The Treatment of Pediatric Migraine with Acupuncture

Background: Migraine headaches are a common childhood ailment with a higher prevalence in adolescence. Acupuncture has gained popularity for treating migraine headaches. Objectives: The aim of this article is to introduce a five-step system to guide practitioners through the diagnosis, point selection, and treatment process for migraine headaches within the Traditional Chinese Medicine framework. Methods: Five steps, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, are introduced that might assist a practitioner with diagnosis and treatment of a pediatric patient experiencing migraine headaches. The five steps are as follows: (1) clarify the location of the head pain; (2) understand how the patient’s symptoms fit into pattern differentials; (3) choose a tolerable number of needles to use according to the patient’s age and sensitivity level; (4) select effective acupuncture points; and (5) administer the acupuncture treatment safely. A case study is presented to illustrate the application of these five steps. Conclusion: The five steps outlined comprise a simple system that can be used as a guide for practitioners for treating pediatric migraine headache with acupuncture in the majority of cases.