Ear acupuncture can be a useful mean for controlling migraine pain. It has been shown that a technique called the Needle Contact
Test (NCT) can identify the most efficacious ear acupoints for reducing current migraine pain through just a few seconds of
needle contact. The majority of the points were located on the antero-internal part of the antitragus (area M) on the same
side of pain. The aim of this study was to verify the therapeutic value of area M and to compare it with an area of the ear
(representation of the sciatic nerve, area S) which probably does not have a therapeutic effect on migraine attacks. We studied
94 females suffering from migraine without aura, diagnosed according to the ICHD-II criteria, during the attack. They were
randomly subdivided into two groups: in group A, tender points located in area M, positive to NCT were inserted; in group
B, the unsuitable area (S) was treated. Changes in pain intensity were measured using a VAS scale at various times of the
study. During treatment, there was a highly significant trend in the reduction of the VAS value in group A (Anova for repeated
measures: p < 0.001), whereas no significance was observed in group B. VAS values were significantly lower in group A than in group B
at 10, 30, 60 and 120 min after needle insertion. This study suggests that the therapeutic specificity of auricular points
exists and is linked to the somatotopic representation of our body on the ear.
Keywords Ear acupuncture – Migraine – Pain – Somatotopic representation