CAN ACUPUNCTURE TREAT THE CAUSE OF A HEADACHE? Usually! All bodily pains are necessary signals telling us that an imbalance has occurred somewhere in the physical-emotional body. Headaches rarely originate from problems in the head itself. They usually only occur in the thin sheet of muscle just under the scalp. An acupuncturist can diagnose the headache and determine which organ is causing it.
Immediate relief can come from breaking up the muscle spasms in the head and neck. This is achieved by: 1) Altering the electric charge in the nerves (discharging). 2) Sedating the pain sensors. 3) Using massage and gentle heat to open up the blocked circulation.
For a TENSION HEADACHE, painless needles are placed in the shoulders and neck area in order to release muscle spasms and stimulate an anti-inflammatory response. (Needle-less treatment is also available). Those muscles are holding up our 12 pound bowling ball head which, hanging forward over a desk or steering wheel, is actually equivalent to 20 lb.! Sine we rarely stand up straight enough to allow the chest muscles to hold us up, the trapezius muscles in the neck/shoulder get overworked.
A special friction rub–“Gwa Sah” removes the old stagnant blood that pools in the muscle tissue causing that familiar achiness, tightness, and pressure on the affected vertebral nerves. As fresh blood flows in, this massage technique often produces immediate dramatic relief, creating a drainage, and relieving the pounding arteries of the head. Along with pain relief, patients often report feeling sharper mentally and enjoying more satisfying sleep.
If any one of the following co-factors exist—ARTHRITIS, damaged HERNIATED DISCS, or BONE SPURS, this treatment will also restore oxygen to the tissue, remove toxins, and begin to dissolve the mineral buildup. One of the contributing factors in arthritis (and headaches) is FAULTY METABOLISM. Something is wrong when the minerals we ingest go and deposit themselves on our weakest joints instead of inside our bones and muscles. Accordingly, certain acupuncture points can improve the digestion and assimilation of nutrients in order to rebalance sluggish metabolism (also promoting WEIGHT LOSS). Our aim is to eradicate the systemic chemical basis for arthritis, osteoporosis, and of course, the headache.
MIGRAINES, FOOD ALLERGY HEADACHES, CLUSTER and PMS HEADACHES are caused by imbalances in the hormones, and by toxicity in the major organs, especially the liver, gall bladder, and intestines. Based on traditional diagnosis, the acupuncturist stimulates those points on the limbs that relate to the affected organs, and recommends herbal formulas to support the detox and balancing process.
Sometimes the effect is immediate; sometimes it takes a series of treatments to eliminate the cause of the headache. When the deep cause is found, many future worsening conditions are thus avoided. The headache served its purpose to alert us to things under the surface and thus change the course of our lifeline.
Please share your experiences and questions–I invite comments and feedback!