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Headaches/Migraines
Acupuncture is Great for Treating Chronic Pain
The National Institutes of Health estimates that approximately 25.3 million adults suffer from chronic pain (defined as experiencing pain every day for the preceding three months). They also estimate that nearly 40 million adults experience what is considered severe levels of pain.
Chronic pain can be debilitating for those suffering from it and directly impacts quality of life. People often treat chronic pain with anti-inflammatory medications (both prescription and over-the-counter), physical therapy, or with ice and heat, but those options don’t always provide long lasting relief. According to Harvard Medical School, “acupuncture is an option with a good track record that’s worth considering.” continue reading
Acupuncture reduces frequency and severity of migraine headaches
Do you suffer from migraine headaches? Did you know that acupuncture can help?
Yes, that’s right! Researchers conclude that acupuncture can help reduce severity and frequency of migraine headaches.
The usual care involves pharmaceuticals, and these have unwanted side-effects. Acupuncture on the other hand stimulates your own body to heal itself without side-effects.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies provide data supporting a direct link between acupuncture points and specific brain activity.
Currently, acupuncture is considered to be a safe, helpful, and available alternative option for patients.
You can read the research review, “Acupuncture and Its Role in the Treatment of Migraine Headaches“, by Urits, I., Patel, M., et. Al, October 10, 2020. One study they say, “The authors concluded that acupuncture is more effective than no treatment, sham treatment, or medication in treating and preventing migraines and that it is also associated with a greater enhancement in quality of life compared to medication.”
Interestingly, they cite a comparison between acupuncture and Botox injections. “A 2017 RCT compared the efficacy of botulinum toxin-A, another treatment modality approved for the treatment of migraines, with acupuncture and sodium valproate (as a control) in treating chronic migraines. The authors found that the visual analog scale (VAS) score was significantly reduced from baseline to 3-months post-treatment in all of the groups studied (p = 0.0001). Of the three groups, the acupuncture group reported the greatest reduction in pain severity at the end of the 3-month study (p = 0.0001). Additionally, the trial showed that the number of days per month with migraine, absence from work, and the need for medication significantly decreased from pre-treatment to post-treatment at all of the time intervals in all of the three groups. Furthermore, the acupuncture group experienced fewer side effects than the group that received botulinum toxin-A (p = 0.021). The authors therefore concluded that while botulinum toxin-A, acupuncture, and pharmacological methods demonstrate some efficacy in treating chronic migraines, acupuncture demonstrates more effectiveness and is associated with fewer adverse events”.
In my practice I have often found the root cause to be from the jaw, the neck, hormonal, or emotional. Addressing the root causative factors along with the migraine can greatly enhance results. Sticking with the treatment plan makes a difference as well. If you read studies about acupuncture and successful treatment of migraines it generally takes 16-24 weeks of care. For many this is a short amount of time considering a life-time of suffering.
Schedule your appointment to begin your life free from migraine headaches.
Urits, I., Patel, M., Putz, M.E. et al. Acupuncture and Its Role in the Treatment of Migraine Headaches. Neurol Ther 9, 375–394 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40120-020-00216-1
Five Reasons to Get Acupuncture for Migraines
Migraine headaches are a bit of mystery to the medical world. This ailment tends to be poorly understood and frequently undiagnosed and under-treated. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, this neurological disease affects nearly 39 million Americans. Migraines are characterized by severe, throbbing pain usually found on only one side of the head. Migraine headaches can also be accompanied by visual disturbances, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. These types of headaches can last from four hours to several days. Because modern medicine doesn’t completely understand this neurological phenomenon, the typical treatment is somewhat hit or miss. continue reading
It’s All In Your Head: Headaches and TCM
There are four main types of headache: tension, cluster, sinus and migraine. And, there are varying triggers for these headaches, such as food, stress, hormones, dehydration and weather. Fortunately, eliminating the triggers and finding natural ways to prevent and help an ongoing headache are possible. continue reading