Many people have found acupuncture beneficial in preventing migraines and tension-type headaches, and this has been confirmed in scientific studies.

Two large reviews of studies have found that people having acupuncture for at least eight weeks had fewer headaches than those who only treated themselves with painkillers when the headaches developed.

Should you decide to try acupuncture, be sure to find a qualified and registered practitioner. Your health professional should be your first port of call. We’d love to read of your results in comments to this blog.

Interestingly, sham acupuncture was as effective as real acupuncture at preventing migraines, and nearly as effective at preventing tension-type headaches. Sham acupuncture is where needles are inserted incorrectly.

The reviews were done by researchers in Germany, Italy, the US and the UK.

You can read the full article here.

Source: The Guardian (UK) Wednesday 21 January 2009

For more drug-free ways to treat or prevent migraine subscribe to a free mini-course at: StopTheMigraineMadness.com.