Effect and mechanism of acupuncture on migraine

Abstract

In Japan’s guidelines for chronic headache 2013, acupuncture for effective treatment and prevention of primary headache is considered effective. In the Cochrane Review, acupuncture for migraine headaches showed no difference compared to placebo acupuncture. However, when limited to episodic migraine, the difference in effect between placebo acupuncture and true acupuncture has been recognized. In Japan, it has been reported that acupuncture treatment for episodic migraine is more effective than chronic migraine. It has also been shown that brain imaging can be used with acupuncture to treat the pain-related areas of the brain for preventive effects and seizure phases in migraine headache patients.