Traditional Chinese medicine versus flunarizine for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Researchers recently compared traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with a common migraine prevention drug called flunarizine to see which works better for preventing migraine headaches. The study included 212 adults who experienced episodic migraines without aura—meaning migraines that occur periodically without warning symptoms like vision changes. Participants were divided into two groups: one received TCM treatment consisting of acupuncture three times per week plus Chinese herbal medicine twice daily, while the other group took flunarizine pills (10 mg) once per day. The treatment lasted four weeks, and researchers followed participants for an additional 12 weeks to see if benefits lasted. The results showed that TCM was significantly more effective than flunarizine at reducing the number of migraine days per month. During the first four weeks of treatment, people using TCM had about 0.6 fewer migraine days compared to those taking flunarizine. This difference grew even larger during follow-up, with TCM patients experiencing more than one full day fewer migraines per month. The benefits of TCM treatment continued throughout the entire 16-week study period. These findings suggest that combining acupuncture with Chinese herbal medicine may be an effective option for preventing migraines, particularly for people who don't want to take preventive medications or haven't responded well to drugs. If you're considering TCM for migraine prevention, it's important to seek treatment from a licensed acupuncturist with appropriate training and credentials.

This randomized controlled trial (n=212; mean age 46.1 years; 76.4% female) compared TCM therapy (acupuncture three sessions/week plus Chinese herbal medicine twice daily) with flunarizine (10 mg/day) for episodic migraine prophylaxis. The study utilized a 4-week treatment period with 12-week follow-up, measuring mean change in monthly migraine days (MMDs) as the primary outcome. TCM demonstrated statistically significant superiority over flunarizine in reducing MMDs during weeks 1-4 (difference: -0.64 days; 95% CI: -1.07 to -0.20; P=0.004) and weeks 5-16 (difference: -1.13 days; 95% CI: -1.48 to -0.78; P<0.001). The treatment effects were sustained throughout the 16-week study period. These findings support TCM as an evidence-based prophylactic option for episodic migraine without aura, particularly for patients who are unresponsive to or decline conventional pharmacological prophylaxis. The combination approach of acupuncture and herbal medicine warrants consideration in clinical practice guidelines.