Acupuncture can reduce migraine pain, and brain scans reveal who might benefit

Acupuncture may be an effective treatment for migraine without aura, a type of migraine that occurs without warning signs like flickering lights. A new study published in the journal JAMA Network Open showed that real acupuncture (inserting needles into specific points to trigger a healing response) significantly reduced the number of days patients suffered from migraines each month compared to sham acupuncture. This is a controlled version of the treatment designed to minimize therapeutic effects. The research also identified brain connectivity patterns that can predict how well a patient will respond to treatment.