Around 75% of women experience migraines, which impact every aspect of their daily lives. The migraine headache is often associated with nausea and sensitivity to light and noise. Migraines can last from few hours to a few days. Also, patients experience visual symptoms called “aura”, prior to the attack that is often described as seeing a “flashing light”. Migraines can be caused by stress, fatigue, high blood pressure, low blood sugar, allergies, hormonal imbalances and dental problems.
According to Traditional Chinese medicine, migraines arise when the flow of Qi in the meridians is disrupted and as a result the meridians become unbalanced. Needles inserted in specific acu-points have the ability to restore the energetic balance and stimulate the production of various pain-relieving chemicals in the body.
The latest studies confirm that acupuncture significantly reduces migraines and works better than drugs alone. A new report published in the British Medical Journal has found that acupuncture is a useful cost effective treatment for chronic headaches, particularly migraines. The report found that over a 12-month span, headache patients who received regular acupuncture treatments reported fewer headaches, had an enhanced quality of life, missed fewer days from work, used less medications and made fewer visits to the doctor’s office.