Acupuncture Studies for Migraine Treatment

A lot of individuals know that acupuncture is the physical act of inserting hair-thin needles into the skin in order to heal the body and help a person to relax. Acupuncture goes way beyond than the mere sticking of needles into the skin. The Chinese have used acupuncture to restore balance to the chi of the individual. Chi is known as the vital energy in the body that brings life and circulates like electricity all over a person’s body. When this energy flow is obstructed and starts to stagnate, a person’s health is affected. Now, researchers are investigating the role of acupuncture for migraine reduction and treatment.

Acupuncture Studies for Migraine Treatment
There are published studies that show strong evidence of acupuncture’s effectiveness for the relief of migraine. The JAMA or Journal of the American Medical Association posted an article "Acupuncture for Patients with Migraine." This article focused on a study that involved 302 subjects a majority of them women suffering from migraine headaches.  The subjects were given acupuncture, sham acupuncture and a waiting list control. The conductors of the study said that sham acupuncture was equally as potent as regular acupuncture and both of these therapies produced more substantial results than those of the wait list control.

Blackwell Synergy also published a study involving 160 women subjects. The subjects were run through a controlled study observing acupuncture’s effects on migraines compared to the use of flunarizine for the treatment of migraines. Group A was treated for a couple of months with weekly acupuncture and then afterwards once a month for four months. Flunarizine was administered to subjects every day for a couple of months and then afterwards, 20 days in a month for four months. The conclusion was amazing. It showed that acupuncture as clearly being the most effective modality out of the two.

Overcoming the Fear of Needles
One very important thing to remember if you are seriously considering acupuncture is to look for a licensed and experienced acupuncturist to provide you with a treatment that is safe, proper and effective. The acupuncturist will first inform you about sterilizing procedures particularly his/her use of single use disposable sterile needles for the procedure.  He will help allay your fear about the needles and help you feel as relaxed as possible. If you are unable to overcome your fear of needles, the acupuncturist may provide you with other alternative therapies such as ear cups, magnetic needles and herbal formulas.  These modalities are as effective as the acupuncture treatment itself.

When coming in for treatment, make sure you know what you are seeking treatment for. It is also a good idea to give relevant medical information about your health to your acupuncturist so that he/she may select the acupuncture for migraine treatment that is right for you.