Migrane Headache
A migraine is a common headache that many people suffer from. As such there is no known cure for it. 70% of migraines take place on one side of the head only, whereas 30-40% takes place in the whole head. The pain is so intense in most cases, that it affects normal functioning for some people. Migraine is one of the most under-diagnosed and under treated of headaches. Women are more susceptible to developing migraines. Some common symptoms of migraine include:
- Intense throbbing or pounding in one or both sides of the head.
- Sometimes the migraine headaches are unilateral with the pain shifting from one side to the other when the attack recurs.
- Feelings of nausea or in more severe cases even vomiting might occur
- Diarrhea, stomach pain
- Loss of appetite
- 70% of the people become sensitive to either light or sound, or both
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Some people experience bright flashing light or dots
Migraine has 5 phases. They are:
- Prodrome: These are the warning signs of migraines like changes in mood such as irritability, depression etc. Some people also feel fatigued or tense when they are about to have a migraine.
- Aura: Not all migraine patients have this. It is a type of visual disturbance like flashing lights or blurring that occurs before the headache starts.
- Headache: The throbbing pain is different for different people. Some people only experience it on one side of the head while others have it on both sides.
- Headache Termination: The headache ends whether or not you take some treatment for it or not, especially when you got to sleep.
- Postdrome: Side effects of migraine like loss of appetite that continues even after migraine has ended.
Migraine and Acupuncture
Recent research shows that acupuncture could provide lasting relief from migraines and other types of severe headaches. Where medicines only provide temporary relief until the onset of the next migraine attack, acupuncture might actually be the cure for migraine. This would be very advantageous for people who have severe migraine conditions which affect their normal day to day lives.
How an Acupuncturist Works
Acupuncture points to treat migraine are considered to be located all over the body including the arms, legs, shoulders and toes. When you go to an acupuncturist for migraine, they will insert extremely thin needles in these points. This might seem like a very painful procedure and does cause some initial discomfort, but patients get used to the new sensation and some people relax enough to be able to fall asleep during the procedure.
The length of an acupuncture treatment and the amount of treatment sessions required vary from patient to patient. It also depends on the severity of the migraine condition. Mostly the procedure is 30 minutes long and is conducted once or twice a week for 5 sessions.
A study showed that people who underwent this treatment had 22 fewer days with headaches, took 15% less medicine and their visits to a doctor decreased by 25%. Not only this, British research also discovered that acupuncture treatment improved the quality of life for severe migraine patients.
So visit an acupuncturist today and get treated for mild to severe migraine conditions.
- by Lotus Wellness Center