This review of randomized controlled trials evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture for headaches by examining results from 22 studies. Included in the review were studies comparing acupuncture with any type of control intervention for the treatment of recurrent headaches. Specifically, the authors endeavored to assess whether evidence suggests that acupuncture is a) more effective than no treatment; b) more effective than “sham” acupuncture; or c) as effective as other headache interventions.

The 22 trials (15 involving migraines, six with tension headaches, and one with various headaches) included 1,042 patients. Fourteen of the trials compared true vs. sham acupuncture, with two showing no effects over sham acupuncture, three showing trends in favor of acupuncture, and six showing a significant benefit of true vs. sham acupuncture. The remaining eight trials compared acupuncture with other treatment forms and revealed contradictory results.

Conclusions: Overall, the existing evidence suggests that there is a role for acupuncture in the management of recurrent or chronic headaches. However, the existing literature does not seem adequate to validate the efficacy of acupuncture vs. no treatment or vs. other headache treatments. The authors suggest that large-scale studies are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture “under real-life conditions.”

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