Acupuncture: An Effective Remedy for Headaches?

 https://philaacupuncture.com/natural-treatment-for-headaches/

Treatment for headaches is aimed toward relieving symptoms and preventing additional seizures. Knowing what triggers your migraines can help you avoid migraines or relieve the pain by avoiding these triggers and learning how to deal with them. Treatment can include:

• Rest in a quiet, dark room
• Hot or cold compresses on the head or neck
• Massage and small amounts of caffeine
• Over-the-counter drugs like:
• Ibuprofen (Advil,
• Motrin IB, others),
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), and aspirin
• Prescription drugs such as triptans such as sumatriptan (Imitrex) and zolmitriptan (Zomig)
• Headaches preventive medications like:
• Propranolol (Innopran, Inderal, others),
• Amitriptyline,
• Divalproex (Depakote), metoprolol (Lopressor),
• Topiramate (Qudexy XR, Trokendi XR, Topamax) or
• Erenumab-aooe (Aimovig)

You have a headache. Again? The first step in preventing frequent headaches is to determine what type of headache you are having. Sometimes headaches are a symptom of another disease or condition; sometimes there is no apparent cause.

Look closely at the signs and symptoms of your headache. Keeping a headache diary can help you identify the type of headache. Pay attention to when headaches appear, symptoms, and potential triggers such as food, stress, or changes in sleep.

Headaches rank amongst the most common and frequent ailments. A headache is not a disease but may be indicative of other underlying problems. Headaches are common in about 50-75% of all teens. However, recurrent headaches can upset and worry about an individual to a great extent. The most common types of headaches that people in their teens and early twenties have are tension headaches and migraines. In some cases, these problems may require a visit to a medical provider.

Almost everyone has headaches and often you don’t have to worry. Just use regular painkillers and try to avoid headaches’ triggers. But if the headaches are interfering with your activities, work, or personal life, it’s time to see your doctor. Headaches can’t always be avoided, but your doctor can help manage the symptoms.

What is a headache?

Headache is defined as pain arising from the head or upper neck of the body. The pain originates from the tissues and structures that surround the skull or the brain because the brain itself has no nerves that give rise to the sensation of pain (pain fibers).

Treatment for headaches depends on its causes and symptoms. Treatment for headaches will vary based on the type of headache, individual response, and take into account other physical conditions of the body that are associated with the headache.

Headaches are also classified into different categories for better diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of the complexity of it all. The classification is done by the ‘International Headache society.’

The occurrence of headache is taken into account. If it’s a single occurrence, then a simple analgesic will treat it. But if it is recurrent in nature, then the treatment is not so simple. Treatment for headache is divided into two types, one treatment is for providing relief from the pain, while the headache is in progress ‘(abortive treatment)’, and the other is for the prevention of the headache from recurring again, ‘(prophylactic treatment)’.

Migraines are treated by a combination of medical prescriptions and lifestyle changes. ‘Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID)’, are prescribed for the treatment of migraines and cluster type headaches. In such cases, it is strongly recommended to consult your family physician, for professional guidance and treatment, and do not indulge in over the counter medications.

Other alternative forms of treatment for headaches include natural treatment like acupuncture, yoga and meditation, magnesium supplements, and certain herbal supplements. Aromatherapy is very useful in relieving the pain. Time tested treatments with essential oils like peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, cinnamon have headache removal properties.

There are different triggers for headaches. Here are some of them:

• The strain on the eyes
• Skipping a meal
• Poor sleeping habits
• Loud noise
• Tension
• Dehydration

Headache symptoms

Headaches can be associated with symptoms such as

• Nausea,
• Vomiting,
• Pain in the eyes when looking into bright lights (photophobia),
• Dizziness,
• Tightness sensation in the head

What Causes Headaches?

You can experience headaches in any area of your head, and it can affect just one side or both sides. Headaches can be defined as primary and secondary. Primary headaches are not related to any other condition, whereas secondary headaches possess an underlying reason.

Primary headaches can be a result of problems with your muscles, blood vessels, and nerves of the neck and head. It can also occur due to changes in your brain’s chemical activity. Primary headaches commonly include tension headaches, cluster headaches, and migraines.

When it comes to secondary headaches, numerous factors can lead to it, such as:

• Stroke
• Panic attacks
• Overuse of pain medication
• Influenza
• Teeth grinding
• Glaucoma
• Dehydration
• Concussion
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Brain freeze
• Bleeding in or around your brain
• Blood clots
• Brain tumor
• Alcohol-induced hangover

Types of headache and treatment

Before treating a headache, it is necessary to understand what causes it. Headaches are caused by the tension of the muscles, sinus congestion, and changes by vascular constriction. Here’s a description of each type of headache.

