Did you know that the National Headache Foundation has estimated as many as 28 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches? More women than men suffer from this condition. Migraines are one of the most severe kinds of headaches, creating a throbbing or pounding pain in the head. Migraine headaches can occur on one or both sides of the head, lasting anywhere from 4 to 72 hours, and are often accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light, sound or smells. Here we will focus on migraine headaches, although acupuncture can be an effective treatment for any kind of headache.
Migraines often run in families. They can be triggered by a variety of factors including stress, poor diet, hunger, allergens, red wine, cheese, chocolate, menstruation, changes in the weather, inadequate sleep, bright lights, changes in barometric pressure or lack of exercise. We treat them everyday at our Minneapolis Acupuncture clinic.
When you get treated here at Complete Oriental Medical Care, migraine prevention acupuncture involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points located on the arms and legs. Acupuncture point selection varies from person to person based on their traditional Chinese medicine diagnosis. This is determined through a thorough medical history plus Chinese pulse diagnosis. Using this information the acupuncturist is able to develop an acupuncture treatment plan for you, as well as suggestions for herbal or dietary therapies.
At our Minneapolis clinic we use a pain rating system of 0-10 with 0 being no pain and 10 being the highest. I have had patients who have come in with migraines that they rate as high as an #8. Five minutes after I get the needles in, that pain level can often come down to a #2 level. Often when the patient leaves our clinic the pain is gone.
Acupuncture can be used as a preventative in the treatment of migraines as well as during an acute attack. Studies show that acupuncture is an effective treatment for migraines, decreasing the duration and severity of an attack as well as the frequency of occurrences. The National Institutes of Health have recommended acupuncture as a treatment for headaches. Some studies show a 90% effectiveness in decreasing the frequency and duration of migraines and a reduction in medication used for the treatment of migraines after a series of acupuncture treatments. An Italian study published in the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine revealed that patients who received acupuncture experienced fewer migraine episodes, missed fewer days from work, and suffered no side effects compared to the patients using conventional drug therapy.
If you suffer from migraines, acupuncture may be of great benefit to you. Acupuncture is safe and effective. Improve the quality of your life with acupuncture and live migraine free.
Tired of agonizing migraine pain? Call now for your FREE REPORT on the Real Truth About Your Headaches And How To End Them.
Dial 612-866-4000 for complete relief. Or visit us at www.orientalmedcare.com
Copyright 2009
Steven Sonmore, LAc is a licensed acupuncturist in Minneapolis, Minnesota with over 20 years experience of health care and pain management.
As the mother of two adult children with opthalmic migraines,I especially appreciate this article. Their headaches are interfering with their lives. I will definitely refer them to your website.