Most people get a headache from time to time. But when headaches or migraines become a chronic condition, it can be debilitating—yet chronic use of pain medications can cause issues too. A natural solution is acupuncture, which can help mitigate migraine and headache disorders without the negative side effects of drugs, says Joan Arata, owner of Modern Acupuncture in SoHo and Florham Park, New Jersey.

“Headache disorders are a worldwide problem, affecting people of all ages, races, income levels and geographical areas,” Arata says. “Fortunately, acupuncture can provide relief and even prevent future headache attacks. Modern Acupuncture is working to spread awareness on the use of this highly effective, thousands-of-years-old practice to relieve headaches and migraines.”

Acupuncture treats pain by increasing blood flow and stimulating the body’s natural healing mechanisms, she says. It can also target the type of headache—migraine, tension, cluster or sinus—as well as accompanying areas of tension, such as the neck and shoulders.

“Ongoing research at some of the top universities around the world are confirming acupuncture’s benefits for pain and headaches,” she says. “In fact, a meta-analysis studies on acupuncture shows that three months after starting acupuncture treatment, frequent headache or migraine sufferers experienced significantly fewer headache days than those receiving routine care or treatment with preventative drugs.” 

Many studies have concluded that acupuncture is generally safe and well tolerated, Arata says.

Locations: 65 W. Houston St., NY, NY (917-388-2886; ModernAcupuncture.com/ny001); 176 Columbia Turnpike, Florham Park, NJ (973-765-9500; ModAcu.com/nj001).