Stress/Tension Headache

By far the largest majority of headaches that most people experience are what is known as a Tension Headache, or some similar variant. While the exact cause of these headaches is not known and probably varies from patient to patient, this benign type of headache is usually associated with stress and muscle tension or spasm of the neck, facial or head muscles. While their severity, location, and characteristics can vary, they are almost always harmless and do not represent any more serious underlying problem.

Tension headache is the typical headache most of us have experienced when you are over-tired, over-worked, or stressed. Tension headaches do not cause other neurological symptoms. If other symptoms are present, it should raise the question of another diagnosis.

Causes of tension headache

• Not getting enough rest
• Poor posture
• Emotional or mental stress, including depression

Tension-type headaches can be triggered by some type of environmental or internal stress. This stress may or may not be known to the patient and their family. The most common sources of stress include family, social relationships, friends, work, and school.

Tension headaches treatment

Tension headache usually develops in the afternoon, causing mild or moderate pain that may feel like dull tightness or a band of pressure. Listed below are tension headache treatment

Pay attention to the basics.

• Paying attention to the basics is one of the tension headache treatment. This involves getting enough sleep, never skip meals, and go your own way to avoid stress and fatigue.

Relaxation techniques.

• Physical and mental relaxation therapies are one of the tension headache treatments that can help prevent tension headaches as long as you use these techniques regularly. Physical approaches include placing a heating pad on the neck and shoulders to relax the muscles. Exercising these muscles also helps strengthen and stretch them.

Biofeedback.

• Biofeedback is a relaxation technique that requires special training. Biofeedback is a tension headache treatment that can help prevent recurring tension headaches. Usually, a therapist attaches electrodes to your skin to pick up electrical signals coming from the muscles in your neck and shoulders. You will then learn to recognize when you are getting tense and practice how to relax the muscles before they tighten so much that you develop tension headaches.

Sinus Headaches

The paranasal sinuses are mucosa-lined chambers in the bone of the skull and face. There are several of them surrounding the nasal passages. Normally, mucous secretions that are produced in the sinuses flow out of openings into the nasal passage. However, if a sinus is obstructed so that its contents cannot exit, the pressure inside the sinuses can build up. This can occur with mucosal swelling associated with allergy (allergic rhinitis or hay fever) or with an infection such as a cold or sinus infection.

 

When pressure builds up inside a sinus, it can cause pain. While some sinuses (such as the large maxillary sinuses) are in the face, most are associated with the base of the skull. This pain can be interpreted and described as a headache. While these sinus headaches can occur in anyone with a “stuffed nose” of any cause, patients who have chronic sinus problems with recurrent sinus infections can often have quite severe pain associated with this condition.

What causes sinus headaches?

Sinus infections cause sinus headaches. Anything that causes mucus to build up in the sinuses can lead to a sinus infection, such as:

• Common cold
• Seasonal allergies
• Nasal polyps, abnormal growth of the nose or sinuses.

Sinus headaches treatment

The Sinus headaches treatment listed below can help ease the symptoms associated with sinus headaches.

Hydrate.

• Drinking plenty of fluids like water or juice is one of the sinus headache treatment that helps to thin the mucus. However, avoid caffeinated or alcoholic drinks, which can lead to dehydration.

Rest.

• Get enough rest to help your body fight infection and speed recovery. While you sleep, make yourself comfortable with a couple of pillows. As you stay elevated, you can breathe more comfortably.

Steam.

• Inhale the steam from a saucepan or bowl of lukewarm or take a hot shower. You can also place a warm, damp towel on your face followed by a cool towel to relieve sinus pain and open up the nasal passages.

Over-the-counter drugs.

• Over-the-counter drugs like decongestants, antihistamines (if allergies are the cause), and pain relievers are a list of sinus headaches treatments that help reduce sinus pain and pressure.

Cluster Headaches

Cluster headaches are a unique neurological form of headache with an unknown cause. These extremely painful attacks are usually only on one side and are often described as a stabbing or boring pain that is located behind the eye. It usually occurs suddenly and periodically, followed by periods of remission.

In addition to pain, which can be extraordinarily severe, and one of the most painful conditions a human can endure, cluster headaches are characterized by symptoms that seem to come from the autonomic nervous system. These include ptosis (a drooping eyelid on the same side), tearing, runny nose, redness of the eye, and even facial redness, swelling, and/or sweating. These symptoms all occur only on the same side as the headache. Some patients describe certain triggers that set off attacks, such as ingestion of alcohol or exposure to heat.

