Where the evidence is better
Migraine
NICE says a course of up to ten sessions over five to eight weeks can be considered for preventing migraine, when preventive medicines are unsuitable or have not helped.
This is one of the areas where the research is more encouraging. It does not stop migraines for everyone, and it is not a treatment for an attack that is happening now.
You keep a headache diary for four weeks before you begin, if you can, and carry on throughout. That way, we can both see whether things have changed. A course is usually twice a week to begin with, then weekly. It works alongside medicine from your GP or neurologist: please do not stop taking anything.
A new or sudden severe headache, one that comes with weakness, confusion, a fever or a stiff neck, or a change in your usual pattern needs a doctor urgently, and you should ring 999 or 111 rather than us.
What is included
- A headache diary to keep
- Up to ten sessions
- A note to your GP if you would like one
- A comparison of your diaries at the end
What it costs
A course of up to ten sessions: £65 for the first and £48 for each after, up to £497 in all. There is no block booking. You pay for each session, and we review at the fourth. The course page works it out with the evidence next to it.
Questions about migraine
Can you treat me during a migraine?
Probably not usefully. Please rest and use your usual treatment. We will rearrange at no charge.
Is the needle in the temple painful?
We do not always use that point. Most people feel a brief tap and then not much at all.
Book a first appointment.
Seventy-five minutes for £65. We ask what your doctor has said, tell you what the research says, and agree a stopping point before a single needle goes in.