Acupuncture's Effect on Headaches and Migraines

by Jennifer Caron, Lic.Ac., MAc.
Licensed Acupunturist

Anyone who has ever had a bad headache understands just how debilitating the pain can be. And migraine sufferers...they are all too familiar with this intense pain. Headaches and migraines can interfere with everything you do. Whether it's going to work or caring for children, exercising or just being able to get errands done - the pain of headaches and migraines can make this next to impossible. The pain can be mild, or it can be so bad that it causes nausea, vomiting, an aura and chills. When these episodes hit, everything in life seems to come to a halt.

Fortunately, there are things that can help!! And acupuncture has been shown time and time again to be one of them. Both the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health recognize acupuncture as an effective treatment for headaches. So whether you experience tension headaches or migraines, cervicogenic headaches or sinus headaches, acupuncture can be a great source of relief.

How is acupuncture able to have such a significant effect on headache? In Chinese Medicine, no two headaches are treated alike. Which is exactly why acupuncture is often so successful at treating headache! Every person and every headache is diagnosed and treated on an individual basis depending on things like: How often do you get headaches? Are they located in the temples, top of the head, or somewhere else? Do you get the headaches more in the morning, afternoon or night? Are they better or worse after resting? Is the pain dull, or more piercing? All these answers and more will help your acupuncturist better understand where the energy imbalance is coming from, and enable them to treat it successfully.

So what will your treatment be like? Acupuncture is a modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine that is based on the premise that there is qi, or energy, in the body that flows along meridians, or channels. When this energy doesn't flow smoothly, or becomes unbalanced, the body will develop certain symptoms (like headache!). What acupuncture does is uses very tiny, sterile needles to stimulate certain points along those channels to rebalance the energy. Most treatments are about an hour long, where you will get to lie down on a comfortable table, and your acupuncturist will choose the necessary points to use. You'll then be let to rest for 20 minutes or so with dim lighting and quiet music. After this time, those needles will be removed, and usually you will turn over and the treatment will be repeated using necessary points on the other side of your body. If any other therapies like moxa, e-stim, or cupping are needed, your acupuncturist will talk to you about incorporating those as well. With regular treatment, the body's energy is better able to remain in balance and symptoms like headache will improve and often times go away completely!

Headaches are not just a part of life that you have to deal with, or continue to take medication for. Call us today if you have any questions about how acupuncture might be able to help you.