Cluster headache causes

Cluster headaches are most likely related to the activity of your hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is at the base of your brain and contains reflex pathways that control the pain in your face and behind your eyes.

When this nerve pathway is activated, it triggers the following sensations:

• Tingle
• Throbbing
• Numbness
• Strong pain
• The same group of nerves can also stimulate tears and redness in the eyes.

Cluster headache treatment

The following are cluster headache treatment that has been proven to be effective.

Oxygen therapy

• Oxygen therapy is one of the main cluster headaches. Getting extra oxygen into your bloodstream can calm your body and help you manage pain. Breathing in oxygen through a mask at 7 to 10 liters per minute may bring significant relief within 15 minutes. It is not always practical to have an oxygen cylinder and regulator close at hand, but some small units are available. Oxygen therapy may only postpone symptoms, rather than alleviating them.

Melatonin

• Melatonin is a hormone that your body uses to regulate your sleeping patterns. People who get cluster headaches often have low melatonin levels. Melatonin supplements are one of the cluster headache treatment that helps to prevent cluster headaches when taken before bedtime.

Natural remedies for headaches – natural treatment for headaches

Natural remedies for headaches are effective with no side effects. Many natural remedies for headaches work better than drug medications and can effectively get rid of a headache quickly. Listed below are natural remedies for headaches

Home remedies for headaches – most popular treatment for headaches

Home remedies for headaches are simply easy to do at home strategies that are effective in relieving headaches. Listed below are home remedies for headache

Use a cold or hot compress

• For headaches with radiating pain that starts in one area and spreads to another, like migraine headaches, cold compresses can be placed over the spot from which the pain originates

Stay hydrated

• Drinking more water and less dehydrating beverages, like alcohol or coffee can also help prevent headaches.

Improve your diet

• Improvement of diet is a home remedy for headaches because foods containing phenylalanine and tyramine may increase the frequency of migraine headaches for some people. This is why diet for headaches is very important. The diet that is ideal in other to prevent headaches is a food rich in protein and dietary fiber, like almonds and cherries. This diet for headache help to ward off headaches.

Herbal remedies for headaches – effective natural treatment for headaches

Herbs are a natural treatment for headaches that can be used in many different forms. Tea is the most common. However, capsules are now available in almost every herbal formulation.

Listed below are herbal remedies for headaches

Chamomile

• Chamomile is a herbal remedy for a headache that has a natural calming effect. Drink a cup of chamomile tea to help calm your nerves and naturally relieve a headache.

Ginkgo

• Ginkgo is one of the natural treatments for headaches that can relieve headache pain by dilating blood vessels in the head.

Feverfew

• Feverfew contains substances that inhibit the release of mood hormones in the brain. For best results, use fresh feverfew. When this isn’t available, consume it as tea or in capsule form.

Ginger

• Ginger is a herbal remedy for a headache that has long been known to relieve and also to prevent headaches. It is anti-inflammatory and contains substances that relieve pain.

Homeopathic remedies for headaches – #1 natural treatment for headaches

Homeopathic remedies for headaches can also mitigate current symptoms and prevent future attacks. A homeopath will first carry out a comprehensive evaluation of not only your current symptoms but your medical history as well.

After that, homeopathic remedies for headaches are personalized and administered according to your specific symptoms and conditions. This makes it possible to get to the root of the problem and find life long-term relief. The most common homeopathic remedies for headaches include Nux Vomica, Iris Versicolor, Ignatia, Bryonia, Belladonna, Glonoinum, Sepia, etc.

You might have to experiment with a few natural and alternative treatments before finding the right one. If you’re not seeing results from medications or is simply averse to the idea of side effects, acupuncture, along with other alternative treatments, can be a potent option.

Homeopathic remedies for headaches are a Natural treatment for headaches that have become quite popular as a type of alternative therapy. The approach of homeopathic remedies for headache lies in treating headache along with the emotional state for complete and long-lasting relief.

Listed below are homeopathic remedies for headaches

Belladonna

• This is a homeopathic remedy for headaches that are characterized by violent and throbbing painful sensations. These headaches are commonly those that can readily be aggravated by certain environmental reasons like light, sounds, touch, strong smells, and abrupt movements. The headache pain can be temporarily relieved by placing firm force on the head or by sitting.

Bryonia

• This is an ingredient used for homeopathic remedies for headaches seen as a frequent aching with a sense of heaviness but with less pounding. This kind of headache is typically exacerbated by movement of the head and eyes, even the smallest amount. These headaches are likewise typically attended by sickness, constipation, and vomiting. A person who may have this type of headache typically becomes irritable and may like to be left on their own.

