Objective To analyze the present situation and existing problems in the time factor research for treatment of migraine with acupuncture therapy. Methods The clinical research literatures of acupuncture in the treatment of migraine in CNKI

published in the following journals Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion

Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Acupuncture Research

Lishizhen Medicine and Materia Medica Research

Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy and Pub Med database from January 2007 to July 2017 were searched. The information of acupuncture time factors such as the initial time of acupuncture intervention

the frequency of needling manipulation

the time of needling manipulation

the retention time of needle

the interval time of acupuncture

the times of treatment

the course of treatment and the interval time between different treatment courses were extracted.The time factor options in acupuncture for the different types of migraine were analyzed. Results A total of 11 Chinese articles and 20 English articles were included. Only one article of menstrual related migraine in foreign literature referred to the timing of acupuncture treatment. Only two articles of menstrual migraine and chronic migraine in Chinese literature referred to the timing of acupuncture treatment. Only two articles in foreign literature referred to the frequency of needling manipulation. Eight articles in Chinese literature referred to the frequency of needling manipulation. The interval time of acupuncture

the times of treatment

the course of treatment and interval time between different treatment courses were longer in foreign countries than in China. The retention time of needle at home and abroad was almost 30 minutes. Conclusion The current research has not paid enough attention to the time factors for the acupuncture of migraine and the study is superficial. There is no reliable clinical standard.