Headaches are one of the top pain complaint seen in our office, right up there with low back and neck pain. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can provide a powerful natural solution for many types of headaches, including chronic migraines.
There are three main types of headaches for which people seek out alternative medicine. All three can be chronic, reoccurring, and interfere with life and work. These are migraines, tension headaches and sinus headaches. These all will usually respond well to acupuncture treatments, with tension headaches being the most amenable, next Sinus headaches followed by migraines.
Tension headaches are usually associated with stress, poor posture, vision problems, structural problems or injury, and have a high response rate to acupuncture after only a few weeks of treatment. Sinus related headaches require treatment of the underlying infection, and draining of the sinuses cavities. This can be accomplished well with acupuncture and herbs working in together.
Migraines are a much more complicated situation, and the treatment requires patience and consistency. Many people arrive at our acupuncture clinic with a migraine history of many years. Migraines indicate an enduring imbalance in the body that can be related to genetics, stress, diet and the menstrual cycle. Again, although the main treatment may be acupuncture, herbal medicine may play an important roll in achieving good results.
Most people have been to a western trained doctor, and have tried a number of medications without success by the time they seek out an acupuncturist. Some patients, such as pregnant women, are looking for a treatment that doesn’t involve taking medications. With chronic headaches, it is important to see an MD in order to rule out other possible health problems such as tumors, meningitis or hypertension, which may present with headaches. It is also important to remember that excessive use of pain medications, even over the counter ones such as ibuprofen and aspirin (NSAID) all carry the risk of stomach and intestinal bleeding. Frequent use of these medications may also trigger headaches themselves, known as a “rebound headache.”
After understanding what kind of headache you have from a western diagnosis, an acupuncturist needs to translate this into the system of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). To do this, I need to know what makes the pain worse or better, times of onset, patterns of pain, location and type of pain and any foods, or emotional states that may trigger it. This is why we start with a fairly extensive questionnaire. I also will combine this with a reading of your pulses and a brief examination of your tongue to further complete the picture.
After we have this information we can begin the treatment. Many people are anxious about where the needles will be placed. Most of the needles are placed on the lower legs, feet and hands and wrist areas. A few may be placed on the head in areas of recurrent pain, and a few may be put in the ears (called auricular acupuncture). In treating tension headaches, needles are often put on the neck, shoulders, and places where tension builds. The treatments are relaxing and restful.
The best time to treat headaches are at the very onset, before it has gotten too severe. However, prevention is the true goal of headache treatment. And this means regular treatment between times of headache occurrence.
To successfully prevent migraines, it is important to commit to treatment at least twice weekly for about 8 weeks, regardless of whether a headache is occurring. After this period there should be a noticeable reduction in the frequency and intensity of the headaches. Treatment should be continued once weekly for several more months with continual improvement noted.
Acupuncture benefits for treating headaches:
- Stimulates the release of the bodies natural pain killing opiates
- Eases neck and shoulder tension, and the muscle spasms that start headaches
- Releases bodily stress
- Balances the nervous system
- Drains and clears sinus pressure
- No Harmful side effects
Most people have been to a western trained doctor, and have tried a number of medications without success by the time they seek out an acupuncturist. Some patients, such as pregnant women, are looking for a treatment that doesn’t involve taking medications