A migraine is a severe, debilitating headache that is accompanied by a wide variety of neurological symptoms such as throbbing pain on one or both sides headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, vision problems. , numbness of the face or extremities, sensitivity to light, sound, smell and touch. A person with migraine may experience one or more of these symptoms during an attack. Each migraine attack can vary in symptoms and severity, making it difficult to make a correct medical diagnosis. About 15 to 20% of people experience aura symptoms (visual disturbances) before the onset of their migraine (About Migraine, n.d.). There are various methods used to prevent and treat migraines, including prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, nutrition management. , good sleep habits, herbs, vitamin supplements, exercise, relaxation techniques, psychology, biofeedback, chiropractic care and acupuncture (About Migraine, n.d.). I will examine the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating migraines. Acupuncture is one of the ancient methods of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and is estimated to have started 2,000 to 3,000 years ago (Introduction to TCM, n.d.). TCM believes that all sources of life, also called Qi, must flow freely through channels that travel through our bodies on twelve distinct pathways. These pathways are called meridians and all organ and tissue functions are connected to over 300 different points called acupuncture points which are located on these meridians (Acupuncture, nd), (Meridians, nd). If there is a disturbance in a bodily function, there are one or more specific points on the meridian(s) that correspond to the problem area. These disturbances are caused by a blocked flow of ...... middle of paper ...... F., De Narden, M., et al. (2007). Traditional acupuncture for migraine: a randomized controlled study. The Journal of Head and Face Pain, 48, 398-407. Linde, K., Streng, A., Jergens, S., Hoppe, S., Brinkhaus, B., Witt, C., et al. (2005). Acupuncture for patients with migraine: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 293(17), 2118-2125. Migraine Research Foundation. About the Migraine section. Retrieved March 14, 2009 from http://www.migraineresearchfoundation.org.Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture section. Retrieved March 14, 2009, from http://www.tcmpage.com.Traditional Chinese Medicine. Introduction to TCM section. Retrieved March 14, 2009 from http://www.tcmpage.comTuberose. Meridian section. Retrieved March 14, 2009 from http://tuberose.com