Oral Presentations / European Journal of Integrative Medicine 4S (2012) 9123
alone, and six dropped out (two during run-in, three belong-
ing to group A and one to group B). A total of 28 completed
the study. Seven of 13 (53.8%) patients in group A and 3 of
15 (20%) patients in group B were responders (<15 days per
month with headache) (p = 0.142). No significant differences
between groups were found regarding the number of days with
headache per month, MIDAS and Zung scores and analgesic
consumptions.
Conclusions: Acupuncture added to traditional pharmaco-
logical therapy in the treatment of chronic migraine in our high
selected patients did not add further improvements from a statis-
tical point of view. Involving only patients with a new diagnosis
and with ineffective pharmacological treatment during the run-in
limited the sample size. A trend favouring the use ofacupuncture
versus the pharmacological treatment alone is however evident.
Our result needs further confirmation.
This study was supported by I Programma Sperimentale
Regionale Mnc, Regione Emilia-Romagna.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2012.07.554
OP-060
Ayurveda as a promising treatment for chronic migraine
Dalla Libera Dacia, Grande Francesca, Tosto Carmen, Morandi
Antonio
Ayurvedicpoint, Milan, Italy
Background: Chronic migraine (CM) is a considerable
social and economic problem affecting almost 10% of migraine
sufferers. Treating CM patients is challenging since prophylac-
tic drugs often have inadequate response or unacceptable side
effects. Studies on acupuncture and chiropractic therapy showed
controversial results.
Aim: The aim of our study is to verify the safety and efficacy
of Ayurvedic therapy (including physical therapy, abhyanga and
education about modifiable lifestyle factors) for CM patients,
both alone or combined with conventional prophylactic treat-
ment.
Methods: Ten patients (median age 42 years, 80% female)
affected by CM according to International Headache Society
(IHS) criteria, resistant to preventive pharmacological thera-
pies and in a 3 months stable clinical condition, were recruited
at Headache Center of the Neurological Department in Milan,
being free to choose between conventional or non-conventional
treatment. Exclusion criteria included other severe diseases,
psychiatric co-morbidities or any contraindication to massage.
Patients underwent an interview for clinical history collection
and definition of prakrti and vikrti according to Ayurveda.
A headache assessment was done through a headache diary,
Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS), Beck Depression
Inventory (BDI), Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) at
baseline, at the end of treatment (at 1 month) and 3 months
follow-up. According to Ayurveda, treatment is individualised
according to a patients prakrti. However, in our 10 CM patients
a vatapitta vikrti was found; so, they were all treated with
one outpatient session per week for 1 month consisting of 60
35
sarvanga (with dhanvantaram oil) and 10 siro picchu (with
brahmi oil) by an expert certified Ayurvedic therapist.
Results: A significant reduction in the number of headache
attacks and intensity (p < 0.0001) was evident, together with
an overall improvement in health-related quality of life (gen-
eral health, social functioning, role emotion and mental health
SF-36 items) and a decrease in triptans and non-steroidal anti-
inflammatory drug (NSAID) intake. The benefit was prolonged
at 3 months in 70% patients. No side effects were reported and
compliance was good.
Conclusion: Ayurvedic treatment may represent a safe and
effective therapeutical option in CM patients with an overall
significant saving on drug cost. Sarvanga may be able to mod-
ify patient perception, probably modulating pain perception. A
combined approach of conventional therapy with Ayurveda has
to be considered in patients suffering from chronic conditions, to
reduce the vatapitta vikrti often induced by prolonged illness.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2012.07.555
OP-061
Treatment methods for acute and chronic pain syndromes
in a private acupuncture clinic
Fazakis Georgios
Scientic Association of Medical Acupuncture in Greece, Cha-
nia, Crete, Greece
In most of the cases, we have used a combination of treatment
methods: A) Main methods, classic acupuncture with syndrome
differentiation using the divergent, sinew channels, ear acupunc-
ture using the three phases of degeneration according to Nogier,
electroacupuncture using special circuits especially for sciatic
pain, ozone intramuscular or intra-articular injections according
to the protocols of the Italian Scientific Association of Ozone
Therapists (Milano, Italy), laser point therapy, ETPS neuro-
pathic acupuncture.
B) Adjunctive methods: 1) Master Tungs acupuncture points,
2) dry needling and medical acupuncture using special home-
ostatic, symptomatic and paravertebral points. 3) Ryodoraku
(Japanese acupuncture), 4) abdominal acupuncture, 5) pro-
lontherapy, 6) neuro-acupuncture techniques and Koryo hand
therapy. A total of 260 cases between the years 2006 and 2010
were addressed, which included cervical pain: 55 cases, lumbar
pain: 170 cases and sciatica: 35 cases, with age 2083 years.
Duration of illness was from 4 days to 24 months. Frequency of
treatment was once a day or twice a week, the total number of
treatments: 57 (rarely 1015 treatments). Conclusion: A com-
bination of various acupuncture methods and related techniques
is the best way to treat cases of acute and chronic pain.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2012.07.556