Tests ear acupuncture for migraine headaches
Tests acupuncture on points of the outer ear in adults with migraine.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture for Migraine
Key facts
- Where
- Handan and Xingtai, ChinaSee the 2 sites
Could this be for you?
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 65 years old?
Source: NCT07024511, who can take part
Where in China
- Hebei University of Engineering Affiliated HospitalHandan, ChinaNo longer taking part
- Yurangqiao Community Health Service Center, Xingdong New District, Xingtai CityXingtai, ChinaNo longer taking part
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Trial details
- Who runs it
- Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
- Trial code
- NCT07024511
- Record updated
- 17 June 2025
- Original description
Migraine is a primary headache disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of moderate to severe pain, frequently accompanied by nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia. It ranks as the third most prevalent medical condition globally and is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top ten causes of disability worldwide. Migraine presents substantial public health concerns due to its considerable socioeconomic burden and its detrimental impact on individuals' quality of life. Although pharmacological treatments are widely available, their effectiveness is often limited, with many patients experiencing inadequate symptom relief or adverse side effects. Consequently, there has been growing interest in non-pharmacological approaches, particularly acupuncture and auricular therapy, due to their favorable safety profiles and reported efficacy in alleviating migraine symptoms. Auricular therapy, a microsystem of acupuncture applied to specific points on the external ear, has gained popularity for its simplicity, low risk, and therapeutic potential. Despite its increasing clinical use, robust scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of auricular therapy for migraine remains insufficient, underscoring the need for well-designed clinical studies to validate its therapeutic value.Read full original descriptionShow less
Effectiveness of Auricular Acupuncture for Migraine
Migraine is a primary headache disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of moderate to severe pain, frequently accompanied by nausea, photophobia, and phonophobia. It ranks as the third most prevalent medical condition globally and is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the top ten causes of disability worldwide. Migraine presents substantial public health concerns due to its considerable socioeconomic burden and its detrimental impact on individuals' quality of life. Although pharmacological treatments are widely available, their effectiveness is often limited, with many patients experiencing inadequate symptom relief or adverse side effects. Consequently, there has been growing interest in non-pharmacological approaches, particularly acupuncture and auricular therapy, due to their favorable safety profiles and reported efficacy in alleviating migraine symptoms. Auricular therapy, a microsystem of acupuncture applied to specific points on the external ear, has gained popularity for its simplicity, low risk, and therapeutic potential. Despite its increasing clinical use, robust scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of auricular therapy for migraine remains insufficient, underscoring the need for well-designed clinical studies to validate its therapeutic value.
Inclusion: Diagnosed as having migraine with aura and without aura according to the diagnostic criteria specified by the ICHD 3; Aged between 18 and 65 years old; Provided written informed consent; Headache lasting for 4 to 72 hours and occur at least 5 times (untreated or poorly treated); At least 2 out of 4 criteria must be met (unilateral, pulsatile, moderate to severe pain, headache aggravated by daily physical activity, or avoidance of daily activities such as walking or climbing stairs due to headache); At least one of the two criteria must be met (nausea and/or vomiting, photophobia, and fear of sound); At least one fully recoverable premonitory symptom (visual, sensory, speech and/or language, motor, brainstem, retina); Onset time more than 5 minutes; (8) No prophylaxis treatments with acupuncture or drugs in the past 3 months; (9) Written informed consent provided.
Exclusion: History of psychotic disorder(s); Severe somatic disorder(s); History of severe organic psychiatric disorder(s); History of other chronic pain condition(s) in the pass 3 months; History of addictive disorder(s); All other diagnoses of chronic, tension-type headache, cluster headache and/or secondary headaches; Pregnancy or lactation; Visual Aura Rating Scale, VARS≥5 score; Taking long-term painkillers for more than 1 month within 3 months.