Study on Electroacupuncture Treatment and Brain Effects for Medication Overuse Headache in Adults

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying medication overuse headache MOH, a condition where frequent use of headache medication can worsen headache symptoms. This clinical trial aims to evaluate how electroacupuncture compares to sham electroacupuncture for MOH and to explore how electroacupuncture affects brain mechanisms related to this condition. The study includes analyses using brain imaging and multi-omics methods to better understand the treatment effects. The trial is randomized and sham-controlled, with 120 participants assigned to either an electroacupuncture group or a sham electroacupuncture group. Electroacupuncture involves 30 treatment sessions over 12 weeks, with sessions three times a week for six weeks and then twice a week for six weeks. Both groups receive health education on lifestyle, behavioral therapies, and MOH self-management. Two additional control groups include patients with episodic migraine and healthy volunteers, matched by age and gender, who undergo assessments and brain MRI scans without acupuncture treatment. Participants will be closely monitored through headache diaries, questionnaires, and brain scans at multiple time points up to 36 weeks after treatment. If electroacupuncture shows benefits, a second follow-up phase will continue for up to three years to track headache recurrence, medication use, and quality of life. The study measures include changes in headache frequency, duration, severity, medication use, anxiety, depression, and overall impact. Safety and adherence are monitored throughout the study.

Efficacy and Central Mechanisms of Electroacupuncture for Medication Overuse Headache