Hoofdpijn of migraine? Zo kan acupunctuur helpen

Headaches and migraines are often caused by a disturbance in the balance of Qi and Blood, for example due to stress, tension or fatigue. This can lead to recurring or persistent pain symptoms. With acupuncture and herbal therapy, we support the body in restoring balance and reducing headaches and migraines.

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Suffering from migraines or headaches in Purmerend? Acupuncture can help address the cause and reduce symptoms. Read on!

What is the difference between headache and migraine

We treat headaches as well as migraines. Below you can see the differences between these 2.

Headaches:

Frequent nagging or oppressive feeling
Usually on both sides of the head
Intensity: milder
You can usually still function
Often related to tension, stress or posture

Migraines:

Throbbing, throbbing pain
Usually on one side of the head
Intensity: more intense
Often with:
- Nausea
- Hypersensitivity to light and sound
Exercise often makes things worse
Sometimes preceded by an aura

In Chinese medicine, headache is often seen as a disturbance in the free flow of Qi, while migraines are more often associated with stronger patterns such as rising Yang or Blood stagnation.

Meaning of pain

The definition of pain is that there is a blockage of energy and/or blood. This ensures that the body cannot be fed on one side and cannot remove waste products on the other side. It often takes energy to get that process going again. So, if you have pain, it is always wise to give your body time to solve it on its own (by resting). If that does not work or if the pain has been there for a long time, it is useful to get help for that.

The movement of energy also has a lot to do with the Liver and our emotions. High workload, stress and unbalanced emotions (too much or too little) block the flow of energy, which can cause stagnation and pain. This also applies: make sure your life is balanced as much as possible; in addition to working hard, relaxing well is also very important.

Causes of migraine and headache in TCM

With Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), you look at the body from a balance: when it functions properly, there are no complaints. When something is out of balance, the symptoms say exactly what is going on, which also makes treatment effective. By bundling different symptoms, patterns are created. The pattern associated with your headache or migraine is also your personal diagnosis. An example of this is: headache due to Liver Qi stagnation, with symptoms: headache on the side of the head, abdominal pain, chest pressure and irritation.

Below are a number of important headache and migraine patterns:

Liver Qi stagnation (emotions)

Type of pain: oppressive, changing location,

Symptoms: stress sensitive, irritability, sighing, abdominal or rib pain

Liver Yang that takes off

Type of pain: throbbing, throbbing, often one-sided (migraine), can cause tension in the back of the neck and the trapezius

Symptoms: dizziness, tinnitus, red face, nausea (rebellion)

Blood emptiness

Type of pain: dull, mild but persistent, pain can be all over the head or near the eyes

Symptoms: tiredness, dizziness, blurred vision

Damp and Phlegm

Type of pain: heavy, dull, “foggy head”, type of headache you wake up with

Symptoms: nausea, lethargy, chest pressure

Liver and Kidney Yin emptiness, with Yang rising

Type of pain: nagging to slightly throbbing, chronic

Symptoms: night sweats, dry eyes, restlessness, possibly high blood pressure

Flaring Liver Fire

Type of pain: intense, throbbing, acute

Symptoms: red eyes, irritability, thirst, possibly constipation, nosebleeds

Blood stagnation

Type of pain: sharp, stinging, fixed location

Symptoms: chronically present, worse at night

What we also treat is a severe chronic headache, or headache after an accident. This is often a combination of blood stagnation and Damp/Phlegm as a pattern.

During the intake, we look at which pattern (or patterns) are most applicable. By treating it, we ensure that your body gets to work on solving it itself!

Headaches and migraines due to stress

The most important and most immediate result of stress is that energy no longer flows properly. The Liver initially suffers the most from this in the form of stagnation. But in fact, all of the above patterns can be caused by stress. That is why we also ensure that you are good during the treatment relaxed!

You can help with this yourself by paying attention to relaxation, every little bit helps:

Doing a breathing exercise
walking
Sports
Yoga, or doing a yoga exercise
Use a nail pad
Take a 10-15 minute power nap

Research into acupuncture for headaches and migraines

In practice, many people quickly notice relief from headaches and migraines. Several studies have shown that acupuncture is an effective treatment for these complaints. For example, a Cochrane review shows that acupuncture can reduce the frequency of migraine attacks and leads to a significant reduction in symptoms for a large number of patients, sometimes comparable to or even better than medication, but with fewer side effects. Other studies also confirm that regular treatments contribute to less pain and a better quality of life. In summary, acupuncture:

Lowers the frequency of migraines
Reduces pain symptoms
Is similar or sometimes more effective than medication, with fewer side effects

If you want to delve further into this, take a look at one of these links:

Acupuncture experience for migraines

This is a recent review that we received for someone with severe migraines:

“No more migraines, I absolutely recommend Alex.” — Elena

I am extremely satisfied with my experience with Alex. I'm here for severe migraines. He really takes the time to listen and explain everything clearly. The treatments are professional, careful and are fully tailored to your personal situation. After a few sessions, I already noticed clear improvements in the body, no more complaints. Super!

What I particularly appreciate is the combination of expertise, peace and genuine commitment. You can feel that Alex does his job with passion. I can absolutely recommend Alex to anyone looking for an effective and professional treatment! Thanks Alex!

Want to know more or read more experiences? Click here for more information: https://nurtureyournature.nl/pijnbestrijding/hoofdpijn

Treating migraines and headaches in Purmerend

Our practice is located in Purmerend (in the Wheermolen) and is very easy to reach from Edam-Volendam, Hoorn and Zaandam. Do you have a headache or migraine and want to know what we can do for you? Then schedule an appointment for a free consultation, we'll be happy to help you. You can contact us or schedule an appointment here.

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