Clinical observation of penetrating scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture in the treatment of menstrual headache

OBJECTIVE: Through a standardized randomized controlled clinical trial in patients with menstrual headache, to compare the clinical efficacy of penetrating scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture versus oral Western medicine in the treatment of menstrual headache. METHODS: The 60 patients with menstrual headache in this study all came from the gynecology outpatient clinic of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine. Using a random number table, the 60 patients were randomly divided into two groups: a treatment group (30 cases) and a control group (30 cases). The treatment group received penetrating scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture, following the treatment principle of regulating the yin and yang of the zang-fu organs and dredging the meridians. The control group received oral flunarizine (Sibelium). Both groups were treated continuously for 3 courses (3 menstrual cycles). During treatment, the clinical data of both groups were recorded in detail, and the headache composite score, headache index, efficacy index and total effective rate were compared before and after treatment and between groups after treatment. RESULTS: After 3 courses of treatment, statistical analysis of the clinical data showed that, compared with before treatment, the headache index and overall composite score decreased significantly in both groups (P<0.05), indicating that both treatments were effective. Comparing the pain index and composite score after treatment and the between-group efficacy index and total effective rate, the total effective rate was 86.20% in the treatment group and 42.86% in the control group. Thus, the efficacy and total effective rate of penetrating scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture were superior to those of oral Western medicine. CONCLUSION: For menstrual headache, penetrating scalp acupuncture combined with body acupuncture, based on the principle of regulating the yin and yang of the zang-fu organs and dredging the meridians, is superior to oral Western medicine; this acupuncture method can more effectively, conveniently and safely reduce the frequency of menstrual headache attacks, shorten the duration of each attack and relieve their intensity, thereby reducing the serious adverse impact of menstrual headache on patients' daily life, study and work.