JAMA Netw Open

Acupuncture reduces migraine frequency and pain in patients without aura

January 30, 2026

In a single-blind randomized trial of 120 adults with migraine without aura, real acupuncture reduced monthly migraine days more than sham acupuncture over 4 weeks (median difference, −1 day; confidence interval, -2.0 to 0; P=0.02), with additional improvements in monthly headache days, acute medication use, pain severity, disability, and migraine-related quality of life. Using baseline functional MRI, predictive modeling identified distinct brain connectivity patterns associated with treatment response.

Clinical takeaway: Acupuncture offers modest but meaningful short-term benefit for migraine without aura, and emerging neuroimaging markers may help personalize patient selection in the future.

Source:

Zhang X, et al. (2026, January 27). JAMA Netw Open. Acupuncture for Migraine Without Aura and Connection-Based Efficacy Prediction: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41591775/