Acupuncture or Not?

By writermom1

June 17, 2015

Has anyone had success with using acupuncture for treating migraine? If so, how many treatments and how long did they last? Was it worth the money, since most insurance doesn't cover this treatment? Does it just stop the pain, when it's successful, or does it treat the entire cycle of migraine?

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By jennl
June 17, 2015
Hi Writermom, Thanks so much for sharing your story here. While you may get more feedback from the community on personal experience, I thought you might find these articles helpful: <a href='http://migraine.com/complimentary-and-alternative-therapies/acupuncture/' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/complimentary-and-alternative-therapies/acupuncture/</a> and <a href='http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-treatment-experiences-my-experience-with-acupuncture/.' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/blog/migraine-treatment-experiences-my-experience-with-acupuncture/.</a> Additionally, you might be interested in checking out and/or posting in our discussion forums. If you'd like to do so, the forums can be accessed here: <a href='http://migraine.com/forums/.' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>http://migraine.com/forums/.</a> I hope this helps! Best, Jenn (Community Manager, Migraine.com)
By oddrianna
June 29, 2015
I've had migraines all of my life and they became chronic about four years ago. I've had great success with acupuncture. I would say that it took about six months to see any results. However, I feel that acupuncture works best when I am on absolutely no other medication. Of course you can do acupuncture occasionally and try it even if you are on medication, but my best experience has been going twice a week with no other meds. I also was given herbs from my acupuncturist which balanced my hormones and thus helped my migraines. I still wake up everyday with a migraine, but acupuncture has helped decrease my pain level so I am not immobilized or going to the ER. It has also helped me emotionally cope as it is very relaxing and reduces stress. Unfortunately, it won’t immediately get rid of pain if you’re already in a full blown flare up. It's worth the money if you can afford to go somewhat consistently for a long period of time. Also, acupuncture is a holistic medicine and works best if you change your entire lifestyle, diet, exercise, reducing stress etc… I have had bad acupuncture experiences where it only made me feel worse. It's important to feel comfortable with the acupuncturist and be in a place in your life where you are in tune enough with your body that you can tell if the treatment is helping or perpetuating a cycle. I know this can be difficult, so I recommend not starting acupuncture if you are in a bad cycle. There were times in the beginning when I felt it triggered my migraines, but eventually that passed. It can be normal to have a migraine triggered immediately after a session, but that pain should not persist or worsen. I know this is a lot of information and I hope some of it is helpful. Good luck!

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