Abstract

  The treatment of primary headaches typically centers around pharmacological interventions, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) , triptans, and lasmiditan. In recent years, the advent of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) antagonists has brought new attention to the prophylactic treatment of migraine, thereby expanding therapeutic options. However, refractory cases that do not respond adequately to pharmacological therapy continue to present significant clinical challenges, highlighting the need for the establishment of effective non-pharmacological treatment strategies.
  Among such non-pharmacological approaches, acupuncture (ACU) has already been widely accepted in Western countries as a therapeutic option for chronic pain, including headache. If the efficacy of ACU for headache management becomes more broadly recognized in Japan, it may contribute to establishing its role as a viable non-pharmacological alternative and enhance flexibility in clinical decision-making. Furthermore, when administered directly by physicians, ACU allows for more integrated care by enabling treatment based on real-time assessment of the patientʼs clinical status.
  In this report, we present the clinical outcomes of acupuncture therapy for tension-type headache conducted at our institution and discuss the associated challenges and future perspectives.