Acupuncture to the ear may help lessen migraine pain and its impact on daily life, according to research presented at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies Forum 2026 on Jul. 9. A randomized clinical trial of auriculotherapy found that migraines were less painful immediately after treatment and 30 days later compared with pre-treatment levels, with improvements also seen in daily functioning.
The study, led by Fernanda Belle from the University of Southern Santa Catarina in Brazil, involved 68 women diagnosed with chronic migraine. Participants received either eight sessions of auriculotherapy or a sham procedure over eight weeks. Both groups showed statistically significant reductions in pain and headache-related disability scores after treatment and at follow-up, but there was no statistically significant difference between those receiving auriculotherapy and those undergoing the sham procedure.
"Both groups improved over time, which may suggest that auricular stimulation, even when non-specific, can influence pain-related outcomes. However, at this stage, we cannot conclude that auriculotherapy was superior to the sham procedure," said Belle.
Researchers also observed changes in oxygenation levels in the prefrontal cortex using hemoencephalography—a non-invasive technique measuring blood flow as an indirect marker of neural activity—but did not find a clearly distinct pattern between groups over time. "The results are important because they show that it is possible to objectively monitor aspects of brain function in women with chronic migraine," Belle said.
Belle noted her personal experience with migraines motivated her research: "Migraine is a highly prevalent and disabling condition... It also affects women approximately three times more often than men." She added that both conventional treatments' limitations and migraines' high prevalence highlight the need for additional strategies.
Professor Christina Dalla from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens welcomed the study's rigorous methodology: "Well-conducted, randomized controlled trials of the condition are rare, so... I am pleased that this study is being presented at the FENS Forum... I look forward to seeing results... in a larger number of participants. It is important to emphasise that this is a potential treatment that is complementary to existing migraine therapies, and not a replacement for them."
