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Wet-cupping is an ancient medical technique still used in several contemporary societies, but little empirical study has been devoted to test its efficacy to treat tension and migraine headache. Using a pre-post research design, 70 patients with chronic tension or migraine headache were treated with wet-cupping. Three primary outcome measures were considered at the baseline and 3 months following treatment: headache severity, days of headache per month, and use of medication. Results suggest that, compared to the baseline, mean headache severity decreased by 66% following wet-cupping treatment. Treated patients also experienced the equivalent of 12.6 fewer days of headache per month. We conclude that wet-cupping leads to clinical relevant benefits for primary care patients with headache. Possible mechanisms of wet-cupping's efficacy, as well as directions for future research are discussed.

The efficacy of acupressure in relieving pain has been documented; however, its effectiveness for chronic headache compared to the muscle relaxant medication has not yet been elucidated. To address this, a randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted in a medical center in Southern Taiwan in 2003. Twenty-eight patients suffering chronic headache were randomly assigned to the acupressure group (n = 14) or the muscle relaxant medication group (n = 14). Outcome measures regarding self-appraised pain scores (measured on a visual analogue scale; VAS) and ratings of how headaches affected life quality were recorded at baseline, 1 month after treatment, and at a 6-month follow-up. Pain areas were recorded in order to establish trigger points. Results showed that mean scores on the VAS at post-treatment assessment were significantly lower in the acupressure group (32.9±26.0) than in the muscle relaxant medication group (55.7±28.7) (p = 0.047). The superiority of acupressure over muscle relaxant medication remained at 6-month follow-up assessments (p = 0.002). The quality of life ratings related to headache showed similar differences between the two groups in the post treatment and at six-month assessments. Trigger points BL2, GV20, GB20, TH21, and GB5 were used most commonly for etiological assessment. In conclusion, our study suggests that 1 month of acupressure treatment is more effective in reducing chronic headache than 1 month of muscle relaxant treatment, and that the effect remains 6 months after treatment. Trigger points help demonstrate the treatment technique recommended if a larger-scale study is conducted in the future.

Background: Mechanical neck pain is common among young female university students and can lead to disability and reduced physical activity.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of Kinesio taping (KT) to mechanical cervical traction (MCT) on young female university students with chronic neck pain.

Methods: Sixty young female university students with mechanical neck pain participated in this study; their ages ranged from 19 years to 23 years. They were assigned to three equal groups: the control group (A) received infrared, massage, stretching, and strengthening exercises three days per week for 6 weeks. Experimental group B received cervical traction in addition to the same program as the control, and experimental group C received KT in addition to the same program as the control group. Absolute pain intensity by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and neck disability index (NDI) were measured pre-and post-treatment intervention. Data were gathered at baseline, and after 6 weeks of intervention for three groups.

Results: The MANOVA test showed a significant reduction in NDI and pain level after 6 weeks between pre-and post-treatment intervention in group B ($P<0.001$ and $P<0.001$, respectively). There was a significant reduction in pain after 6 weeks in group C. There was also a significant reduction in NDI and pain level after 6 weeks in group B versus control group ($P<0.001$ and $P=0.001$, respectively). In addition, a significant reduction in pain level and NDI after 6 weeks was detected in group B compared to group C ($P<0.001$, $P=0.014$, respectively) while a significant reduction in pain level only between the control group (A) and group C was detected ($P<0.001$).

Conclusion: In young female university students with mechanical neck pain, cervical traction combined with physiotherapy program was found to be more effective than KT with physiotherapy program or physiotherapy program alone in reducing pain and enhancing functional abilities after 6 weeks. This will help physiotherapists make more informed decisions concerning the clinical effects of MCT.

In patients suffering from disease of the cervical spine, most likely the upper three motion segments, there is, based on anatomical and neurophysiological experiments the possibility to experience head pain. There exists a multitude of clinical symptoms, similar to migraine headache, but distinctive enough to be its own clinical entity. The treatment strategies, either conservative or surgical, have to be focused on the pathological changes of the structures involved.

Cervical angina, resembling angina pectoris and mimicking coronary heart disease, is a well-defined clinical entity also known as pseudo angina. Pseudo angina, which occurs in different visceral manifestations (gall bladder, stomach, esophagus), may also be caused by various musculoskeletal diseases, such as osteoarthritis of the cervical spine, cervical discopathy, osteoarthritis of the dorsal spine, thoracic outlet syndrome, first rib syndrome, or the costovertebral syndrome. In the treatment of cervical angina, conservative measures such as immobilization in a soft collar, physical therapy or manipulation should be performed first.

Migraine is a recurrent seizure of vascular headache, which is common, especially among females. The headache may happen on one side or both sides of the head, frequently accompanied with nausea and vomit. The exact pathogenesis of migraine is still unclear. It could be related to the following factors: intracranial abnormal arterial responses to systolic and diastolic pulse waves; loss of balance in active vascular humoral substances, such as a decrease of 5-HT, or an increase of substance P and neurokinin, a pain inducing substance; or decreasing release of β-endorphin, etc. Migraine belongs to the category of “headache” and “head wind” in Chinese medicine. Current treatment of migraine primarily relies on ergotamine derivatives, such as caffeine, ergotamine, and 5-HT inhibitor, β-blocker, levodopa, etc. The immediate effects of acupuncture treatment could be remarkable for migraine and angioneurotic headache.