english.prescrire.org > Spotlight > Archives : 2006 > Acupuncture and headaches: no specific effect

Spotlight: Archives

Every month, the subjects in Prescrire’s Spotlight.

2006 : 1 | 30 | 60

Acupuncture and headaches: no specific effect

Three trials have shown that acupuncture using the traditional pressure points is no more effective in preventing headaches than needles being applied at random.

In Germany, acupuncture used as pain relief is reimbursed by health insurance. In 2005 and 2006, experienced German acupuncture practitioners published the results of three clinical trials designed to evaluate the effectiveness of traditional Chinese acupuncture in preventing some types of headache (migraine and tension headaches).

These trials show that acupuncture reduces the number of days' headache compared with the simple registration on a list of appointments, but no more than when the needles are applied randomly.

The specific effect of traditional Chinese acupuncture as a preventive treatment for headaches still remains to be proven.

©Prescrire July 2006

Source: "Céphalées et acupuncture" Rev Prescrire 2006 ; 26 (274) : 525-526.

- More articles in Prescrire's "Spotlight"...