Deeper understanding?
Commenting on the research, Jennifer Bickel, MD, a senior member of neurology at Moffit Cancer Center and professor of oncologic sciences at University of South Florida, Tampa, said that the study provides a deeper understanding of acupuncture’s efficacy for chronic TTH, which could aid clinicians who are unfamiliar with the therapy or when and how to refer treatment.
“This study provides a more descriptive outline for what type of acupuncture treatment and duration can be effective for patients so doctors can prep patients on what to expect and so doctors can better assess if patients received appropriate acupuncture for their headaches,” said Dr. Bickel, who was not involved with the research.
However, she noted that the acupuncture sites and techniques did not vary during the trial. Although that makes sense for a controlled study, it may not reflect real-world clinical practice, she added.
“The downside is that the study didn’t fully reflect that most acupuncturists in clinical practice would alter treatments during the 20 sessions based on the patient’s response and accompanying symptoms or comorbidities,” Dr. Bickel said.
The study also lacked information on medication overuse headache or patients’ prior history of TTH treatments.
“This could be helpful to understand which patients in clinical practice are most likely to benefit from treatment,” Dr. Bickel said.
Study authors received funding from the Department of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Dr. Li, Dr. Bickel, and Dr. Vickers report no relevant financial relationships.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.