84 Burnett St Bundaberg
Are you suffering from chronic tension headaches or migraines? Looking for a natural option to relieve your pain? One option to consider is acupuncture.
Acupuncture treatments have been used for headaches for thousands of years as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Acupuncturists have a consistent framework for managing headaches based on TCM philosophies.
Now, modern science is starting to uncover how acupuncture may be beneficial for a variety of headache types.
How can acupuncture help with headaches?
The exact mechanisms of acupuncture are still being explored by researchers. However, there are a few ways that acupuncture may help to relieve headaches.
Some studies suggest that acupuncture has several anti-inflammatory actions within the body. As inflammation plays a role in both the onset and process of many headaches and migraines, reducing inflammation can be particularly helpful.
It’s believed that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system, causing the release of feel-good chemicals such as endorphins.
Acupuncture is often used to relieve symptoms such as pain and stress. As stress is a common cause for headaches, this may relieve your headache or even help to prevent it.
Muscle tension is a common contributor to headaches and migraines. Acupuncture, much like dry needling, can help to alleviate muscle tension and could reduce your risk of headache and alleviate your symptoms.
For many people, a combination of these mechanisms may help to relieve symptoms and even prevent a headache or migraine in some cases.
What types of headaches could acupuncture help with?
There is evidence that acupuncture may be useful for:
Research reviews suggest that acupuncture is as effective as common migraine medications, but with fewer side effects.
What are some other natural options for relieving my headaches?
There are other options you can consider when it comes to preventing and treating your headaches. These can be used in combination with acupuncture to improve your chances of symptom relief.
A glass of water – many cases of tension headaches and migraines can be exacerbated or even triggered by simple dehydration! In any case, drinking 1-2 cups of water won’t make your headache worse, so it’s worth a try.
Massage therapy – for many, muscle tension plays a role in headaches. Massage therapy and other techniques such as dry needling can help to alleviate the tension and reduce your risk of a headache developing.
Cold compress – applying a cold compress to the head or neck area can reduce inflammation and reduce the symptoms of a headache. It may also reduce migraine pain.
Naturopathy – a qualified naturopath can help you to uncover the root cause of your headaches and alleviate them using diet and lifestyle changes. They may also prescribe supportive supplements to use if you have a headache or migraine coming on.
Are headaches and migraines making your life miserable? If you’re local to the Bundaberg area, the team at Burnett House is here to help.
Our acupuncturist Jamie combines acupuncture with other tools such as dry needling and remedial massage to relieve pain naturally.
Our naturopath Trish can look at diet and lifestyle factors that can help to address the causes of your headache or migraine.
To book an appointment with Jamie or Trish at our Bundaberg clinic, call us on (07) 41522372
What can contribute to inflammation? As inflammation is a general reaction, there are many potential factors that can set it off. Anything that is perceived as a possible threat to the body or that affects the nervous or immune system can increase inflammation.
Unfortunately, you can’t avoid every trigger for inflammation without living in a bubble. But you can take steps to reduce your exposure. The link between inflammation and pain The pain-inflammation link is bidirectional – pain can lead to inflammation, and inflammation can increase pain. Where one is present, the other won’t be far behind. During inflammation, compounds known as cytokines are produced. These compounds can lead to pain, and may also increase your sensitivity to pain. Inflammation can even ‘imprint’ on the brain, causing it to mimic pain long after the injury has healed. If you experience chronic pain of any kind, addressing inflammation is key to not only managing your pain, but also preventing further pain from developing. Acupuncture, inflammation and pain Studies suggest that acupuncture could have a number of anti-inflammatory actions within the body. Using acupuncture alongside other tools may help reduce your inflammation levels. Acupuncture could also help with inflammation indirectly by reducing contributing factors. For example, acupuncture is often used for managing symptoms such as pain and stress. As these can add to the cycle of inflammation, reducing them could help cool down inflammation in the body. If your injury is relatively new, you may still benefit from an acupuncture treatment. By addressing your symptoms of pain when they first occur, you may reduce your risk of the pain developing into chronic pain. If you’re struggling with pain and inflammation, our acupuncturist Jamie is here to help. Jamie combines acupuncture with other tools such as dry needling and remedial massage to relieve your pain naturally. Jamie is based in our Bundaberg clinic – to book an appointment, call us on (07) 41522372
