I Ching Balance Acupuncture Treatment of Migraines, Insomnia, and Depression in a Post-Ovariectomy Patient Receiving Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Introduction: Surgical menopause is associated with symptoms that can affect a woman's quality of life (QoL) significantly. These symptoms include migraines, insomnia, and depression. Case: A 45-year-old Caucasian female presented at an acupuncture clinic. Fourteen years prior, she had been diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma, underwent ovariectomy, and was prescribed hormone replacement therapy. Deteriorating QoL caused her to seek acupuncture for migraines, insomnia, and depression. The outcomes sought for treatment of this case included intensity, duration, and frequency of migraines, insomnia, and depression, as well as her QoL. The outcome measures were estimated monthly throughout her treatment. Each was rated on a numeric scale of 0-10 (0 = "the lowest possible" and 10 = "the worst imaginable"). At baseline, the patient rated the intensity, duration, and frequency of each complaint as 10. She was treated with 60-minute, I Ching Balance Acupuncture (ICBA) sessions once per week for 7 months. Results: This acupuncture treatment did not cause any adverse events, pain, or discomfort. Her migraines, insomnia, and depression decreased to a great extent. In addition, this patient reported considerable improvement in her QoL. The improvement in her QoL was inversely related to the intensity, duration, and frequency of her complaints throughout her acupuncture treatment. Conclusions: This patient reported a considerable improvement in all the outcome measures. She completed the treatment after experiencing great improvement in her QoL. Additional, larger-scale studies are warranted to investigate the effects of ICBA.