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I'm happy to share with assurance that acupuncture is very effective for treating headaches of all kinds, including: migraines (severe pain, often accompanied by nausea and seeing auras sinus headaches, cluster headaches (headaches grouped together in the same day of over several weeks), tension headaches (due to tight muscles in the neck and base of the head), headaches due to head injuries (characterized by stabbing, boring pain), stress related headaches, headaches occurring around the menstrual cycle, cold/ flu headaches and more. Most often patients notice headache pain diminishing during or immediately following treatment.
A headache is a subjective symptom that often accompanies other acute and chronic syndromes such as high blood pressure, low blood pressure, inflammatory febrile diseases, intracranial diseases, neurological, psychiatric conditions, and others.
Headaches can be located throughout the entire head, behind the eyes, back of the head, forehead, top of the head, temples and sides of the head. They can be dull, throbbing and distending, intense sharp, pulling pain, fixed, boring and exhibit a sensation of heaviness.
Headaches can originate from outside the body, external factors include: weather/ environmental influences; wind, heat, cold, dampness, pathogenic exposure, toxins, pollutions, electro magnetic fields (EMF) and radiation.
Headaches can also originate within the body from either deficiency or excess patterns. Deficiency patterns include qi, blood and kidney deficiency. For example: Inadequate nutrition, lack of exercise, excessive thinking, lack of sleep and overwork consume qi, blood and exhaust kidney regenerative and reproductive essence causing poor circulation, obstruction, deficiency of body fluids which gives rise to heat and fluid consumption.
Deficiency type headaches exhibit fatigue, weakness, poor memory and concentration, mild pain that comes in bouts and is better with rest. Women may notice it after the menstrual period.
Inadequate circulation can cause lack of nourishment and oxygen wherein the body fluids fail to nourish the head. I often use the illustration of a dam obstructing the circulation of a river causing stagnant water to pool and heat up in the sun due to lack of circulation. Similarly in the body, deficient qi fails to propel blood, oxygen and body fluids, inhibiting nourishment to the head causing weakness and pain.
Excess patterns that contribute to headaches include hyperactivity, rising of heat to the head and qi stagnation triggered by an emotional disturbance, sudden emotional change and stress. This headache is severe, with throbbing or pounding pain, often related to stress. The pain is usually on the temples or behind the eyes. There may be nausea or vomiting (stomach qi rising up) or the patient may see auras or lights.
Headaches occur due to blood not circulating properly. An underlying obstruction of qi or blood in the channels from a physical trauma can cause poor circulation or blood stasis, leading to excess heat. A stabbing, boring type of pain characterizes this headache. This headache commonly occurs after a head injury. Women may have painful periods with dark-clotted blood. Stagnation of cold can also inhibit normal blood circulation.
Another pattern is due to excess fluid accumulation. In this scenario the digestive system is weak, and cannot process fluids properly which contributes to retention of phlegm, dampness and food. With this type of headache the patient feels a pressure type pain in the head or feeling that the head is wrapped, a heavy or muzzy headed feeling, poor appetite and a feeling of fullness in the chest. The pressure, heaviness and fullness are due to the excess, accumulated fluids: poor appetite shows weak digestive function. Headaches resulting from excess stomach heat are characterized by an intense frontal pain, accompanied by epigastric pain, thirst and sour regurgitation.
The good news is that headaches are treatable with acupuncture, cupping, nutrition and complimenting therapies. Traditional Chinese medicine treats headaches differently, depending upon the cause, signs and symptoms. A patient presenting a deficiency headache is treated using acupuncture points and nutrition that tonify qi, build and invigorate blood. If digestion is weak with excess fluid retention, I use points and nutrition to strengthen digestive function, enhance metabolism and drain excess fluids. Moving blood treats a blood stagnation headache. During a qi rising headache, I anchor qi, using grounding points.
Where there is pain there is lack of circulation and where there is circulation there is no pain. Acupuncture combined with complimenting therapies open up and correct the smooth flow of circulation throughout the body. With proper diagnosis of each individuals constitutional pattern, I determine and treat the root cause of the headache symptom to regulate qi, blood, fluids and anchor qi. Directly experience natural therapies that support your wellness journey.
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