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Acupuncture for migraine and headache

Author: Published on: Published in: Acupuncture

Migraine and headache are some of the most common complaints that I see in clinic. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) headache disorders affect approximately 40% of the global population.

The severity and frequency of headache and migraine may vary, but the impact it can have can sometimes be quite extreme. According to the WHO, “repeated headache attacks, and often the constant fear of the next one, damage family life, social life and employment”.

Several randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have shown evidence that acupuncture can have a positive effective on headaches, in particular:

  • headache (tension-type and chronic)
  • migraine prophylaxis.

If you have a headache or migraine, massaging the following acupuncture points may help to alleviate symptoms temporarily:

A woman looks in to the distance while a falcon perches on her shoulder. Dots show the positioning on the woman's head of the acupuncture points ST-8 and TaiYang

TaiYang (M-HN-9)

This point is located on the temple between the end of the eyebrow and the outside of the eye. If you run your finger backwards from the side of the eye you should fall into a little dip on your temple that feels pleasant when you massage it gently.

ST-8 (Touwei)

Find the upper ‘corners’ of your forehead and then run your finger a few millimetres into your hairline. You may find a little spot there that helps to alleviate your headache temporarily when you rub your finger gently on it.

In clinic I often use acupuncture on different body acupuncture points in conjunction with head, neck and shoulder massage (depending on the case).

If you would like to find out more about how acupuncture could assist you please contact the clinic to find out more, or book a session where I will discuss in detail your particular headache.

Photo of woman with falcon by Lance Reis on Unsplash.

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