Headaches and migraines are among two of the most common pain complaints that people suffer from. To differentiate the two:
Headaches may be mild or throbbing and last a few hours whereas a migraine is a more serious condition where the pain can last for days.
Usually, a common headache is caused by excessive stress, tension and emotional changes.
Migraines are more complex, where it is thought that they are consequence of abnormal brain activity temporarily affects nerve signal, neurochemicals and blood vessels in the brain. This results in a more severe pain, often found on the side of the head. Many people also experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and sensitivity to light and/or sounds.
As with all of conditions we treat with Acupuncture, we look at each patient holistically, taking into account lifestyle and see what is the underlying cause of your headaches/migraines. It can often be caused my an imbalance within your system, as a result of stressful lifestyle, diet, sudden trauma or hormonal disturbances. Along with other channels, we often will work of your Gall Bladder channel (this does not relate directly to your Gall Bladder organ!), which is why points on your feet, such as GB43, are extremely effective for headache and migraine relief.
Another cause of headaches and migraines, is when we hold tension in our upper back, neck and shoulders. Stress, poor posture, or long hours sitting at a desk causes our muscles in our upper back to tighten. These develop into trigger points that can refer in to tension headaches etc. That is why if the cause is tight muscles, and we release and relax these trigger points in our back and shoulders, the headaches will go.
Patient Testimonial:
"Rachel gave me acupuncture for a migraine which I would normally dose up on pain killers and aspirin to treat.I admit, having never had acupuncture before I was a little sceptical as to whether it would work but Rachel's treatment was incredible. Within a couple of minutes I could feel the headache and nausea lifting and 30 minutes later my symptoms had completely gone- I'm an acupuncture convert! Thank you Rach" - Jess, Edinburgh