Acupuncture for headaches and migraines

Most people don’t come to see me because they’ve had one headache.

They come because they’ve had hundreds.

They know exactly where they keep the painkillers. They can feel a migraine building long before anyone else notices. They cancel plans “just in case”, push through work despite struggling to concentrate, or spend another evening lying in a dark room waiting for the pain to ease.

After a while, headaches stop feeling like an occasional inconvenience and simply become part of life.

But they don’t have to be.

Whether you experience tension headaches, hormonal headaches, migraines or persistent headaches following illness or periods of stress, acupuncture offers a different approach. Rather than simply trying to block the pain, treatment aims to understand why your body has developed this pattern in the first place and how we can begin to change it.

Why do I keep get headaches?

Headaches are rarely random.

Sometimes they’re linked to hormonal changes, particularly around the menstrual cycle or during perimenopause. Sometimes they’re triggered by prolonged stress, poor sleep, neck and shoulder tension, jaw clenching or recovering from illness. Often it’s a combination of several different factors building up over time.

One of the things I notice in my Brighton clinic is that people often stop questioning their headaches.

“I’ve always had migraines.”
“They’re just hormonal.”
“I’ve learned to live with them.”

But headaches are your body’s way of asking for attention. While painkillers can be incredibly helpful in managing symptoms, it’s also worth asking why your body keeps returning to the same pattern.

That’s where acupuncture can help.

Can acupuncture help migraines and headaches?

Many people choose acupuncture because they’re looking for more than temporary pain relief. They want to experience fewer headaches, less severe migraines and longer periods of feeling well.

Treatment is always tailored to you as an individual. During your first appointment we’ll explore not only your headaches themselves, but also your sleep, stress levels, energy, digestion, hormonal health and anything else that might be contributing to the bigger picture.

The aim isn’t simply to treat today’s headache. It’s to help reduce the frequency and severity of future ones while supporting your overall health and wellbeing.

Many people notice they need painkillers less often, recover more quickly after a migraine, sleep better and feel calmer generally.

Types of headaches acupuncture can support

Acupuncture is commonly used to support people experiencing:

• Migraines
• Tension headaches
• Hormonal headaches
• Menstrual migraines
• Headaches associated with menopause
• Headaches linked to neck and shoulder tension
• Stress-related headaches
• Persistent headaches following viral illness, including Long Covid

Every person is different, which is why treatment is based on your symptoms and circumstances rather than simply the name of the condition.

How does acupuncture for headaches and migraines work

From a Western medical perspective, research suggests acupuncture may influence the nervous system, helping to reduce pain sensitivity, relax muscle tension and regulate the body’s stress response. It may also improve blood flow and encourage the release of the body’s own natural pain-relieving chemicals.

From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, headaches are understood as a sign that balance has been disrupted somewhere within the body. Rather than treating every headache in exactly the same way, treatment looks at the pattern behind your symptoms and aims to restore that balance.

Although the language differs, both approaches recognise that headaches are rarely just about the head.

What people tell me

One of my favourite moments in clinic is when someone says:

“I’ve only just realised I haven’t had a headache all week.”

It’s rarely because we’ve been counting headaches. It’s because life has quietly become bigger again.

People often tell me they’re reaching for painkillers less, recovering more quickly from migraines or finding that headaches no longer dominate their week in the same way they once did.

Simply brilliant! After struggling with consistent headaches and sinus pressure for over eight months I visited Katy in hope she may be able to help. Within a few weeks my headaches and pressure had eased, and after five or so sessions I was completely headache free. Highly recommend!

Let’s start with a conversation

If headaches or migraines are affecting your work, family life or enjoyment of everyday activities, I’d be happy to talk things through.

I offer a free 15-minute telephone consultation where we can discuss what’s been happening, answer any questions you have and decide together whether acupuncture feels like the right approach for you.

Related articles

• Acupuncture for menstrual health
• Acupuncture for menopause
• Acupuncture for anxiety
• Acupuncture for chronic pain

Return to acupuncture for chronic illness