Migraine awareness week was marked this month and we were reminded of how widespread and debilitating this condition is. Migraines affect 1 in 7 people, that’s over eight million people in the United Kingdom alone, making it more prevalent than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined.
Research has shown that acupuncture can be very beneficial in the treatment of migraines and headaches as it tends to lessen the frequency and severity of attacks. Migraines can manifest in very different ways from person to person, I will want to know, among other things exactly where the pain is located, what the nature of the pain is and whether the patient has any accompanying symptoms, such as nausea, dizziness, or aversion to light.
An individual diagnosis and treatment plan is then tailored to the patient based on this information and on their general health history. With migraine sufferers, I often see an underlying deficiency with symptoms typically being triggered by overwork, stimulants (coffee, alcohol, sugar) and stress, and so we target the treatment at the root cause and support this with dietary and lifestyle advice.
Patients tell me that they find acupuncture to be a really effective treatment for their migraines and headaches. For example, Julie had been struggling with migraines for over 10 years before she tried acupuncture and she describes how treatment helped her: ‘The sessions helped reduce the frequency and intensity of my migraines. Charlotte looked at my migraines from a holistic perspective. In addition to the needle treatment we had in-depth conversations about the causes that may trigger my migraines. This was very helpful because it made me more aware of how my migraines happen and how I should deal with them.’
If you would like to ask us about acupuncture treatment for your migraines or for someone you know with this condition, please email me at charlotte@acupunctureindevon.com or call me on 07910 453 794
Charlotte Johnston Acupuncture 