Comparison of the Prophylactic Effect Between Acupuncture and Acupressure on Menstrual Migraine
Menstrual Migraine
About this trial
This is an interventional prevention trial for Menstrual Migraine focused on measuring menstrual migraine, acupuncture, acupressure
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- females aged from 18 to 40;
- a diagnosis of pure menstrual migraine or menstrually related migraine according to the criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders III beta version;
- regular menstrual periods;
- repeated self-considered MM attacks of at least half a year;
- no plan to become pregnant or change hormonal treatment during the study; and
- voluntarily joining this study and providing informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
- difficulties in differentiating migraine from other types of headaches;
- other primary headaches such as tension-type headache and cluster headache, and secondary headache;
- lack of time and/or motivation to participate;
- starting in use of any new kind of migraine prophylactic drugs in the last three months;
- serious cardiovascular, neurological, or psychiatric diseases according to self-reported medical history;
- severe bleeding disorder or anticoagulation according to the medical history;
- a cardiac pacemaker;
- metal allergy;
- a severe needle phobia;
- or if they are pregnant or lactating.
Sites / Locations
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Experimental
Active Comparator
Sham Comparator
verum acupuncture
acupressure
control acupuncture
Participants will receive real needle insertion. The needles will be left in the acupoint for 20 min, with a manual rotation at a ten-min interval. Primary acupoints used in the verum acupuncture group will be: LR3 (Taichong), LI4 (Hegu), SP6 (Sanyinjiao), GB20 (Fengchi). Extra acupoints will be selected based on TCM pattern are GB41 (Zulinqi), SP10 (Xuehai), KI3 (Taixi), or LR2 (Xingjian).
Acupressure will be applied on all the corresponding acupoints described in the acupuncture group. Duration of each session will be 15 min.
The number, duration, and frequency of the sessions will be the same as for the verum acupuncture group. The points chosen will be: LR7 (Xiguan), GB35 (Yangjiao), LI12 (Zhouliao), M-BW-1 (Dingchuan).