When other methods fail for curing regular headaches or migraines, many people turn to the less common treatment options. One of those options is acupuncture, which has been proven effective through scientific studies to alleviate headaches. Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese technique involving the insertion of needles in key areas of the body referred to as acupuncture points. This increases blood flow to the area and dilates blood vessels around the spot in which the needle was inserted.
Stress is a major factor in pain caused by headaches. Either the stress caused the headache or intensified the pain. Aside from stress, other possible causes of headaches include hormonal imbalances, altered sleep patterns, low blood sugar, food sensitivities, chemicals, and skipping meals. There are other potential origins of headaches, so if none of these apply, be open to considering different triggers.
A good acupuncturist will attempt to determine what triggers a patient’s headaches to prevent them from occurring again after treatment. For example, if a food sensitivity was causing migraines, then an individual will have the migraines return some time after completing an acupuncture treatment plan because that food is still entering his system. It may take time and experimentation to figure out which foods trigger migraines but it’s well worth it for permanent migraine relief.
Acupuncture for migraines is beneficial because a migraine in the making starts with nerve cells in the brain transmitting messages to the blood vessels causing them to constrict. After the blood vessels constrict, they expand. Upon expansion, inflammatory substances responsible for pain are released.
Many people have discovered that caffeine can crush a headache in its early stages but overall caffeine is not as beneficial as acupuncture for headaches albeit dilating the blood vessels. For one, caffeine dehydrates the body and most people already don’t drink enough water. Dehydration is a common cause of headaches. Therefore, a headache may return later if the individual doesn’t drink enough water.
Acupuncture for headaches caused by stress is very beneficial because acupuncture has been shown to relieve stress as well. When done on a consistent basis, clients will have lower levels of stress hormones in their bodies and feel less stressed in their day-to-day lives. They are better able to handle stress that flies their way. As a result, they stop suffering from stress-induced headaches.
More surprisingly, acupuncture can balance the hormones in the body. Thus, if the cause of a client’s headaches is a hormone imbalance, it is not always necessary for him to take drugs. An acupuncture treatment plan can solve the problem while providing headache and migraine relief.
There are no side effects of acupuncture for migraines and headaches like there is with medications. As long as the acupuncturist is a trained professional who uses sterilized one-use needles, it is a low-risk treatment method. However, if the acupuncturist is not professional, dirty needles could cause infections. Always ensure the acupuncturist follows procedures and cares about his clients’ safety before booking an appointment.
Acupuncture has provided tremendous headache relief for various types of headaches with different causes. In some cases, acupuncture prevents headaches from returning. In other cases, however, the client needs to do something more beyond acupuncture to sufficiently remedy the cause. An example being headaches or migraines caused by food sensitivities. Because stress is a major culprit in triggering headaches or worsening the pain, acupuncture in general is excellent for treating headaches because it relieves stress as well.
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