Clinical Effect of C2 Peripheral Nerve Field Stimulation Using Electroacupuncture for Primary Headache.

OBJECTIVE: We applied C2 peripheral nerve field stimulation using electroacupuncture (EA-C2-PNfS) for primary headache, and investigated its clinical effectiveness.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four primary headache patients (10 men, 44 women) with a mean age of 48.6 ± 15.0 years underwent EA-C2-PNfS for three months. We used questionnaires to assess outcomes; pain intensity (11-point numerical rating scale [NRS]), quality of daily life (Headache Impact Test [HIT-6]), depression (Self-Rating Depression Scale [SDS]). Monthly headache days and acute headache medication days were obtained from diaries.

RESULTS: The headache intensity significantly declined after the EA-C2-PNfS with reduction of NRS pain scale; 7.4 ± 1.9 at baseline, 4.9 ± 2.9 at three month (p < 0.001). Both HIT-6 and SDS showed significant improvement (p < 0.001). Some patients showed moderate depression in SDS before treatment, that was alleviated in patients with tension-type headache after the EA-C2-PNfS. Monthly headache days significantly decreased from 18.0 ± 9.0 at one month to 14.0 ± 10.2 at three months (p < 0.001), accompanied with reduction of the monthly acute headache medication days from 8.0 ± 6.7 to 6.4 ± 6.5 (p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS: EA-C2-PNfS was successfully used for reducing severity and disability in primary headache patients. We conclude that EA-C2-PNfS is a favorable option for medically intractable primary headache as less-invasive neuromodulation.