According to the National Headache Foundation, as many as 28 million Americans suffer from migraine headaches each year. Migraines can be caused by a variety of environmental and physical factors, including allergens, stress and diet. Migraines may be complicated by other health conditions causing pain such as degenerative arthritis, structural or chemical abnormalities in or around the brain, spine disease, and musculoskeletal dysfunction.
Acupuncture can lessen pain and shorten duration of a migraine attack. However, to reduce the likelihood of an attack, a preventative long-term approach is most effective. Acupuncture can reduce reoccurrence of migraines and may be used as a stand-alone therapy or as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. Acupuncture is often accompanied with Chinese herbal medicine, lifestyle and dietary recommendations and vitamin supplements.
Although migraines are a common health condition leading to medical visits, allopathic treatment may be ineffective in pain management. Acupuncture can reduce the intensity and frequency of migraines as well as analgesic consumption. Prescribed pain relievers for migraines are often taken at the time of the migraine attack. When medications wear off there is often a rebound headache.
Pain from migraines is caused by vasodilation of cranial blood vessels, which puts inward pressure on the cerebral cortex. Allopathic medical treatment reverses vasodilation by using medication that causes vasoconstriction, or shrinking of cranial blood vessel diameter. The Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) approach is to utilize acupuncture to treat the root cause of the condition by maximizing blood flow to the brain. Acupuncture improves cerebral circulation, allowing the afflicted area to obtain sufficient blood supply, oxygen and nutrition.
Acupuncture also activates the parasympathetic nervous system to decrease stress and releases endorphins, the brain’s natural painkillers. In addition to receiving acupuncture treatments, your acupuncture physician may recommend stress-reduction techniques such as yoga and meditation. For more information about acupuncture therapy for migraine treatment and prevention contact Dr. Richard Browne at (305) 595-9500.
