Headaches in my experience are generally very responsive to acupuncture, and I always find them interesting complaints to treat. I begin . . . → Read More: Headaches & Acupuncture]]> This is one of a series of short articles in which I outline for you, how acupuncture approaches a particular condition. Where I refer here to headaches, references should be taken to include migraines.

Headaches in my experience are generally very responsive to acupuncture, and I always find them interesting complaints to treat. I begin by finding out from you all about the nature of your headaches: often they will have been going on for quite a while, and you’ll be readily able to answer questions about their characteristics. You may or may not have a diagnosis from your doctor, but one of my jobs is to formulate a Chinese medical diagnosis: to facilitate this, I will ask you about such things as the location of the pain (eg forehead, temples, back), the nature of the pain (eg dull, heavy, throbbing), any accompanying symptoms (eg nausea, visual disturbance), any trigger factors (eg stress, weather, tiredness, tight shoulders), and timing (eg time of day, weekdays, weekends, premenstrually). I will also ask about any medication you have tried and about any other treatment to date. As usual, we will go on to cover your health and wellbeing in a wider sense, to see whether there is anything else which I might connect with your headaches.

I will usually offer treatment weekly for a set period, or two to three times per week initially if your headaches are particularly severe and frequent. I might ask you to keep a simple headache diary so that as the weeks go by, we can measure your progress, and there will usually be some lifestyle recommendations to help you aswell.

Regarding migraine specifically, the Migraine Action Association on its website, quotes the British Medical Association as endorsing acupuncture as an effective treatment for headache and migraine; in 2010, Migraine Action also gave its “Best Complementary Therapist for Treatment of Migraine” award, to a traditional acupuncturist.

Elsewhere on my website, you will find more information on what to expect from a consultation in general, but I hope the above has been helpful with regard to treatment for this specific condition. Below, you can also read about some of the scientific research which has been performed on acupuncture for headaches and migraine.

A total of 94 female migraine sufferers were treated during an acute attack. They were randomly divided . . . → Read More: Ear Acupuncture helps Acute Migraine]]> Researchers in Italy have conducted a randomised controlled trial looking at the effect of ear acupuncture (use of known acupuncture points on the ear, as opposed to the rest of the body), to treat acute migraine attacks.

A total of 94 female migraine sufferers were treated during an acute attack. They were randomly divided into two groups: group A were given ear acupuncture at points commonly used by the profession to treat migraine, whilst group B were given ear acupuncture at points which would not customarily be used. Patients in group A reported a significant reduction in pain scores at 10, 30, 60 and 120 minutes after insertion, whereas no significant decrease was observed among patients in group B.

(Ear Acupuncture in the Treatment of Migraine Attacks: A Randomised Trial on the Efficacy of Appropriate versus Inappropriate Acupoints. Neurol Science May 2011.)

One hundred and forty . . . → Read More: Acupuncture better than Flunarizine for Migraine]]> A randomised, multi-centre research trial in China, has found acupuncture to be as effective as the drug flunarizine, at reducing pain and improving the quality of life for migraine sufferers. Further though, it was more effective than the drug, at reducing the number of days on which patients experienced attacks.

One hundred and forty migraine patients were randomly assigned to two groups. The first group was treated with true acupuncture plus a placebo drug, whilst the second was treated with sham acupuncture plus flunarizine, a drug commonly prescribed for migraine prevention. Both groups were given acupuncture three times per week and the drug each evening. The true acupuncture group experienced better responder rates (defined as a reduction in migraine days by at least 50%). No significant differences were observed between the two groups in improvements in pain intensity and quality of life.

(Efficacy of Acupuncture for Migraine Prophylaxis: A Single-blinded Double-dummy Randomised Controlled Trial. Pain, Aug 2011)

The results showed a reduction in headache frequency and intensity, and this benefit was still . . . → Read More: Acupuncture for Chronic Headaches]]> A pilot study carried out on American soldiers, has shown acupuncture to be beneficial for chronic headaches. Twenty-six participants suffering from chronic headache (mostly migraine), were treated using a standardised set of acupuncture points over a twelve week period.

The results showed a reduction in headache frequency and intensity, and this benefit was still apparent over a twelve week follow-up. There were also improvements in general quality of life scores, and reductions in depression and use of medication. Pain scores continued to decline until eight weeks after acupuncture treatment ended, and although they began to rise again by twelve weeks, they never reached baseline levels. The report authors contrast this with medication trials, where headaches return after cessation of treatment; they go on to suggest that monthly maintenance acupuncture treatments might help prevent this rise.

(The Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Chronic Daily Headache: An Outcomes Study. Military Medicine Dec 2009.)

Two large trials found significant benefits associated with acupuncture as an adjunct to basic care (treatment of acute headache with painkillers): the number of . . . → Read More: Acupuncture for Tension Headaches]]> In an update to a review originally published in 2001, eleven trials conducted across a total of 2317 patients, were examined to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture for tension headaches.

Two large trials found significant benefits associated with acupuncture as an adjunct to basic care (treatment of acute headache with painkillers): the number of headache days was reduced by at least half in 47% of patients receiving acupuncture plus basic care, compared to only 16% of the group receiving basic care alone. The authors conclude the evidence suggests acupuncture is a valuable option for patients suffering from frequent tension headaches.

(Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews 2009 Jan 21.)