Acupuncture for Headaches
78% of Americans suffer from recurrent headaches at some time in their life. There are 2 types of headaches: Primary and Secondary.
Primary Headaches are due to an intrinsic dysfunction in the central nervous system. They include:
o Migraines with aura
o Migraines without aura
o Tension headaches
o Cluster headaches
o Depression Headaches
Secondary Headaches are a result of problem residing outside of the central nervous system. Some common conditions that can produce headaches are:
o Cerebralvascular Ischemia – narrowing of the arterial supply of blood to the brain
o Embolism
o Metabolic Disorders – such as high or low blood sugar, sodium, potassium, or calcium
o Kidney or Liver Disorders
o Flus, Colds, Sinus Infections, Dental Infections, Meningitis, Encephalitis
o TMJ
o Brain Lesions: tumors or hemorrhage
o Hypertension
o Eye Disorders
o Endocrine Dysfunction: thyroid, pituitary, adrenal
o PMS
o Autoimmune disorders
o Fibromyaligia
Acupuncture is a safe alternative to taking pain medication and has no undesirable side effects. There have been many studies conducted over the years to support the use of acupuncture for the reduction or resolution of headaches.
In June 2003, a study published in Medical Acupuncture, doctors found that acupuncture greatly reduced the severity and frequency of cluster headaches. In some cases it resulted in the complete resolutions of cluster headaches. Cortisol imbalances have been linked to cluster headaches. Studies have shown that people with cluster headaches have lower levels of cortisol. Cortisol regulates the stress hormones in the brain. Acupuncture was found to stimulate adrenal cortisol production.
In a 2002 edition of the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 50 patients with varying kinds of headaches were treated with scalp acupuncture. The results of the study showed that 98% of the patients treated with scalp acupuncture experience milder and less frequent or no headaches in the following 6 months after care.
