Auricular acupuncture has a greater overall impact on headache-related quality of life (QoL) than did traditional Chinese acupuncture, says a new US study.
The study, published in Medical Acupuncture journal, compared the effectiveness of usual care alone to usual care plus either auricular or traditional Chinese acupuncture in treating patients with headaches due to a previous traumatic brain injury (TBI) and showed a significant improvement in headache-related quality of life (QoL) with the addition of acupuncture.
The study was conducted on previously deployed members of the US military who had mild to moderate TBI and headaches. Chronic or recurrent headache is reported by 80 per cent of service members with TBI.
"Chronic concussion headaches are a clinical challenge. Acupuncture appears promising to avoid the opioid gateway for these patients," says Richard C. Niemtzow, director, US Air Force Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine Center.
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