Chinese acupuncture, the differential diagnosis for headaches is based on practical experiences. Headaches may be differentiated by the location of pain or by the distribution of meridians on the head. They are divided into unilateral, frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital headaches according to location of pain and select their acupuncture prescriptions on that basis. However, the treatment should also be based on the etiology and the underlying factors. Therefore, acupuncture does not just relieve the symptoms only but also the cause of the headache. For instance, the treatment of sinus headache, for example, should be directed primarily at the sinus problems rather than just the headache itself.

Effective Acupuncture Therapy for Migraine

Much recent research has indicated that the pain of migraine arises from or is aggravated by excessive dilation the intercranial and extracranial arteries. For instance, the severe pain in the frontotemporal region is aggravated by distention of the superficial temporal artery including its frontal branch, which arises from its main trunk in front of the ear. Pain in the occipital region and neck arises from distention of the occipital artery and the external carotid artery. Effective acupuncture for migraine should therefore consider the relationship between these sources of pain and the arterial distention in the related region.

Standard Acupuncture Prescription

The course of the gall bladder meridian is the basic meridian chosen for acupuncture treatment of migraine headache. A part of its pathway runs through from the nape of the neck upward to the location on the forehead above the midpoint of the eyebrow, which is a common site of headache. Some of the points on this meridian have the function to rapid relief of temporal region headaches with tension.

Remarks on Acupuncture Treatment for Headache:

- The selection and combination of specific points as the patient’s condition warrants is important.

- Effective acupuncture therapy for migraine should also consider the relationship between the source of the pain and arterial distention.

- In acute episodes, the combination of the use of local and distal points will often obtain fast relieve of pain.

Herbal Treatment

Herbal treatment in combination with acupuncture is very effective in the treatment of headaches. The principle of the herbal medicine have always emphasized the maintenance of balance in the body, and support of the body’s own capacity for immunological resistance. It is important to diagnose the cause of the pain, in order to prescribe the correct groups of herbal prescription formula.

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