Headaches are one of the most common reasons people seek medical care, and migraines in particular can be genuinely disabling — leaving sufferers unable to work, drive, or care for their families for hours or days at a time. At Nature’s Chinese Medicine & Acupuncture Clinic in Belmont, we specialise in treating recurrent headaches and migraines by identifying and addressing the root cause, rather than just masking pain with medication.
Do These Symptoms Sound Familiar?
- ✔ One-sided or whole-head throbbing pain
- ✔ Nausea or vomiting during headaches
- ✔ Sensitivity to light and sound
- ✔ Visual disturbances (aura) before or during a migraine
- ✔ Tension headaches across the forehead or at the base of the skull
- ✔ Headaches triggered by stress, hormonal changes, or weather
- ✔ Neck and shoulder tension accompanying head pain
- ✔ Headaches that wake you from sleep or are present on waking
Why Do Migraines and Headaches Keep Coming Back — and What Does Chinese Medicine Treat Differently?
Most headaches arise from a combination of factors — sustained muscle tension in the neck and jaw, disrupted blood flow to and from the head, nervous system hypersensitivity, hormonal fluctuations, sleep disruption, and accumulated stress. Migraines in particular involve a wave of electrical and vascular changes across the brain that current medicine still does not fully understand. In Chinese medicine, headaches are classified by their location, quality, timing, and triggers — each providing important information about which body system needs support. Effective long-term headache management requires changing the underlying terrain, not just extinguishing each individual episode.
Our Approach: Our goal is to reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of your headaches over time — not just treat each episode. Most people with migraines see a 50% or greater reduction in frequency within 6–8 weeks of regular treatment.
Your Treatment Timeline
- • Twice-weekly acupuncture to begin reducing headache frequency
- • Trigger identification and diary review
- • Neck, shoulder, and jaw tension addressed from the first session
- • Weekly acupuncture as pattern improves
- • Herbal medicine to regulate the underlying cause (hormonal, vascular, or tension-related)
- • Sleep and stress management strategies
- • Fortnightly sessions to consolidate gains
- • Seasonal adjustments — weather is a common migraine trigger in Perth
- • Strategies for managing flare-ups when they occur
Our practitioners are registered with AHPRA and work within Australian clinical guidelines. Most private health funds cover acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine — check your HICAPS extras cover.
What the Research Shows
JAMA Internal Medicine, 2017
Acupuncture reduced migraine frequency by up to 50% — comparable to prophylactic medication with fewer side effects
Headache Journal, 2020
Acupuncture equally effective as topiramate at preventing migraines with significantly fewer adverse effects
Cochrane Review, 2016
Acupuncture significantly reduced headache frequency and was more effective than sham at 3-month follow-up
Cephalalgia, 2022
Benefits of acupuncture maintained at 12-month follow-up, with continuing reduction in headache days per month
Do’s and Don’ts
Do
- ✅ Keep a headache diary — noting timing, triggers, food, sleep, hormonal cycle, and weather
- ✅ Stay well hydrated — even mild dehydration is a headache trigger
- ✅ Maintain regular sleep and wake times — irregular sleep is a major migraine trigger
- ✅ Apply a warm wheat bag to the neck and shoulders for tension-type headaches
- ✅ Eat regular meals — blood sugar dips are a common trigger
Don’t
- ❌ Avoid overusing pain medication — more than 10–15 days per month can cause medication-overuse headache
- ❌ Don’t skip meals or let yourself get hungry
- ❌ Avoid extended screen time without breaks — use the 20-20-20 rule
- ❌ Don’t ignore hormonal triggers — speak with your practitioner about cycle-phased treatment
- ❌ Avoid strong artificial fragrances — a common but overlooked migraine trigger
Frequently Asked Questions
Can acupuncture prevent migraines, or only treat them once they start?
Both. In practice, regular preventive acupuncture is far more effective than treating individual migraines. Most of our patients continue regular monthly sessions after their initial course because prevention is so much more comfortable and functional than managing episodes.
How does acupuncture compare to migraine medication?
Research shows acupuncture is equally effective to preventive medications like topiramate and amitriptyline for reducing migraine frequency — with no side effects. For many people it is an excellent alternative, or a complement to lower-dose medication.
Can children have acupuncture for headaches?
Yes. Migraines in children and teenagers respond very well to acupuncture. We use child-appropriate protocols with finer needles and shorter retention times.
Is there a link between jaw clenching and migraines?
Yes — TMJ dysfunction and bruxism (teeth grinding) are significant contributors to tension headaches and migraines. We assess and treat jaw tension as part of headache management.
What if my headaches are related to my menstrual cycle?
Hormonal migraines are a specific pattern with very good treatment outcomes using Chinese medicine. We time treatment phases to the menstrual cycle and use herbal medicine to smooth the hormonal shifts that trigger these headaches.
How long until I see results?
Most people notice some reduction in frequency or severity within 4–6 sessions. A full preventive effect typically emerges over 8–12 sessions. We review progress at each visit and adjust treatment accordingly.