Acupuncture for Recurrent Headaches and Migraines

At Eau Claire Acupuncture, we help people dealing with occasional tension headaches to complex, recurring headaches and migraines.  Our goal is to get to the root cause of the problem and pinpoint factors that may be contributing.

Whether your headaches are triggered by stress, hormone changes, inflammation, or nervous system issues, we create a personalized plan that brings lasting relief.

We treat both the acute pain of migraine attacks and the deeper patterns that may be contributing to how often they show up. That includes working with your body’s sleep cycles, stress response, immune function, and inflammation, all of which can play a role in headache frequency and intensity.

Acupuncture is one of the most well-researched natural treatments for pain, and we pair it with high-quality supplements and lifestyle support to make sure you feel better now and have fewer flare-ups in the future.(Vickers et al., 2012).

Does Acupuncture Really Work for Headaches and Migraines?

Yes, and the research backs it up. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in reducing migraines across multiple clinical trials, demonstrating that there is strong clinical support for acupuncture as a primary treatment for migraine prevention (Sun & Gan, 2008; Zhao et al., 2017).

The breadth of clinical trial support further emphasizes the effectiveness of acupuncture as both an acute and preventative measure for headache and migraine (Coeytaux & Befus, 2016). 

Furthermore, acupuncture to treat headache is one of its most common usages; used in a primary care setting, acupuncture has demonstrated clinically relevant benefits for persistent headache (Vickers et al., 2004). 

Acupuncture has been shown in many high-quality studies to help reduce how often migraines happen, how severe they are, and how long they last. In fact, some studies show it can work just as well as, or better than, conventional treatments, without the side effects of medications.(Li et al., 2012; Zing et al., 2009).

Here’s what the research shows acupuncture can do:

• Reduce the frequency and severity of migraines and tension headaches
  
• Prevent future attacks
  
• Lower the need for medications
  
• Provide immediate pain relief during a headache

(Vickers et al., 2004).

Scientific Explanations: Why Might Acupuncture Be Effective?

Not only is there strong clinical backing for acupuncture relieving migraine symptoms, but there are also solid scientific explanations for how it works, especially when it comes to regulating the nervous system and reducing pain.

Overall, the biology of migraines is complex. While some people may have a genetic predisposition, researchers believe that many migraines are triggered by inflammation, hormonal shifts, or a hypersensitive nervous system, known as central sensitization (Andreou & Edvinsson, 2019; Chen et al., 2024). In simple terms, this means your brain and nerves become more reactive to stress, pain, or other triggers.

Where Does CGRP Come In?

A major player in all of this is a nerve hub at the base of the skull called the trigeminal ganglion, which acts like a control center for processing pain in the head and face (Iyengar et al., 2019).

This area produces a chemical called CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide). When CGRP levels go up, it can trigger inflammation and amplify pain signals. That means a migraine is more likely to start or escalate (Yisarakun et al., 2015).

So what causes CGRP to rise in the first place?

• Emotional stress
  
• Poor sleep
  
• Hormonal changes (like cortisol spikes)
  
• Muscle tension in the neck, jaw, or shoulders
  
• Certain foods or gut-related inflammation
  
• Environmental triggers like light, smells, or weather
  

All of these factors can make your nervous system more reactive—and when that happens, CGRP gets released, turning up the volume on your pain response.

Here’s Where Acupuncture Comes In

Some migraine medications now work by blocking CGRP, and that’s often effective (Iyengar et al., 2019). But what’s exciting is that electroacupuncture (a gentle, research-backed technique using light electrical stimulation) has also been shown to reduce CGRP levels, at least in animal studies so far (Zhao et al., 2017).

That means acupuncture may help your body naturally calm the nervous system, reduce CGRP, and prevent migraines from taking hold in the first place.

While we still need more human studies, this gives researchers a strong foundation for understanding how acupuncture works on a cellular level, and why so many people see real, lasting relief.

So while the research and terminology may sound complex, the takeaway is that migraines are often the result of multiple systems in the body being out of balance. And acupuncture offers a gentle, natural way to help bring those systems back into harmony.

That’s exactly what we focus on with each patient in our clinic.

Treating Recurrent Headaches with Acupuncture

Recurrent headaches can also be complex to treat, as they often originate from differing factors depending on the individual, their composition, and health history. We review patients’ complete health history to pinpoint factors that may be contributing to or aggravating headaches, adjusting lifestyle and nutrition, and treating physiological imbalances with acupuncture.

And for some patients, exploring BioScan & Nutrition testing can help uncover hidden triggers such as food sensitivities or inflammation that may play a role.

Many individuals with recurrent migraine or headache can face stronger pain responses to other concerns, such as muscle pain or stress-induced pain, due to sensitization of their nervous system (Leistad et al., 2005).

Acupuncture can help address general pain concerns that may underlie headaches. Trigger point tension is also often associated with increased headache response (Arendt-Nielson, 2015); acupuncture can directly address trigger points using Ashi points, more commonly referred to as dry needling. 

Why Does Traditional Chinese Medicine Work for Recurrent Migraines and Headaches?

Migraines are complex, and that means their treatment often has to be, too. There’s rarely a single cause or a one-size-fits-all solution. That’s one reason why Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which looks at the body as an interconnected system, can be so effective.

