Migraine and tension headache are most common problems people go to see an acupuncturist. Causes are mainly related to blood vessel, muscles and emotional component. The typical symptom I see is that severe pain at one or both sides of patients’ head, sometimes in association with flashing feeling behind eyes. Most of these people already saw their doctors before, but didn’t want to be reliant on pain-killer for long time. Their neck and shoulders are usually very tight. 

When I see patients with migraine or tension headache, before acupuncture treatment is carried out, I will check if the pain is related to any foods, alcohol or contraceptive. Chocolate, citrus fruits, tyramine–containing cheeses and alcohol are common triggers. I clearly remembered a case: a patient with migraine felt much relieved after acupuncture. He went to have a cup of coffee with his friends. Suddenly the severe pain came back again. Another thing needs to take into consideration is to see if the pain is related to menstruation, menopause or contraceptive pills. It is reported migraine occurs in women three times as much as in men, partly related to vascular changes resulting from fluctuations in oestrogen and progesterone levels.

The effectiveness of acupuncture on migraine and tension headache has been widely recognized. In 2000, British Medical Association concluded that acupuncture is effective in treating migraine after a two years study ,and suggested family doctors should be trained in some of it technique. In 2012, American Headache Society sent out a press release supporting acupuncture treatment for migraine headaches.