I Tried Acupuncture for Migraine: Here’s What Happened
April 05, 2024
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I was skeptical at first, but acupuncture reduced my pain levels and migraine frequency. Here’s what to know if you try acupuncture for yourself.
There are a lot of management strategies that exist for migraine. One of these treatments is acupuncture, a form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
I decided to give acupuncture a try for migraine and tension headaches after nothing else worked. Here’s my story and my advice if you want to try acupuncture.
Feeling doubtful about acupuncture
I was apprehensive and, in all honesty, didn’t expect to see any benefit from acupuncture. I’d already tried so many different treatments, from antidepressants to occipital nerve injections.
It was difficult to imagine another treatment could work.
However, a 2022 review notes that acupuncture can benefit people with migraine in several ways.
These include:
- reduced headache intensity and frequency
- reduced migraine attack duration
- fewer headache days
- less acute medication intake
- reduced comorbidities and disability
- enhanced quality of life
Still, I began having acupuncture for migraine every other week. Due to funding restrictions, I was limited to a total of six sessions. Conveniently, the American Migraine Foundation recommends six sessions for a single course of treatment.
At the first session
Before we got started, the TCM practitioner asked me to describe my migraine episodes. She asked about severity, frequency, and symptoms as well as my other health issues. This helped her determine where to put the needles for my unique needs.
I was asked to remove some of my outer garments, my pants, and my socks so she could have access to my neck, shoulders, legs, and feet.
After all the needles were in place, I was encouraged to lie down for around 30 minutes.
The needles in my head, neck, shoulders, and hands were placed when I was sitting up. Those in my legs, feet, and face were placed when I was lying down.
The acupuncture needles
Apparently, acupuncture is completely painless for some. In my case, I did feel some pain when the needles were inserted and removed, but it was minimal — especially compared to a migraine attack!
The most uncomfortable needles were placed in my hands and feet. My practitioner told me that was common since these areas hold the most nerve endings.
There were times when a needle placement wasn’t sitting well, and it began to ache. In those instances, I simply asked my practitioner to remove that particular needle, and she did so immediately.
In my case, around 20–30 needles were placed in my body. However, some practitioners may use fewer needles. The majority of them were in my head and neck area. As the practitioner placed them, she explained how those specific acupuncture pathways were connected to migraine.
Many of us with chronic migraine live with chronic tension headaches as well.
Each time I went for a session, my practitioner told me that my muscles were incredibly tight in my neck and shoulders. She often asked me to roll and stretch them a bit to allow for easier needle insertion.
On the days my muscles were tighter, the needles might be more difficult to put in.
Sometimes my practitioner would try to ease the needles in slowly, wiggling them around until they were in place securely. This didn’t hurt, but it was a little uncomfortable at times.
I did feel some pain when the needles were inserted and removed, but it was minimal — especially compared to a migraine attack!
Side effects
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), few complications have been reported from acupuncture. However, I did experience a few minor side effects.
Light bleeding and bruising
The first was minimal bleeding and bruising. Since I have Hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a condition that affects the connective tissue, I bruise and bleed more easily than others.
Even so, the bleeding from the needles was equivalent to that from a pinprick, and the bruises were very small. I noticed that the sites where the bleeding and bruising occurred were always in my legs, hands, or feet.
Drowsiness
The second side effect was drowsiness.
This sometimes came on within minutes of the needles being placed or sometimes an hour or so after the session was finished. It wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t keep my eyes open, but I’d need to take a nap once I got home.
After my first session, I always arranged to have someone pick me up or take a taxi home. I’d definitely recommend it, just in case you do become sleepy!
How long did it take to work?
My six acupuncture sessions occurred every 2–3 weeks for about 4 months. After the third session, I noticed that my migraine episodes and headaches were less severe, but only for a few days.
It wasn’t until after around the fourth session that I began to notice my migraine attacks were less frequent and severe on a more consistent basis.
By the end of my six sessions, I noticed a major improvement. My pain went from a 10 to a 6, and my migraine frequency from once or twice a week to once a month.
As a result, I began to massively reduce my need for acute medications like pain relievers and triptans. I was also more active and better able to concentrate.
I noticed a major improvement. My pain went from a 10 to a 6, and my migraine frequency from once or twice a week to once a month.
How long did it work for?
The effects of my first round of treatment lasted for 9 months. I returned for a second round of treatment and felt the same benefits, only this time for around 6 months.
I continued to return for acupuncture treatment due to the benefits and the minimal side effects that I experienced. However, each time, the benefits became less intense and shorter.
It’s still a treatment that I’d consider going back for, as I’ve felt benefits each time.
However, practitioners may recommend starting with weekly visits and then continuing monthly.
Where to find an acupuncturist
You can find a local acupuncturist with a quick Google search. You may even have seen a sign or clinic for a practitioner in your neighborhood.
Another option is to search for a practitioner in the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) directory.
This helps ensure you’re seeing a trained and licensed practitioner.
Takeaway
Acupuncture is part of TCM and can be used as a complementary treatment for migraine.
Acupuncture is highly personalized, so your experience may be different from mine.
In my experience, it’s definitely worth a try! It carries little risk and side effects and it can be very effective for some.
Medically reviewed on April 05, 2024
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