The Treatment of Sports-Related Muscle Tension Headaches with Acupuncture and Moxibustion

Muscle tension headaches are a common occurrence in athletes, who may suffer impact trauma to the head and neck (for example in soccer or rugby), or else be required to repeatedly extend their head and neck upwards as part of their sport (for example in tennis or basketball). This article describes the treatment of muscle tension headaches with acupuncture and moxibustion, and includes their aetiology, diagnosis and TCM pattern identification. Also included is a discussion of how motor points can be combined with points based on a traditional Chinese medical approach for improved clinical results. The theory is illustrated with a case study from the author’s own practice.