Acupuncture for headaches and migraines superior to medication
Acupuncture is superior to medication therapy for headaches.
It is more effective than sham acupuncture (fake needle or placebo) in reducing headache intensity and frequency. More people respond to acupuncture than to medication. These are the conclusions of this massive, systematic review, which included 31 studies on acupuncture for chronic headache, including migraine and tension-type headache.
This high-quality study was conducted by Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina, USA and published in the current issue of Anesthesia and Analgesia.
I’m 32 and I’ve suffered from migraine headaches since I was a teenager. Do you think you whill be able to help? How many treatments shall I need before I see any relief?
I have seen many patients suffering with migraines. Often patients will experience some relief after one or two acupuncture sessions. I recommend a course of about 12 sessions. I have observed the best results combining acupuncture and very gentle mobilisation to relax the neck muscles.