[Value of acupuncture in treatment of migraine]

Approximately 12% of the population suffers from migraine. This sudden, usually unbearable headache can last for up to 72 hours and can be accompanied by vegetative symptoms. Prophylactic treatment is recommended if more than three attacks of headache occur monthly. For prophylactic therapy, beta-blockers or the calcium antagonist flunarizine are mostly used. Serotonin blockers, which have undesirable side-effects, and dihydroergotamine, which can only be used for a short time as well as non-steroidal antirheumatics and antidepressants and relaxation exercises are used more rarely. The literature reports on the successful treatment of migraine with acupuncture. Although none of the studies made to date fulfil the necessary quality criteria, there is no doubt about the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of migraine. Acupuncture therapy only makes sense if it reduces the patient's discomfort and the taking of drugs.