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, and changes in barometric pressure or lack of exercise.
Acupuncture can be used as a preventative in the treatment of migraines as well as treatment of an acute attack of migraine pain. 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 recommends acupuncture as a treatment for headaches. Some studies show 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.
Think about getting treated with acupuncture for your migraine headaches for lasting relief. As a matter of fact, acupuncture is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as effective in treating migraines. Then find a licensed acupuncturist that specializes in the Balance Method. This special style of migraine acupuncture treatment involves the insertion of very fine needles into specific points located on the arms and legs. No needles are inserted into the area of pain. 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 a #8. Five minutes after I get the needles in, that pain level can often come down to a #2 pain level. Often when the patient leaves our clinic the pain is gone.
Suffering from migraines may be unnecessary because acupuncture may offer you great pain relief. Acupuncture is safe and effective. Improve the quality of your life with acupuncture and live migraine free.
About the Author
If you suffer from migraines and live the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Twin Cities area be sure to click on this link and sign up for our newsletter to learn more. Migraine Acupuncture Treatment in Minneapolis
Steven Sonmore is a licensed acupuncturist, herbalist and a certified instructor by Health Preservation Association.
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