Acupuncturists suggest that migraine headaches are caused by an imbalance in the body's flow of energy. They use acupuncture to reestablish this equilibrium, thereby treating the cause and the pain of migraine.

Although acupuncture can ease the pain of an attack, this therapy is best used as a preventive treatment for migraine.

In addition, the acupuncturist will want to know what the pain is like, if it is associated with particular weather patterns, food intake, time of day, and so on.   (See:How To Determine Your Migraine Trigger? ) After determining this, the acupuncturist will be able to design a treatment program to restore the flow of chi to normal and prevent the recurrence of headache.

Acupuncture points

For whole-head headache:

GV 20, GB 20, GV 16, LI 4, UB 40, UB 60.

Vertex headache:

GV 20, GB 20, K 1, LIV 3, K 3, Li 4.

Frontal headache:

LI 4, ST 36, ST 8, GV 23, Yin Tang, UB 2.

Occipital headache:

GB 20, UB 60, SI 3.

Parietal headache:

GV 20, SI 3, UB 67, LIV 3.

Headache from tiredness:

CV 6, ST 36.

Headache with dizziness:

LI 17, UB 12, UB 60, CV 4, TW I.

Migraine with vomiting, fullness of chest, and vertigo:

GB 20, Tai-yang, GV 20, LIV 3, GB 8, TW 3, CV 12, ST 40, PC 6.

Ear points:

subcortex, forehead, occiput, kidneys, pancreas, gall bladder, and points of tenderness in ears.

Acupuncture is shown to be effective in treating migraine headaches. The exact mechanism of action is not known. One theory suggests that acupuncture releases endorphins, the brain's natural painkillers. Another states acupuncture may stabilize levels of serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain.

Research done in New Zealand has shown that after as few as 12 treatment sessions, patients experience fewer and less-severe migraine attacks.