Headaches, and migraines are unfortunately a common experience. You would be hard pressed to find someone who has never experienced one or the other. However, the way headaches and migraines are experienced, meaning the symptoms they produce vary greatly from person to person. Therefore, the treatment of your specific headache or migraine needs to be tailor made for you.
The exact cause of migraines in particular is not fully understood by modern medicine. However, stress, changes in sleep patterns, foods, changes in the weather, and hormonal changes in women might be underlying causes according to the Mayo Clinic. Chinese medicine has recognized these factors as causes for headaches, and migraines for centuries.
At Valley Holistic Healing a thorough intake is done with each patient to determine what underlying imbalance is causing the headache or migraine. The symptoms of the headache, any accompanying symptoms, things that make the headache better or worse, along with the symptoms in your body as a whole are all considered.
Acupuncture points, herbal medicine, and lifestyle/diet recommendations are made based on this holistic analysis of the patient.
From a Western biomedical perspective, many theories exist to explain the effectiveness of acupuncture. Research has shown that acupuncture can affect a number of body systems including: brain chemistry, hormone levels, endorphins, and neurotransmitters. We also know through research that when an acupuncture needle is inserted into the body the area is flooded with natural painkillers, circulation to the area is increased, and inflammation is reduced.