Researchers are exploring a number of ways acupuncture might help.

The more we study it, the more evidence we see pointing toward multiple systems being positively affected by acupuncture, especially when it comes to how the brain and body respond to pain.

A 2012 study found that acupuncture altered brain glucose metabolism (essentially, the way the brain uses sugar for energy), suggesting that acupuncture has neuromodulatory effects, meaning it may help regulate how the brain functions and processes pain (Yang et al., 2012).

Since the brain depends on glucose to function, this suggests that acupuncture may influence chemical communication and signaling patterns in the brain, which is particularly relevant when treating neurological conditions such as migraine.

In other words, acupuncture may help “retrain” how the brain responds to pain, and that’s a big deal for anyone living with chronic headaches or migraines.

Specific biological responses in the body have shown evidence toward TCM addressing migraine through (Chen et al., 2024):

• Decreasing neuropeptide levels
  Such as CGRP (the neuropeptide we talk about above, which is strongly associated with migraines).
  
• Inhibiting inflammation
  Reducing inflammatory responses that can trigger or worsen migraine attacks.
  
• Modulating neuronal sensitization
  Acupuncture can raise your pain threshold by calming an overactive nervous system
  
• Changing brain function and structure
  Functional imaging studies suggest acupuncture may normalize activity in pain-related brain regions.
  
• Changing blood-brain barrier permeability
  TCM treatments may help protect the brain by stabilizing the barrier that regulates substances entering brain tissue.
  
• Regulating hormone levels
  Helps balance stress-related hormones like cortisol, which can be involved in migraine onset.
  
• Relieving muscle tension
  Reduces tightness in the neck, shoulders, and scalp muscles that may contribute to tension-type or migraine headaches.

A Promising, Natural Option for Migraine and Headache Relief

Migraines and chronic headaches often have multiple root causes. That’s one reason they can be so difficult to treat with conventional approaches alone. Many people find that medications either don’t work well enough or come with unwanted side effects.

As a result, more individuals are exploring non-pharmaceutical options like acupuncture for long-term relief.

The research supports this shift. Studies show that acupuncture does more than reduce symptoms in the moment. It also helps regulate the body’s natural systems and offers a promising path for addressing the deeper patterns that contribute to migraines and headaches.

If you’re looking for a safe, natural, and effective way to finally get relief, we’re here to help.

Book your consultation today and take the first step toward fewer migraines, less pain, and more clarity.

References 

​​Andreou, A. P., & Edvinsson, L. (2019). Mechanisms of migraine as a chronic evolutive condition. The journal of headache and pain, 20(1), 117.

Coeytaux, R. R., & Befus, D. (2016). Role of acupuncture in the treatment or prevention of migraine, tension‐type headache, or chronic headache disorders. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 56(7), 1238-1240. 

Chen, Q., Wang, M., Fu, F., Nie, L., Miao, Q., Zhao, L., … & Li, B. (2024). Mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in treating migraine: a comprehensive review. Journal of Pain Research, 3031-3046.

Iyengar, S., Johnson, K. W., Ossipov, M. H., & Aurora, S. K. (2019). CGRP and the trigeminal system in migraine. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 59(5), 659-681. 

Sun, Y., & Gan, T. J. (2008). Acupuncture for the management of chronic headache: a systematic review. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 107(6), 2038-2047.

Yisarakun, W., Chantong, C., Supornsilpchai, W., Thongtan, T., Srikiatkhachorn, A., Reuangwechvorachai, P., & Maneesri-le Grand, S. (2015). Up-regulation of calcitonin gene-related peptide in trigeminal ganglion following chronic exposure to paracetamol in a CSD migraine animal model. Neuropeptides, 51, 9–16. 

Zhao, L., Chen, J., Li, Y., Sun, X., Chang, X., Zheng, H., … & Liang, F. (2017). The long-term effect of acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA internal medicine, 177(4), 508-515.

Zhao, L. P., Liu, L., Pei, P., Qu, Z. Y., Zhu, Y. P., & Wang, L. P. (2017). Electroacupuncture at Fengchi (GB20) inhibits calcitonin gene-related peptide expression in the trigeminovascular system of a rat model of migraine. Neural regeneration research, 12(5), 804–811.

Li, Y., Liang, F., Yang, X., Tian, X., Yan, J., Sun, G., … & Zou, R. (2009). Acupuncture for treating acute attacks of migraine: a randomized controlled trial. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 49(6), 805-816.

Li, Y., Zheng, H., Witt, C. M., Roll, S., Yu, S. G., Yan, J., et al. (2012). Acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial. CMAJ 184, 401–410.

Vickers, A. J., Cronin, A. M., Maschino, A. C., Lewith, G., MacPherson, H., Foster, N. E., Sherman, K. J.,

Witt, C. M., Linde, K., & Acupuncture Trialists’ Collaboration (2012). Acupuncture for chronic pain: individual patient data meta-analysis. Archives of internal medicine, 172(19), 1444–1453. 

Vickers, A. J., Rees, R. W., Zollman, C. E., McCarney, R., Smith, C. M., Ellis, N., … & Van Haselen, R. (2004). Acupuncture for chronic headache in primary care: large, pragmatic, randomised trial. Bmj, 328(7442), 744.