Headaches and migraines are very common conditions affecting a large number of people. Migraine is unilateral, meaning it affects one side of the head and can last a long time, from half to 3 days. It may be severe enough to cause vomiting, sensivity to light and nausea.
Acupuncture, when performed by a Chinese medicine doctor, is extremely effective in treating migraines and headaches. Our experience have near 100% positive results. In Chinese medicine, headaches and migraines are considered to be the same symptom (referred to simply as headache) of different severity. Being the same problem, they have the same root causes, external pathogens or deficiencies. Wen external pathogens invade the body, they block the meridians and hence restricting the flow of Qi and Blood. Depending on which meridian is blocked, the corresponding area will have the pain. Headaches can also be a result of deficiencies of various organ systems.
Due to the complexity and diversity of causes of a headache, the Chinese medicine doctor must accurately diagnose the condition and treat the root cause accordingly. When done properly, the results are excellent and the relief is immediate. Acute headaches are usually relieved in one session. More chronic conditions will require several treatments. It is generally a great idea to continue the treatments in order to treat the root causes. In addition, the patient will need to adjust their diet to avoid injuring the organ systems which brought on the headaches.