A randomised controlled trial looking at acupuncture for migraine prevention enrolled 114 patients to compare acupuncture with metoprolol (a beta-blocker). Treatment was given over twelve weeks, and 8 to 15 acupuncture treatments were delivered per patient. Both groups experienced a similar fall in the number of days with migraine, but there were fewer side effects with acupuncture.
The researchers concluded that acupuncture might be an effective and safe treatment option for patients unwilling or unable to take medication.
(Effectiveness and Tolerability of Acupuncture Compared with Metoprolol in Migraine Prophylaxis. Headache Journal, 2 October 2006.)