Acupuncture is an often sought-out treatment modality for migraine. The World Health Organisation lists headache as one of the several conditions treated effectively with acupuncture. It is also a recommended treatment by the American Migraine Association.

Most people have had headaches at some point in their lives however migraines are on another level. It is a diabolical condition and if you suffer from migraine headaches, or know someone who suffers from them, you will be well aware that at worst they can be totally debilitating. In some cases, a migraine can force the sufferer to isolate themselves in a room with no light or stimulation whatsoever for up to two days.

Migraines are savage and thankfully I have only ever had a handful of them throughout my life. However, I have treated so many people in my 10 years of acupuncture practice suffering from chronic and acute migraine headaches. I mean chronic in the sense that the person suffers from continual, regular or persistent migraine headaches over a month, twice a month or sometimes three times a week – there is a regular pattern.

The acupuncture treatment for chronic migraine is typically not just aimed at relieving the pain. The treatment goal as a traditional acupuncture practitioner is to change the pattern, not only to relieve the pain when the person comes into the clinic to get some relief from this debilitating condition. The aim is to help diagnose the triggers and remedy the imbalances and situations that cause them to be a chronic sufferer of migraine headaches.

It gives me an enormous amount of satisfaction when someone comes into the acupuncture clinic suffering from a migraine and I am able to give them immediate relief (and in most cases that is possible). It is also wonderful when someone comes to my acupuncture practice over a period of time and I am able to treatment them regularly enough so that the migraine headaches are no longer a continual, regular issue. If migraines do come, it is on an irregular basis and the patient is able to seek further acupuncture treatment from me and get pretty well immediate relief.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Since headaches affect the head, many people assume that acupuncture points for headaches will be located in the head and neck. This is not the case for migraines and in fact using these points for migraines may cause the problem to worsen.

Because migraine pain may be associated with the dilation of blood vessels in the head, increasing circulation in the head may increase the pain felt. For this reason, knowledgeable acupuncturists avoid insertion points in the head, neck and upper body; instead, needles are inserted into points on the lower body. To further minimise the dilation of blood vessels in the head, this procedure is performed with the patient in a reclining position rather than lying face downward.

Acupuncture treatments for headache prevention include points for stress reduction. The parasympathetic nervous system (relaxed state) is activated while muscle tension is relieved. The needles are placed into insertion points on the forearms and lower legs to increase blood flow to sore and tense muscles. The goal is to reduce tension in the neck and upper back.

CASE STUDY

A 30 year old woman had been suffering from severe headaches, which had been diagnosed as migraines, since age 11. She would experience anywhere from 2 to 3 headaches a week which lasted 1 to 3 days and were on a pain scale from 6 to 8 out of 10 with 10 being the most intense sensation. She would often need to lock herself in a dark, quiet room, take prescription pain medication and rest until the headache subsided.

I began treating her on a weekly basis. By the third week, she had gone an entire week without a headache. By week 6, she reported only 1 headache in the past month, which was very mild. It lasted only 1 day and was a 3 on the pain scale. At this point we began to space treatment out to every other week. By week 12, she again reported only 1 very mild headache in the preceding month which occurred right before her menstrual cycle. She didn’t need to take anything for it and it was gone by the next day.

She has continued with treatment on a monthly basis. She still gets a very slight headache right before her period but reports no pain otherwise. She also says that her mood is better with a huge decrease in her anxiety and frustration levels. In addition, her periods have improved, with much less clotting and cramping. This client’s experience is typical of what can happen with regular treatments.

Research on the effectiveness of acupuncture for migraines

Because the underlying cause of migraines is not well understood, the treatments currently available involve a wide-acting range of pharmaceutical drugs with a plethora of side-effects.  

Current research shows that acupuncture is as effective or more effective than drug treatments, with no unwanted side-effects.  

Not only can acupuncture treatments provide in the moment relief from migraine pain, but they work very well as a preventative therapy against future attacks.

Acupuncture found to be as effective or more effective than traditional drug treatments in the prevention of migraines.

The following study analysed 22 trials of acupuncture for migraine prevention, either as a single treatment or as a component of care.  The study found acupuncture to be as effective or more effective than traditional drug treatments in the prevention of migraines.  

Patients receiving acupuncture reported fewer headaches and side-effects than their counterparts who received standard care.

Cite: Cochrane – Trusted evidence. Informed decisions. Better health – Acupuncture for preventing migraine attacks

Six weeks of acupuncture as effective as six months of preventative drug treatments for migraines

This analysis of multiple studies shows that a six-week course of acupuncture treatments is as effective as a six-month prophylactic drug treatment for the prevention of migraines, with far fewer side effects.  The authors of the study conclude that acupuncture should be a standard part of migraine therapy protocols.

Cite: US National Library of Medicine – Role of acupuncture in the treatment of migraine

Acupuncture provides significant pain relief with no side-effects

This study illustrates how acupuncture can be useful for pain relief in ophthalmic migraines and other types of difficult to treat pain syndromes. Empirical analgesic points were used to provide significant symptom relief and no side-effects were noted.

Cite: US National Library of Medicine – Is acupuncture an useful tool for pain-treatment in ophthalmology?

What to do if you have migraines

If you live in the Brisbane area and are looking to heal migraines naturally (for either a current flare-up, preventative treatment, or both), Yin Studio can help.

Here’s what you can do:

Free 15 Minute Consultation
Why Not Book In For A Free 15 Minute Mini-Consultation - Come In And Spend Some Time Talking About Your Health.  Whether You Decide To Work With Me Or Not, You Will Leave The Session Knowing That There Are Concrete Things You Can Do To Feel Better And More In Control.

Initial Treatment and Consultation
If you are keen to get started right away, you can book online for a consultation and treatment. An ongoing treatment program my include Chinese herbs, supplements, dietary and lifestyle recommendations.

Cathy Bell,

Doctor of Chinese Medicine,

Registered Acupuncturist AHPRA

Yin Studio:

Founded in 2006 by Cathy Bell, Yin Studio has become a sought-after health and wellness clinic, known for its warm, inviting atmosphere and sincere, compassionate care for its patients.

Cathy Bell provides results-oriented, natural wellness care for people of all ages. Her goal with each patient is a long-term, self-sustained shift in core factors that determine health and wellness. These core factors bridge all levels of being — physical, psychological, even spiritual.

My mission is simple: To support YOUR health and goals, and help you make the most of them. Whether you want to complement your conventional medical treatments with natural support, or go with a 100% natural solution, I do my best to help you achieve the best outcome possible. Treatments are based on getting results as quickly and efficiently as possible. Results matter, and I am proud of a proven history of positive outcomes.

Your body’s natural healing intelligence never forgets how to restore balance and vitality to every cell, tissue, and organ. All you have to do is give it the right support. At Yin Studio you are an active participant in the healing process. You will be educated on the proper way to get your healing system back on track via a targeted, customised treatment plan that will include one or more of the following: acupuncture, nutrition, herbs, lifestyle/mind-body coaching.