Acupuncture Treatment for Migraines
Conditions
Migraine is a Western diagnosis for a complex and incapacitating headache disorder that very often runs in families. It’s characterised by recurring moderate to severe headaches that can be accompanied by various associated symptoms such as particular sensitivity to light/sound, nausea and vomiting.
According to the Migraine Trust, migraine is the third most common disease in the world, with 1 in 7 people experiencing various kinds of migraine headaches. This means over 8 million people in the UK are affected, which makes migraine more common than asthma, diabetes and epilepsy combined – and it affects three times more women than men.
In China, acupuncture has been used for many centuries to treat all types of headache. However, in recent decades many people in Western countries have become more aware of acupuncture as a helpful treatment for migraine and its popularity has increased.
Migraines are often thought to be caused by emotional strain, stress, hormonal imbalances, and lack of food and/or sleep, or by a reaction to some foods or medications.
Research has shown that traditional acupuncture can be very beneficial in the treatment of migraines as it tends to lessen the frequency and severity of attacks. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends considering a course of acupuncture for the prophylactic treatment of chronic tension-type headache and migraine.