This German study, conducted
by the Centre for Complementary Medicine Research at
Technische Universitat in Munich, involved 270 people
who were treated for their tension headaches with a
variety of methods over the course of eight weeks. Some
received traditional Chinese acupuncture, other minimal
acupuncture (where needles are inserted superficially
into the skin), and still others received no treatment.
The participants were then monitored for the next four
weeks. Those receiving the traditional Chinese acupuncture
reported 7 fewer days of headaches during this period.
Close behind them were those who had received the minimal
acupuncture with 6.6 fewer days of headaches, while
those receiving no treatment brought up the rear (as
they are traditionally want to do) with 1.5 fewer headache
days.
The study showed that acupuncture proved effective
in diminishing tension headaches with very few side
effects (dizziness and, oddly enough, a little bruising).
Dr. Wolfgang Weidenhammer, one of the architects of
the study, sums it up thusly: “Acupuncture was
well tolerated and improvements lasted several months
after completion of treatment.”
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