Acupuncture for Headaches and Migraines
Chronic migraine often has a significant impact on a person's quality of life, lasting for months, years, or even decades. The duration of chronic migraines varies from person to person.
Types of Migraine
According to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3), the two most common migraine types are migraine with aura (common migraine symptoms) and migraine without aura. Essentially the only difference is that one
includes migraine attacks that have aura and the other doesn’t.
The other common characterization of these migraine types is episodic or chronic, which is distinguished by the frequency of headache days.
Then there are also subtypes that are distinguished by specific types of symptoms, like migraine aura without headache, migraine with brainstem aura (formerly called basilar-type migraine), hemiplegic migraine, and retinal migraine
Chronic Migraine
Chronic migraine attacks are characterized by 15 or more headache days per month for more than three months. Headache may be migraine-like or tension-type-like, but it has the characteristics of a migraine at least eight days per month. Chronic migraine is often disabling.
Migraine attacks can be with or without aura, and they usually require preventive medications and behaviors to keep them under control. After stopping medication, about half of chronic migraine patients revert to episodic migraine and half do not.
4 Stages of a Migraine Attack
A migraine attack can be divided into four phases:
The prodromal phase refers to the hours or even days preceding the headache. The symptoms that occur during this phase are also referred to as premonitory symptoms.
The aura phase refers to visual, sensory, language, or motor symptoms that typically precede headache, but may also accompany it.
The postdrome phase, often referred to as the migraine "hangover," refers to the time during which symptoms of a migraine attack persist even after the headache pain has resolved.
Certain triggers make it more likely for a migraine headache to occur.
These are some of the most common triggers:
Alcohol consumption
Caffeine use
Hormonal changes
Flashing lights
Loud sounds
Strong smells
High levels of stress
Food preservatives
Poor sleep quality
Weather changes
Medications
Processed foods
Artificial sweeteners
Acupuncture for Migraines
HowACUSENS SCANNING to find out the root cause?
Acupuncture is widely used for managing migraine, especially for drug-refractory patients. The goals of acupuncture are usually 2-fold: relief of pain during migraine (acute effect) and prevention of future migraine attacks (long-term effect).
Acupuncture exhibited persistent, superior, and clinically relevant benefits for migraine prevention, reducing the migraine frequency, number of days with migraine, and pain intensity to a greater degree.
Reasons to Get Acupuncture for Migraines
no way to seek relief is by reaching for drugs and other medications. Unfortunately, common medications do not address the root causes and can cause unwanted side effects when used over long periods of time. Common side effects of medications are sleepiness and fatigue, racing heartbeat, nausea, difficulty thinking, and trouble functioning.
Acupuncture has been proven to relieve migraine pain. This is the number one reason why people seek acupuncture. Thousands of studies have shown acupuncture treatments can effectively relieve and reduce pain for acute and chronic pain. When acupuncture is combined with chiropractic care, the results can be instant and even longer-lasting.
Acupuncture reduces inflammation. While migraines are not completely understood, it is agreed upon by most professionals any headache involves some sort of inflammatory response by the body. Acupuncture promotes the release of vascular and immune-mediating factors that actually decrease inflammation.
Acupuncture can reduce serotonin levels. Serotonin is a chemical the body produces. Many scientists and neurologists believe serotonin may be linked to triggering migraines. Because acupuncture can be used for preventive medicine, it can also help to balance serotonin levels on a long-term basis. Thus you may have less frequent migraine attacks.
Acupuncture can help with the symptoms of migraines. Acupuncture can treat not only pain but also the symptoms of migraines. Studies have shown symptoms like nausea, dizziness, and vomiting can all be reduced with regular treatments.
Acupuncture improves blood circulation. When you experience pain, it is because of a lack of proper blood flow and decreased oxygen. This is as true for migraines as any other type of pain. Acupuncture can improve blood circulation, which also increases the amount of oxygen that reaches the tissues.
Acupuncture Provides Fast Pain Relief. Yes. There is an effective, natural treatment that is clinically proven to provide fast relief and long-term prevention.
N.B:- Proper assessment: Before anything can be done to help you with your health issue, you need to be properly assessed to find the best course of action. This means taking the time to thoroughly examine you and asking you a series of questions to understand exactly the type of treatment that you need.
Every person will have to be assessed with ACUSENS SCANNING to find out the root cause.
Cluster headache
Custer headache is a very painful type of headache. It usually occurs in periods of frequent attacks known as clusters. Cluster headaches can wake people from sleep. These headaches cause intense pain in or around one eye on one side of the head.
Migraine
A migraine is a headache that can cause severe throbbing pain or a pulsing sensation, usually on one side of the head. It's often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.
Sinus Headache
Sinus headaches can be caused by sinus congestion and inflammation, called sinusitis. Sinusitis, in turn, is caused by either a respiratory infection, such as a cold or flu, or allergies, like hay fever. Healthy sinuses allow mucus to drain and air to circulate throughout the nasal passages.
Tension headaches
Tension headaches are dull pain, tightness, or pressure that can feel like a clamp squeezing your skull. They’re also called stress headaches, and they’re the most common type for adults.
TMJ Headache
The muscles of the TMJ run along your jaw and cheeks, and sometimes these muscles can cause pain even headaches. When the muscles in your jaw tense up — like when you grind your teeth — the pain can spread to other TMJ muscles alongside your cheeks and on the sides and top of your head, causing a headache.
To know more or if you want to discuss your case call
fix an Appointment @ +91 9818098372 with
Dr. B.S. Taneja MD, Acu. Gold medalist.
Has been an Acupuncturist since 1985 in Sector-12, Noida