Headaches and migraines are incredibly common in Australia.
Around 4.9 million people live with migraine, and tension-type headaches affect up to 7 million Australians.
That’s millions of people missing work, social events, and everyday activities because of head pain.
One treatment gaining attention is dry needling. Let’s break down what it is, what the research says about its effects on headaches and migraines, and whether it’s safe to use.
What is Dry Needling?
Dry needling is a modern treatment technique where very thin needles are inserted into specific points in tight muscles, known as “trigger points.”
These trigger points are often linked to tension and pain that can spread to the head, neck, and shoulders.
The aim of dry needling is to:
- Reduce muscle tightness
- Improve blood flow and healing
- Decrease pain sensitivity
- Calm down overactive nerves that may be contributing to headaches
It’s important to note that dry needling is different from acupuncture. Acupuncture is based on traditional Chinese medicine principles, while dry needling is grounded in modern anatomy and pain science.
What Does the Research Say?
Recent studies have started to uncover how dry needling may help people with headaches and migraines:
- Pain relief: Systematic reviews and clinical trials show that dry needling can significantly reduce headache pain intensity, particularly in tension-type and cervicogenic headaches.
- Improved function: Patients receiving dry needling often report better movement and reduced disability linked to their headaches.
- Frequency and duration: Research suggests that dry needling can cut down the number and length of headache episodes, especially when combined with other therapies.
Researchers believe that dry needling works by releasing tension in overactive muscles, improving blood supply, and “resetting” nerve activity in the affected area.
This not only eases pain in the short term but may also reduce recurring flare-ups.
How Clinicians Use Dry Needling
Dry needling isn’t a “stand-alone” fix — it works best as part of a complete treatment plan. Alongside dry needling, clinicians may include:
- Gentle manual therapy for the neck and shoulders
- Stretches and strengthening to prevent flare-ups
- Education on lifestyle triggers like stress, posture, and sleep habits
This approach doesn’t just cover up symptoms — it works on the underlying causes.
Is It Safe?
When performed by a trained clinician, dry needling is considered a safe and effective treatment option.
What to expect:
- You may feel a brief twitch or dull ache during treatment — this is a normal response.
- Mild soreness or bruising can happen afterwards but usually settles within a day or two.
- Serious side effects are extremely rare when the treatment is done by qualified professionals with strong knowledge of anatomy.
Dry needling may not be suitable for everyone (e.g., people with bleeding disorders, needle phobias, or certain medical conditions), which is why a full assessment is always done first.
The Bottom Line
Dry needling isn’t a magic cure, but the research suggests it can be a valuable tool for reducing headache pain, improving function, and lowering the frequency of attacks. Combined with other treatments such as posture correction, strengthening exercises, and lifestyle advice, it can make a real difference.
👉 At Brisbane Headache & Migraine Clinic, we focus on finding and treating the root cause of headaches and migraines — not just covering up symptoms. If headaches are interfering with your life, call us today on 1800 992 999 or book online to start your recovery journey.
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References
Bravo-Vázquez, A., Anarte-Lazo, E., Rodriguez-Blanco, C., & Bernal-Utrera, C. (2025). Dry Needling for Tension-Type Headache: A Scoping Review on Intervention Procedures, Muscle Targets, and Outcomes. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 14(15), 5320. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm14155320 MDPI
Pourahmadi, M. R., Dommerholt, J., Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, C., Koes, B. W., Mohseni-Bandpei, M. A., Mansournia, M. A., Delavari, S., Keshtkar, A., Bahramian, M. (2021). Dry needling for the treatment of tension-type, cervicogenic, or migraine headaches: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Physical Therapy, 101(5), pzab068. https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzab068 Oxford Academic
“Dry needling techniques as a treatment for improving disability and pain in patients with headaches: systematic review and meta-analysis.” (2024). Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. (13 studies included; improvement in disability & headache outcomes) ScienceDirect
