Healing Headaches with Acupuncture

If you experience headaches or migraines, you understand how they can negatively impact your quality of life. Treatment with painkillers may be enough to curb mild or infrequent headaches, but when they occur frequently and do not respond well to standard pain treatments, you may benefit from alternative therapies for pain relief, such as acupuncture. 

Understanding Headaches

Chronic headaches and migraines can be extremely debilitating and disrupt everyday life. There are two types of headaches: primary and secondary headaches. 

A primary headache results from problems involving the structures of the head and neck. This headache occurs when the blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and brain chemicals are overactive. A secondary headache is a symptom of an underlying medical condition, such as pregnancy, systemic conditions, stroke, or brain tumor. Both types of headaches can range from mild to severe and may have a throbbing or stabbing sensation. 

What is Acupuncture?

If you’re a chronic sufferer of headaches, acupuncture is an excellent treatment to help you find relief. Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine with roots in traditional Chinese culture.

This form of medicine involves inserting thin needles into key parts of the body to help release muscle tension and promote blood circulation. Acupuncture treatments help to correct imbalances in the function of internal organs in the body. 

Acupuncture Treatment for Headaches and Migraine Relief

Research show that acupuncture can be helpful for relieving migraines, tension headaches, and several other types of chronic headaches. The fine needles are placed at specific pressure points, usually along a person’s back or neck where they can slow pain transmission. 

Acupuncture also helps relax the muscles, improves circulation in the head and reduces tension where one may have a headache. It helps balance out one’s emotional state and reduces stress hormones, which also contribute to headaches and migraines.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, based on a recent systematic review of 22 clinical trials involving 4985 people, the frequency of headaches dropped by 50% or more in up to 59% of individuals receiving acupuncture. 

Acupuncture at Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Dr. Kuzminov is our licensed acupuncturist at Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. He specializes in the treatment of neurological conditions and pain management through his acupuncture practice. Patients looking for relief from their headaches, back pain, joint point or neurological conditions may benefit from Dr. Kuzminov’s expertise. 

Schedule your appointment with Dr. Kuzminov to learn more about the benefits of acupuncture for you!