Acupuncture for Headaches | Portland OR
Acupuncture for Headaches
Benefits Of Acupuncture: Headaches Are No Match
Acupuncture for Headaches in Portland, OR
How can acupuncture for headaches help?
The burden that headache treatments place on primary care physicians is extraordinary. Many offer prescriptions in an effort to help their patients. Unfortunately, medications may not be effective for symptoms and don’t fix the underlying biochemical or mechanical issues leading to headaches in the first place. Acupuncture for headaches helps you feel relief and get to the underlying problem so you stay better. Acupuncture is simple, effective, and side-effect free.
So how does it work? When there is reduced circulation and increased tension in the body, disease or dysfunction can occur. Acupuncture increases nerve, blood, and bio-electrical circulation to treat illness, including headache pain.
Modern research shows that when these surgical grade, sterilized, hair-thin acupuncture pins are inserted into specific points, it releases pain-relieving chemicals in the body and brain. Acupuncture also reduces the chemicals that cause inflammation. This reduction can help relieve headaches that are caused or worsened by inflammation.
Evidence indicates that acupuncture is effective for at least three of the most common types of headache: tension, sinus, and migraine.
Does pain from headaches haunt you?
If you are reading this you probably know that headaches can last for hours, days or even weeks.
Even the sound of children laughing can be torture. Headaches might be common, but they are not normal. Acupuncture offers an effective solution to headaches without ever touching your head.
At The Wellbridge Clinic we pride ourselves on providing immediate pain relief from headaches, preventing future headaches, and reducing your need for pain relief medicine. With acupuncture, we can drastically reduce or stop most headaches before the end of the treatment. Lets face it, pain relievers like advil or ibuprofen are just band aids that should be used only a couple times per year. Pain relief medicines are harmful when used regularly; and lets face it, no one has an ibuprofen deficiency.
There are a variety of headaches from Migraines to Tension Headaches.
Modern medicine is not able to explain the cause of most headaches. From the medical perspective of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine we use a holistic view of the body. Because of this perspective, acupuncture is more effective at providing long term solutions to headaches.
Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine agrees with modern medicine and recognizes two main types of headache: primary and secondary. Primary is when the headache is not a symptom of another health problem. A secondary headache has a root cause in another disorder such as allergies, sinus problems, dental disorders, car accidents, or other injuries. Acupuncture is effective to treat primary and secondary headaches.
There is a solution for headaches out there and it begins with a specialized acupuncturist.
When you come in for your first acupuncture appointment, we will complete a comprehensive health review and from there, your acupuncturist will provide you with a treatment plan so you understand the process of eliminating those headaches. We pride ourselves on providing solutions, not band aids for headaches big and small.
Book your appointment online now and begin living life without headaches.
Acupuncture for tension headaches
Tenison headaches are characterized by pressure and tightness on both sides of the head. Patients may also experience pain and sensitivity in the head, neck, upper back, and shoulders.
Episodic tension headaches occur fewer than 15 days a month and last for 30 minutes each time. Chronic tension headaches are quite different. The unrelenting pain can last for hours. Episodic tension headaches are more common but can, over time, become chronic.
There is good news, though. A large review of studies found that acupuncture for tension headaches is remarkably effective in reducing the pain and duration of the headache. An updated review of studies in 2016 found similar results. Patients who turned to acupuncture found that regular acupuncture for tension headaches relieved their pain, but it also prevented reoccurrence over a long period of time.
Both of these studies provide positive results for patients who currently rely on medications for their tension headaches, as it could help them reduce their use. Reducing the use of prescription pain medications with their serious side effects is important, of course, but limiting use of over-the-counter NSAIDs as well is often overlooked. With regular use, NSAIDs can lead to serious side effects like liver failure and intestinal bleeding. With acupuncture, patients can reduce or stop their use all together of both types of medication.
Need A Local Acupuncturist In Portland, Oregon For Your Headaches?
Our approach to acupuncture for headaches
At The WellBridge Clinic, a Portland acupuncture clinic, our approach to acupuncture for headaches is three-pronged. We design a treatment approach that provides relief from acute pain while we target the underlying cause of your headaches.
Once headache severity and frequency are under control, we work with you and your other healthcare providers to maintain long-term health and wellness. We take a comprehensive look at your overall health and tailor treatments to your personal goals, both long- and short-term. We believe that health is achieved in balance with traditional medical therapies as well as integrative medicine like acupuncture.
Acupuncture for sinus headaches
The sinus cavity is an air-filled space in the front of your face that spans the forehead, cheeks, and bridge of the nose. When inflammation occurs here, tremendous pain and pressure can occur. This leads to blocked sinus cavities, allergies, and even infection.
Pain is a primary symptom, but sinus headaches may also come with runny nose, fever, facial swelling, and a feeling of facial fullness.
There are few studies that directly examine the effectiveness of acupuncture for sinus headaches. However, a study focusing on sinus headaches specifically found that patients who used acupuncture for sinus headaches used less medication and felt relief from pain and pressure.
Most studies look at acupuncture for conditions that cause sinus headaches, such as chronic rhinitis. In this, there is more evidence. For example, one study found that acupuncture for sinus headaches was effective for patients with chronic comorbid conditions. Acupuncture also relieved nasal congestion and corresponding pain.
Acupuncture for migraines
Migraine headaches can be debilitating. They vary from person to person but are generally recurring. This type of headache has four stages and can be triggered by any of the following:
• Stress
• Hormonal changes
• Flashing or bright lights
• Poor or inadequate sleep
• Changes in the weather
• Excessive physical activity
• Loud noise
• Strong smells
• Certain foods
Migraine symptoms can include pain, nausea, dizziness, and extreme fatigue. Some patients experience visual disturbances like flashing lights or wavy lines.
When it comes to migraines, sufferers know that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. One study found that acupuncture was just as effective as prescription medication in preventing migraines. For migraine sufferers, this showcases just how powerful acupuncture can be in relieving pain and other symptoms, while also reducing medication use.
Another study in 2018 noted chemical changes in the brain that occurred after receiving acupuncture for migraines. This change reduced the intensity of head pain. The study also found a decrease in the frequency and duration of migraines.
Similar to tension headaches, acupuncture for migraine also helps to prevent reoccurrence of migraine.