Acupuncture For Migraines and Headaches

Before you consider Acupuncture for Migraines or Tension Headaches, you should know a few things about both of these first.

There are two different types of headaches, primary headaches and secondary headaches.

A primary headache is considered a real clinical condition, as it exists alone and is not caused by another disorder. Types of primary headaches include headaches from tension, migraines, and cluster headaches.

Secondary headaches are the result of other medical conditions like sinus infections, bad allergies, dental problems, or a brain tumor or head injury.

Headache or Migraine?

The two most commonly experienced headaches come from either tension or migraines.

If you have bad headaches, unless you have had severe dental work or a concussion, you are probably suffering from one of these headache types.

To discover exactly which type you may suffer from, consider the following descriptions of both tension-related headaches, and migraines.

• Headaches may come and go often, each one lasting from 30 minutes up to 7 days in duration.
• Feels like a mild or moderate pressure within the head.
• Pain is not so severe as to stop your ability to perform tasks.
• Dull-type of pain, usually not sharp pain.
• Pain is on both sides of the head.
• No nausea or vomiting.

Tension-related headaches are also known as muscle-contraction headaches, and are the most commonly experienced type of headache.

The chances are good that everyone will experience mild to moderate tension-related headaches at some point in their life.

• Intense pain that interferes with normal activity.
• Pain feels throbbing and may be on only one, or both sides of the head.
• May cause nausea and vomiting.
• May cause sensitivity to light, sound, or odors.
• A severe migraine may cause you to see flashes or waves of light, or have changes in your vision.

Based on recent studies, migraines affect approximately 18% of women and 6% of men in the United States, so if you experience any of the tell-tale symptoms such as throbbing pain or changes in vision during your headache, chances are good that it is indeed a migraine.

Acupuncture For Tension Headaches

Acupuncture for Headaches may be the right treatment for you if you experience tension-related headaches regularly.

These headaches are caused by our bodies' autonomic nervous systems fighting stress. In the process of accumulating stress, our bodies often develop back pain, neck and back stiffness, and other muscle-reltaed issues.

Along with those, stress also produces anxiety and depression, bloating or constipation, heaviness of the eyes, and cold hands or feet due to constricted circulation.

Often, one or more of these symptoms accompanies people who suffer from regular tension-related headaches. If you suffer from two or more of these, chances are that you are suffering from excess stress.

The good news is that Acupuncture is a leading holistic treatment for decreasing stress levels.

In fact, Acupuncture may even be the best treatment for stress, and it definitely beats taking Tylenol or Ibuprofen every time your head hurts.

Acupuncture treatments have been known for reducing internal physical and mental stress levels for as long as it has been around. It does so by balancing the energy that flows throughout the body's meridians.

With this energy flowing smoothly, the body's autonomic nervous system functions at its best, and can effectively handle the stress of life, work, and family without it resulting in painful physical symptoms.

Not only may Acupuncture for Tension Headaches relieve your headaches, but it may likely make you feel like a whole new person.

Acupuncture For Migraine Headaches

Acupuncture for Migraine Headaches is slightly more complicated than for regular tension headaches, but it is still effective nonetheless.

The pulsating (throbbing) pain of migraines is caused by arteries expanding and constricting rapidly, causing blood flow to increase and decrease in waves.

This abnormal blood flow pattern is what causes a sort of 'overload' in the brain, which produces the intense pain of migraines.

Although migraines are slightly more complex and severe than tension headaches, the primary causes remains the same: chronic stress that is negatively affecting the autonomic nervous system.

Acupuncture for Migraines is effective because in reality, treating migraines is accomplishing by treating and reducing stress, so really what you are receiving is "Acupuncture for Stress (that causes migraines)."

By removing the stress held within the body, the nervous system will no longer produce the expanding and contracting arteries and fluctuations of blood flow to the brain, and migraines will effectively be stopped before they start.

Treating stress is one of the best options anyone can give themselves.

Not only does reducing stress help reduce the occurrence of tension headaches and migraines, but it also strengthens the immune system, and prepares our bodies and minds to handle the complexities of life with a clear and focused mind.

I highly suggest that you consider Acupuncture for Stress, especially if you experience regular headaches or migraines.