Are you desperately trying to relieve your migraine or headache ? Acupuncture may be the answer.

Acupuncture May Help Relieve Migraines.

There are more than 1 billion people throughout the world who experience migraines.

Often symptoms are so pronounced that they cause a severe disruption to daily tasks and to life in general.

Most migraine sufferers need to retreat to a cool, dark and quiet room where they will remain until symptoms resolve days later.

This can have an enormous impact on quality of life and can cause much distress to the migraine sufferer.

Whilst drug therapy is an effective option for some, it may not be the answer for others.

Knowing that there may be some effective natural treatment options provides those with recurring migraines some much needed hope.

A Chinese study that involved 147 patients who on average were aged around 37 years, concluded that those who received acupuncture experienced fewer migraine days as well as fewer migraine attacks than those that didn’t. It is important to note that all of the participants involved in the study had a history of migraines without aura.

The researchers suggested that Acupuncture should be a preventative treatment offered to patients by doctors given that 90 % of migraine sufferers, generally have no preventative treatment available to them.

Acupuncture may be beneficial for Chronic Tension Type Headaches

Whilst tension headaches may not be quite as debilitating as migraines, those who suffer with them can still experience the burden of pain and discomfort.

Again for these specific types of headaches, Acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial according to a new study.

The trial involved 218 participants, 110 of whom received 20 Acupuncture treatments over a course of 8 weeks. 68 per cent of those who received Acupuncture reported a 50 % reduction in the frequency of headaches experienced in a given month. This improvement lasted beyond the 8 week treatment period. In fact, the participants at the 16 and 32 week mark maintained their original improvement in headache symptoms.

What is involved in an Acupunture treatment for headaches or migrianes. ?

It is interesting how many clients visiting the clinic for migraine and headache treatment expect that needles will be placed on their scalp or head region. Many do not realise that Acupuncture involves a complex set of meridians or energy pathways that run throughout the whole body. Often needles will be placed in parts of the body like the legs and feet to treat the head or upper body.

When assessing a patient who is suffering from migraines, I will always look for any structural misalignment affecting the neck and address this if it seems to be the causative factor.

I will also always be sure to ask the client if they have any head injuries or trauma and if so, I will treat them accordingly. The reason for this is that past head trauma, no matter how long ago, can act as a driver for migraines and headaches, possibly causing a disturbance at a later stage down the track.

In Chinese Medicine, it is thought that migraines and headaches are a symptom belonging to the Wood element which involves both the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians. These pathways are highly sensitive to stress and can easily fall out of balance giving rise to upper body heat and pain.

A Japanese style Acupuncturist will usually identify such a pattern using the neck, abdomen and pulse reading. Then needles will be gently inserted to address what the skilled practitioner deems to be the underlying cause.

Herbal medicines that address the Liver and Gall Bladder Qi may also be prescribed.

In the world of Naturopathic and Nutritional Medicine, supplements such as Magnesium will be recommended due to their effect on the muscular and nervous systems. Be sure to ask your Naturopath for the right type and dose of magnesium that will best suit your personal presentation. The oral form of magnesium is by far the more effective form with magnesium salt baths, sprays or oils being less so.

As a holistic practitioner who integrates Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Naturopathic and Nutritional Medicine, I will often ask my clients to bring into the clinic any recent blood tests that have been conducted. If these have not been done, I may send them off for testing to ensure that everything is as it should be.

If you would like more information about whether Acupuncture or Naturopathy treatments may be suitable for your health condition, feel free to contact the clinic here.