Can Acupuncture Relieve Headaches?
Did you know that there are two classifications of headaches? Primary headaches and secondary headaches.
Primary headaches include tension headaches, migraines and cluster headaches.
Secondary headaches are caused by other conditions like allergies, sinus infections, dental disorders and in cases of hangovers – alcohol poisoning.
Research has shown that acupuncture is at least as effective as preventative drug therapy in the treatment of migraines. It can be used as a preventative as well as for acute attacks.
How can acupuncture help?
Acupuncture works on the underlying conditions in the body so not only can it alleviate the current symptoms it works also to rebalance the body to prevent reoccurrence.
Because acupuncture treatments are individually tailored to each client, it takes into account your unique needs and symptoms. So ten patients with a migraine could have ten different diagnoses and treatments from a TCM acupuncture perspective.
Where your headache is means something different to acupuncturists. Some of the acupuncture channels travel across different parts of the head. So where your headache is located is important to us. We will also ask you about the types of pain whether they are dull, sharp, pounding etc.
Symptoms can ease from the first session although it can take up to 10 sessions to get consistent improvement depending on the individual. It does however not always work for everyone.
- Acupuncture provides pain relief by stimulating the release of endorphins
- Reduces local inflammation
- Balances the microcirculation of the blood flow in the head.
- In cases of a migraine, it helps to decrease the serotonin levels that are linked to the initiation of the migraine attack.