Acupuncture for Headaches/Migraines

Acupuncture if a form of traditional Chinese medicine that involves the insertion of thin needles at specific points of the body. It is most often used to reduce or relieve pain, although it may be used for many other conditions or for general wellbeing. Some people with migraines find that acupuncture can help relieve their symptoms or help prevent migraine attacks.

How acupuncture can help migraines

There have now been many controlled trials of acupuncture for migraine, with some large, high-quality ones in recent years. The results of the latest reviews are quite consistent: acupuncture is significantly better than no treatment/basic care for managing  migraine, and appears to be at least as effective as prophylactic drug therapy, with few contraindications or unpleasant side effects (Linde 2009, Wang 2008, Sun 2008, Scott 2008).

The acupuncturist will insert the needles at precise acupuncture points for migraines, on an individual’s back or neck where they can slow down the transmission of pain.It decreases the recurrence and intensity of the pain by establishing a balance of blood and energy or qi in the body. By the administration of acupuncture needles at specific acupoints on these meridians, it is believed that the body’s regular energy stream will be re-balanced and side effects of the migraines can be soothed.