Randomized clinical trial for the treatment of post-dural puncture headache with acupuncture

Introduction

Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is common among patients undergoing surgical procedures with spinal anesthesia. Conservative therapy might be associated with poor outcomes and delayed recovery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on post-dural puncture headache in comparison to conservative treatment.

Method

In this single-blind randomized clinical trial 60 PDPH patients were divided into three groups. Group A received conservative pharmacological treatment, group B received acupuncture and group C received acupuncture sham. Outcomes were measured as pain intensity (visual analog scale VAS) and recovery time (time that pain falls from 4–7 to 0–3 on visual analog scale).

Results

All three groups had no significant difference in terms of gender, age, and baseline pain (immediately after the surgery). Pain intensity decreased significantly in acupuncture group comparing to other groups. Furthermore, acupuncture reduced pain faster than other treatments. The overall general condition of the patients in group A and B was not significantly different, however significantly improved compared to group C.

Conclusion

Acupuncture therapy can be an effective method to manage PDPH in a shorter time and can reduce the need for epidural blood patch and pharmacological analgesia. However, further randomized trails are required to validate these findings.