham acupuncture. Each session was 30 min and was repeated three times a week. The number of headaches in the two groups was compared at baseline, and at the end of four successive months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference in the frequency of attacks between the two groups before intervention. After 1 month, the frequency of attacks each month decreased from 5.1 (0.8) to 3.4 (1.2) in the true acupuncture group, and from 5.0 (0.8) to 4.4 (1.1) in the sham acupuncture group (a significant difference, p<0.001). The frequency continued to decrease in month 2 but increased in months 3 and 4; however, it was still significantly lower than baseline, and the difference remained significant after month 4.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acupuncture is applicable as an adjunct to prophylactic drugs in migraineurs in whom the number of attacks does not fall with prophylactic medication.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, , Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foroughipour
authors.forename: Amir Reza
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Golchian
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalhor
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akhlaghi
authors.forename: Mohammad Taghi
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Farzadfard
authors.forename: Hoda
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Azizi
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy; D010919:Placebos; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D010919:Placebos
keywords: Acupuncture; Complementary Medicine