This concussion acupuncture research study evaluated soldiers suffering from headaches due to post concussion syndrome. It concluded that acupuncture provided superior relief to “usual care”.
Concussion and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are epidemic in the military. It is estimated that between 9.6% and 20% of military service members have had traumatic brain injury, totaling 330,000 cases since 2000. These conditions often trigger chronic headaches. There is a greater awareness of these issues since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Study
The study was entitled, “Randomized Exploratory Study to Evaluate Two Acupuncture Methods for the Treatment of Headaches Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury”, and was published in the journal Medical Acupuncture in 2016.
Background
Many military members get concussions (traumatic brain injury) in the course of their service. Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of post concussion syndrome. 80% of service members who had concussions reported experiencing recurrent headaches. This study was conducted to explore treatment options for these soldiers.
Objective
This concussion acupuncture research study looked at two types of acupuncture – auricular acupuncture (ear acupuncture) and traditional Chinese medicine acupuncture. Ear acupuncture involves the insertion of tiny needles on the outside of the ear. Traditional acupuncture is a more comprehensive medical system that includes differential diagnosis and treatment using sterile, single-use, hair thin needles on the surface of the body to correct imbalances.
The goal of the study was to determine if auricular acupuncture and traditional acupuncture were more effective than usual care in the treatment of concussion induced headaches.
Study Design
The concussion acupuncture research was a three-armed, parallel, randomized exploratory study. It was conducted at three separate military hospitals in and around Washington, DC. The subjects had all been previously deployed, and their ages ranged from 18 to 69 years old. Likewise, they all had either mild or moderate traumatic brain injury and headaches.
Patients received either usual care only, or usual care along with acupuncture. Outcomes were primarily measured using the Headache Impact Test.
Results
Headache Impact Scores decreased (less headaches) in the acupuncture groups (both ear acupuncture and traditional acupuncture). The scores increases slightly in the usual care-only group (headaches got worse).
Study Conclusion
The concussion acupuncture research concluded, “Both Auricular Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture improved headache-related quality of life more than Usual Care did in Service members with Traumatic Brain Injury.”
This study confirms what we see in our acupuncture practice. Patients with post-concussion headaches improve with acupuncture treatment. In fact, all post-concussion symptoms improve with acupuncture, including headaches, insomnia, vision problems, concentration problems and depression.
Next Steps
If you have headaches resulting from concussion and traumatic brain injury, try acupuncture. It promotes healing and reduces pain better than any other form of medicine. And there are no side effects.
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Key Words: Traumatic Brian Injury, Concussion, Headache, Pain Management, Acupuncture
Concussion Acupuncture Research References
Randomized Exploratory Study to Evaluate Two Acupuncture Methods for the Treatment of Headaches Associated with Traumatic Brain Injury. Wayne B. Jonas, MD,corresponding author1 Dawn M. Bellanti, MSN, CRNP,1 Charmagne F. Paat, BS,1 Courtney C. Boyd, MA,1 Alaine Duncan, MAc, LAc, DiplAc,2 Ashley Price, BS,1 Weimin Zhang, PhD,1 Louis M. French, PhD,3 and Heechin Chae, MD4Med Acupunct. 2016 Jun 1; 28(3): 113–130. doi: 10.1089/acu.2016.1183 PMCID: PMC4926228 PMID: 27458496
What our Clients are Saying
Weekend warrior playing basketball, ended up with two concussions in two months. Not pretty. High stress job was not helping. Turned to acupuncture and got relief. Helped with mental focus, reduced my stress levels, and helped me get back on a normal sleep cycle. I’m not 100% yet, but feel I have a good chance of getting there. Will continue treatment. Am grateful to the folks at Raleigh Acupuncture. They really care about me getting better. I don’t wish this on anyone, but if you’re dealing with it, check them out. They’ll probably be able to help you.
Raleigh Acupuncture really helped me after my concussion. I was getting bad headaches every afternoon, could not concentrate, had blurred vision and terrible anxiety. The treatments were great. Relaxed me completely. Now I don’t get daily headaches, my thinking is a lot more clear, and I’m a whole lot less anxious. Thank you for your help!
