headaches1If you suffer from headaches, you are not alone. Over 50 million of us experience some form of a severe
headache at some point in our lives. Whether you experience minor head pain or severe migraines, headaches can take valuable time out of your day and your life, and leave you searching for relief.
Many seek relief by reaching for drugs and other medications. This may work temporarily and can help you get out of pain fast. Unfortunately, common headache medications do not address the root cause(s), and when used over long periods of time can cause unwanted side effects.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offer a safe and effective approach to relieving
headache pain without causing harmful side effects. These healing modalities provide a comprehensive
diagnostic protocol that can help your acupuncturist understand and address the root cause(s) of your headaches.
Causes of Headaches: There are many factors in TCM theory that may play a key role in the root

cause(s) of a headache. These include body constitution, emotional health, excessive work, social activities and exercise, improper diet, physical trauma and hormones. Headaches can alsobe diagnosed according to specific symptoms, times of occurrence, location, type of pain, and triggers.
A natural path to relief: Acupuncture and TCM take a holistic, or whole-body approach to health. Your practitioner will take a detailed health history, and perform a physical exam to determine how and why your body’s vital energy, or Qi (pronounced chee), is out of balance and identify what type of headache you are experiencing. To determine the most effective care, he/she will focus on illuminating the root cause(s) of the problem.
It is important to remember that acupuncture is not a quick fix. Changes may occur quickly or over a longer period of time, depending upon your overall constitution and health. Whether it is one visit to address an acute problem, or several visits to address a chronic problem, it is suggested to closely
follow care recommendations of your acupuncturist to maximize your healing potential.

Below are a few ways that you can make simple lifestyle changes that may helpalleviate or even prevent headaches:
Track your triggers – Try to keep track of when your headaches start. Migraine sufferers may find it especially helpful to keep a diary of symptoms. Certain types of foods and hormonal changes can be
possible causes
Exercise – Physical activity is an important part of any healthy lifestyle and is a great antidote for stress.
Healthy habits – Do your best to eat healthy, organic foods, stay hydrated and get enough sleep every night.
Acupuncture care – is extremely effective in reducing the frequency and severity of many types of painful conditions, including headaches and migraines, naturally. By working with your acupuncturist and
adopting some simple lifestyle changes, you will be on your way toward a healthier, happier, pain-free
life.

acu41

 

 

 

Massage and Acupressure– Certain pressure points are very beneficial at immediately reducing pain associated with headaches. Press each point for 20seconds, release, then reapply pressure. Repeat this pattern until the pain decreases or is completely eliminated

headaches2

 

 

 

Reflexology: There are also certain points on each foot that, when pressed, can alleviate headaches effectively as well. Just like the acupressure instructions above, press each point for 20-30seconds, release, and then reapply pressure until the pain diminishes

massage5

 

 

 

Stress Relief and Meditation: Stress is the #1 cause of pain and headaches. Limit your stress and find stress relievers to implement into your daily routine to keep headaches at bay. Meditation is a great way to reduce stress, even if only for 10 minutes each day

meditation6

 

 

Stay Hydrated: Drinking enough water throughout the day is very important for a number of reasons as the functions of water in human body are vital.  The water:

  • Transports nutrients and oxygen into cellswater
  • Moisturizes the air in lungs
  • Helps with metabolism
  • Protects our vital organ
  • Helps our organs to absorb nutrients better
  • Regulates body temperature
  • Detoxifies
  • Protects and moisturizes our joints

Every cell in your body needs water from head to toe.  That is why it is so important to drink enough fluid.  Take for example, brain consists of 90% of water, if you do not supply enough water to your body, your brain cannot function well, and you will get headache or migraine.  Hence, next time, if you feel fatigue and headache, it may be the sign of dehydration.

 

If you, or someone you know, suffers from headaches please contact us at (904) 448-0046 to see how we can help!