Other Alternative Options of natural remedies for headaches

In most cases, natural and alternative treatments can provide long-lasting relief. Acupuncture for headaches is one such option. Homeopathic remedies for headaches are also a powerful alternative.

Many people combine acupuncture for headaches along with other natural remedies for headaches expecting additional benefits. You can supplement or support your acupuncture for headaches treatment with other holistic medicine techniques and treatments. Essential oils can assist in mitigating headache symptoms. Studies show that lavender oil, in particular, can be a safe and effective treatment for acute headache pain.

Exercise is also another option. Incorporating an aerobic exercise regimen can prove to be very beneficial. Exercise can relieve stress, improve circulation, and increase your lung capacity, and numerous other benefits. An aerobic exercise routine can be specifically helpful for migraine patients.

Acupuncture for headaches – an ancient Chinese natural treatment for headaches

Acupuncture for headaches is a natural, effective, and safe treatment approach. Everyone suffers from headaches, and it’s generally not a big deal. In most cases, people resort to prescription drugs and medications. These medications are an effective remedy, but, at times, can lead to adverse effects and complicate minor headaches. This has led to an increasing number of people using alternative and natural treatments like homeopathy and acupuncture to not only deal with current headaches but prevent future ones. They offer a safe, natural, and effective alternative to conventional therapies.

Headaches are the most common ailment. In the US alone, approximately 45 million people suffer from headaches, and more than 8 million visit their doctors for headaches per year. In the modern life of today, filled with stress and anxiety, headaches have become increasingly prevalent.

The next time you experience a headache, you might want to consider these alternative treatments.

Is Acupuncture for Headaches Effective?

Acupuncture for headaches is a safe, effective, and natural alternative. Research shows that acupuncture is very effective in treating headaches and migraines. It can also significantly reduce the frequency of headaches.

Generally, painkillers are prescribed to deal with mild migraines and headaches. However, if there is no improvement or the patient doesn’t respond positively to standard pain treatments, preventative drugs are often prescribed. Sadly many of these drugs are not well tolerated and produce adverse effects.

As a result, many people have been resorting to acupuncture as a natural treatment for headaches. Acupuncture encourages the flow of positive energy and eliminates negative energy that generates pain. Western medicine believes acupuncture stimulates numerous body systems, which in turn triggers a healing reaction.

This ancient Chinese treatment divides your body into various pressure points and zones. Needles are inserted depending on your condition and symptoms. Acupuncture needles are generally inserted near the nerves of your body, and these needles invigorate your nerves and release endorphins and other hormones that trigger a response from the body. The stimulation of the immune and circulation system relieves headaches and migraines.

Acupuncture can also mitigate stress and anxiety levels and encourage relaxation. It’s very beneficial for improving overall physical and mental health. Acupuncture for headaches can be particularly helpful if you’re suffering from tension headaches and migraines. They can not only offer remedies from your current state but prevent future attacks.

Acupuncture for Headaches Shortcomings and Risks

Acupuncture, in itself, carries minimal risks or chances of adverse effects if carried out by a licensed and well-trained acupuncturist. Occasionally you may experience mild soreness, fatigue, or bruising, especially if it’s your first acupuncture session.

However, if headaches acupuncture treatment is performed utilizing dirty or substandard equipment, there are chances of serious health risks. Acupuncture needles are meant only for single-use and are regulated by the FDA.

Acupuncture risks predominantly occur when the practitioner is under-qualified or ill-prepared. Before booking your acupuncture treatment for headaches, make sure you do your research on your acupuncturist and don’t book a session if you feel uncomfortable. Be sure that the needles used for your headaches acupuncture session are new and sterile. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask them. Make sure you have all your doubts answered before beginning treatment.

 

Conclusion on natural treatment for headaches

Generally, many people suffer from headaches when MRI of the skull and UZ of the carotid arteries show no pathological issues. This kind of headache can be controlled by regular painkillers like Tylenol, Ibuprophen, etc. They are typically not dangerous but can prevent you from carrying out your daily activities. In fact, headaches are one of the main reasons for people missing work or school. For a safe and effective approach, consider alternative treatments:

• acupuncture for headaches:
• homeopathic remedies for headaches
• herbal remedies for headaches.

Ideally, you can also combine various treatments for headaches before finding the most suitable one. In the majority of cases, these methods are able to deal with headaches even better than traditional western medicine. However, if you still don’t see any improvement, you should consult a doctor as there may be major underlying issues.

For more information about headaches acupuncture contact our clinic to schedule your first appointment for evaluation and treatment