Treating Headaches and Migraines at Their Root

Author: Blake Estape L.Ac.

Here it comes: mood shifts, auras, neck stiffness, light sensitivity. And then the pain – I’ve heard it described as a searing knife. Anybody who’s experienced one knows what I’m describing. Migraines. According to the Migraine Research Foundation 1.2 million people a year visit the emergency room due to acute attacks. It’s estimated that migraine treatment costs $78 billion annually with the average cost to sufferers being in the order of thousands of dollars.

For something so severe and costly, relatively little is known about the causes of migraines. Typical treatment focuses on alleviating symptoms and medication to reduce episodes. Sometimes these are helpful, sometimes they aren’t. Unfortunately many people who suffer from chronic headaches and migraines learn to work around their condition, dealing with it the best they’re able. Often they’re surprised when they learn that acupuncture can be as effective in treating their pain as medication.

The Proof

‘Yeah right,’ they say. And their skepticism is understood – if a cheaper and safer alternative to medication is available why aren’t people shouting it from the rooftops? Well this is me shouting. A meta-analysis of studies through 2016 found that acupuncture alone was able to reduce the frequency of attacks by up to 50%, with sustained improvement for up to a year.

Another meta-analysis was performed examining herbal medicine versus conventional therapy. It discovered that Chinese herbal treatments were effective at reducing the duration and intensity of migraines, either alone or in combination with conventional therapy.

The Process

These studies are great but they only scratch the surface of what traditional Chinese medicine can achieve, and that’s because when I treat someone I don’t just use acupuncture or just use herbs. So many things (or a combination of things) can be the root cause of headaches and migraines, and to learn what those are requires teamwork between doctor and patient.

Therapies are wonderful at delivering relief but my goal is always sustained improvement. My clients spend only a fraction of their lives on my treatment table, healing has to extend to the world outside. To that end we discuss numerous tools and tactics to get the best results possible. Here are some simple things I often examine:

Where are you holding tension? Many, many times neck and shoulder tightness contributes to chronic headaches and can trigger migraines. Strategies to ease shoulder tension can be instrumental for prevention.

What medications are you taking? Plenty of medications list headaches as a side effect and speaking with your primary care physician might help to determine if one of them is the culprit.

What are you eating? Dietary sensitivities can be an important and often overlooked trigger for migraines.

The Pledge

If you suffer from migraines or chronic headaches, acupuncture and herbal medicine can help.  Start by asking the questions above. Pay attention to the physical signs and examine the triggers, these are all clues to put you on the right path – when you’re ready call me up and I’ll help you walk it.