Acupuncture for Migraine

15 Aug Acupuncture for Migraine

Acupuncture for Migraine: Migraine is an episodic unilateral headache characterized by moderate to severe intensity. Migraine is usually associated with nausea and sensitivity to voice and light. It is the most common cause of absence from work due to its disabling nature. It occurs recurrently after a few days or weeks.

Its management depends on the severity, episodes, and family history. If you have tried all options to treat your migraine but are not satisfied then you must go for acupuncture. It is a non-invasive therapy with near to minimal risks.

Types of Migraine

Migraines can be classified into the following categories:

• Migraine without aura
  • This type of headache is associated with severe intensity, photosensitivity, phonophobia, a feeling of pulsations, and nausea.
• Migraine with aura
  • A patient usually feels tickle, visual, speech, or movement symptoms before the onset of headache. These attacks may last a few minutes and revert.
• Chronic migraine
  • If a headache occurs consistently for some days in a month for more than three months.
• Probable migraine
  • The headache cannot be explained by migraine or any other criteria.

Causes and Triggers of Migraine

Migraines run in families due to their genetic influences but no specific pattern has been identified yet. Research is being conducted in this regard for its better management. There are multiple syndromes with the risk of migraines e.g MELAS syndrome.

There are plenty of factors that can interplay between the onset and persistence of headaches. These may be the following:

• Stress
• Female menstrual cycle
• Pregnancy
• Smoking
• Alcohol intake
• Sleep deprivation
• The abrupt change in weather
• Skipping of meals
• Certain perfumes
• Certain food items e.g chocolate
• Exercise
• Intensive light

Treatment

Treatment of migraine can be divided into the following:

1. Acute
   1. The purpose of this intervention is to stop the headache and its progression. Your healthcare provider can prescribe certain medications for acute management.
      1. NSAID
      2. Triptains
      3. Antiemetics
      4. Ergots
      5. Dexamethasone
2. Preventive
   1. Preventive management aims to reduce the disability and duration of attacks. A patient is usually advised to note down the triggers for management purposes. It is indicated if the headache is severe, usual medicines are contraindicated, or poor response to usual medications.
   2. Preventive medicine groups include beta blockers, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, and calcium channel blockers.
   3. Lifestyle modification options should also be adopted e.g regular exercise, avoidance of triggers, and quitting smoking.

Acupuncture for Migraine

Let’s come to the point for which you all are waiting, that is acupuncture and its role in the management of migraine. Acupuncture is a traditional form of Chinese medicine. It utilized small needles to stimulate the strategic point of the body to treat pain. Acupuncture restores the energy flow between different points of the body and corrects the stations that produce negative energy e.g pain. The inserted needles stimulate the release of happy hormones e.g endorphins.

Acupuncture for migraine improves muscle stiffness, fatigue, and lowers pain intensity, and overall quality of life. In addition to that acupuncture improves other types of headaches and body aches. Different studies show that acupuncture for migraine is a safe and effective option. You should consult a certified acupuncturist to minimize the risks.

Acupuncture is not associated with side effects like conventional treatment options such as oral pills. However, this procedure is not recommended for individuals taking blood thinners or having clotting disorders due to the risk of bleeding. And individuals having pacemakers should consult their healthcare providers before undergoing facial acupuncture. Another point to consider is diabetes mellitus which is associated with delayed wound healing. So diabetic patients must consult their diabetologist first.

Then ‘Acupuncture for migraine’ is an option to go from our expert acupuncturists at Peak Life Acupuncture to help you with all your acupuncture needs. Call us at (818) 823-6721.