[Transient analgesic effect of electroacupuncture at Taiyang (EX-HN 5) for treatment of migraine with hyperactivity of the liver-yang].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the difference of therapeutic effects between electroacupuncture (EA) and medication for treatment of migraine with hyperactivity of the liver-yang. METHODS: With 3-center randomized controlled study method, 300 cases were assigned to a treatment group and a control group, 150 cases in each group. They were treated respectively with EA at Taiyang (EX-HN 5) and oral administration of western medicine. Changes of the score for headache intensity, remission degree of headache and remission rate of headache after treatment were investigated. RESULTS: After once treatment, VAS score of the headache intensity showed dynamical decrease in the two groups; in the treatment group the score reached the lowest 3-4 h after treatment, with the decreasing degree better than the control group (P < 0.01). The lasting time of headache remission was (388.6 +/- 430.1) min and (163.3 +/- 182.3) min, respectively, the treatment group being significantly longer than that of the control group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: EA at Taiyang (EX-HN 5) has transient analgesic effect for treatment of migraine with hyperactivity of the liver-yang, which is better than that of routine western medication.