Overview
Menstrual migraine is a type of migraine that occurs in relation to the menstrual cycle. It is characterized by headaches that typically begin 2 days before to 3 days after the onset of menstruation 1.Diagnosis
Diagnosis is typically based on clinical history and the timing of migraine attacks relative to the menstrual cycle 1.Management
Acupuncture was not found to be superior to sham acupuncture in reducing monthly migraine frequency, duration, or average headache intensity 1.
Acupuncture showed a significant improvement in mean headache intensity compared with drugs, but studies were underpowered and had a moderate to high risk of bias 1.
No serious adverse events were reported with acupuncture treatment 1.Key Recommendations
Acupuncture is not superior to sham acupuncture for reducing menstrual migraine frequency, duration, or intensity 1. (Evidence: Strong)
Acupuncture may improve headache intensity compared to drugs, but evidence is limited by study underpowering and high risk of bias 1. (Evidence: Weak)References
1 Yang M, Du T, Long H, Sun M, Liang F, Lao L. Acupuncture for menstrual migraine: a systematic review. BMJ supportive & palliative care 2022. link