PO-73 | Auricular acupuncture as a complementary treatment for tension-type headache in women: a prospective study on efficacy and safety

Sergio Sorrenti,^1,2 Matteo Ciuffreda,¹ Emanuele Pisello,¹ Luca Brugiaferri,² Azzurra Federici,² Cristiano Piangatelli,³ Dario Galante⁴ | ¹U.O.C. Anestesia Rianimazione Terapia del Dolore, AST Ancona, Fabriano (AN), Italy; ²Scuola di Specializzazione in Anestesia Rianimazione, Terapia Intensiva e del Dolore, UNIVPM, Ancona, Italy; ³Direttore U.O.C. Anestesia Rianimazione Terapia del Dolore, AST Ancona, Fabriano (AN), Italy; ⁴Direttore U.O.C. Anestesia e Rianimazione, Cerignola (FG), Italy

Background: Tension-type headache (TTH) is a prevalent primary headache disorder, particularly among women aged 30–50. Standard treatments typically involve symptomatic use of NSAIDs and muscle relaxants, which may not address the root causes and carry risks of medication overuse. Auricular acupuncture is being explored as a complementary therapy due to its favorable safety profile and potential efficacy.

Methods: Twenty female patients aged 30–50 with a clinical diagnosis of TTH and ongoing symptomatic treatment were enrolled. Auricular acupuncture was performed using sterile disposable needles (0.2×40 mm) bilaterally inserted at specific ear points: master cerebral, thalamus, cervical paravertebral musculature, occiput, and muscle relaxant. Each session lasted 20 minutes, followed by application of ear seeds with intradermal needles (0.15×0.6 mm), left in place for five days. The treatment protocol included weekly sessions for one month, then biweekly sessions during the second month. Headache impact was assessed using the HALT (Headache-Attributed Lost Time) questionnaire: HALT-90 at baseline and HALT-30 at one and two months post-treatment.

Results: At baseline (HALT-90), 15 patients reported a moderate impact of headache (grade 3), and 5 reported a mild impact (grade 2). After one month, HALT-30 scores showed 15 patients with mild impact (grade 1) and 5 with moderate impact (grade 2). At two months, 5 patients reported minimal impact (grade 1), and 15 reported mild impact (grade 2). All patients reported reduced reliance on symptomatic medication. No adverse effects or contraindications were observed during the study.

Conclusion: Auricular acupuncture appears to be a safe and potentially effective complementary treatment for reducing the impact of tension-type headaches and decreasing the use of symptomatic drugs.