CONNECT WITH US!
When you get a headache what does it feel like? Is it dull, nagging, aching, and lasts all day? Is it sharp, stabbing, throbbing, and short-lived?
Where is your pain located? Does it feel like a tight headband going from your forehead to the back of your head? Maybe into your neck? Is it on one side? Behind your eyes? Do you feel it at your temples or near your jawline?
Do you feel better when you lie down in a dark room and recuperate? Does eating a snack or a meal help? Conversely, do you feel better when you get out and take a walk or does eating a greasy meal make your headache worse or even bring it on?
In Eastern Medicine, the answers to these questions help to define and diagnose the type of headache you experience based on pain, location, and whether your headache is a manifestation of a deficient or excess state.
Excess conditions tend to be more intense and acute while deficient conditions tend to be more dull, nagging, and chronic. If your symptoms are better with rest, your headache is likely due to deficiency because you are easily depleted. If your symptoms are better with exercise or movement, your headaches are likely due to an excess state and you need to burn off energy.
In Eastern Medicine, when we diagnose a deficient state we tonify or nourish the imbalance, in an excess state we quell or calm the overactivity. We have several tools we use to bring the body back to balance. The main tools are acupuncture, nutrition, and botanicals.
Acupuncture
One of the best ways to get immediate relief from a headache is to find a qualified, licensed acupuncturist in your area and get acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture is when tiny needles are inserted at specific locations that correspond to your pain. Many acupuncturists specialize in headaches and love treating them because acupuncture often provides on-the-spot relief and people leave the acupuncturist’s office headache-free. Regular acupuncture can also prevent headaches from occurring in the first place and many people end up getting regular treatments once or twice a month to keep their headaches completely away.
Eastern medicine has been treating headaches with nutritional recommendations for thousands of years. First, it is good to identify if you are more prone to a stress or tension headache if you have missed meals or are feeling hungry. This type of headache means there is a deficiency occurring and the body needs energy in order to nourish itself and prevent a headache.
Many people are busy at work or on their computer focusing for hours and they are not paying attention to their hunger. This is a sign of a deficient-type headache.
It is also possible to experience a headache after eating foods that do not agree with your constitution. For example, if your headache pain comes with brain fog or a muzzy feeling in the head, it is best to avoid sugary or fried foods and aim for healthy options.
Acupuncturists are also trained in what foods are best for what type of headache you are experiencing and can counsel you on how to change your meals to prevent headaches.
Chinese Medicinals (Botanicals)
There are many formulas in the vast Chinese Medicinal Pharmacy that are used for headaches. A licensed acupuncturist has undergone many years of training in this pharmacopeia and can prescribe a formula that will bring homeostasis to an excess or deficient constitution. These formulas are often individualized to each person’s constitution with great precision or there are common formulas used that are also very effective.
Spring is when headaches can hit anyone at any time with no warning. Allergens are in the air, changing humidity and barometric pressure, and the return to a stimulating, active lifestyle can all contribute to headaches. Even if you don’t typically suffer from headaches, springtime might be the season you do feel them cropping up.
If you sit at a desk all day and stare at a screen all day, it’s possible that your headaches are triggered by tension in your upper body, specifically in the neck, jaw, face, and eyes.
Before doing any of the stretches we recommend putting heat on the muscles for at least 15 minutes to help loosen the muscles and get the blood flowing
Neck, Shoulders, and upper back stretch: Place your hands on near the middle of your lower back, have your head leveled looking straight ahead, now slowly move your head to the left, go until you feel pull but no pain. Now, go to the right and do the same thing, go until you feel pull but not pain. Do this about 20 times per shoulder at least once a day.
Chest and shoulder opening: Reach both arms behind your low back, clasp your fingers together. If you can’t get your hands to touch, hold a belt or small towel between your hands. Reach your knuckles back and down.
Lateral neck stretch: Slowly tilt one ear to the same shoulder. Use your hand too very gently encourage the stretch. DO NOT pull or force your neck to stretch!
Chin tuck and extend: Bring your chin down toward your chest, using your fingertips to gently encourage the stretch. Spend a few breaths here, then reverse: tilt your chin upwards. Don’t force your chin up beyond what feels safe for your neck.
Get into a comfortable position so that you can easily access all points. Apply finger pressure in a slow, rhythmic manner to enable the layers of tissue and the internal organs to respond. Never press any area in an abrupt, forceful, or jarring way. Stimulate each of the points on both sides of the body at the same time. Spend 30-60 seconds on each point and apply firm pressure while breathing steadily into your lower abdomen. It’s best to do this routine at least once in the morning and once before bed.
Begin with GV-20 and work your way down the body.
Governing Vessel 20: This point is located on the top of the head, midway between the apexes of both ears. GV-20 stimulates circulation throughout the body and calms the mind. GV-20 has been noted to improve mental clarity and awareness, while also enhancing memory.
Large Intestine 4: LI-4 is located bilaterally on the back of the hand. When the thumb and forefinger are brought together, this point can be found directly in the middle of the fleshy mound that is created. Known as “The Master Pain Elimination” point, it can address pain in many parts of the body and has been praised for its ability to intercept chronic and acute headaches.
Liver 3: LV-3 can be found on the top of the foot, in the depression between where the first and second metatarsal bones meet. This point is most commonly used to combat dizziness, headaches, vertigo, and depression; and is known to facilitate headache relief. DO NOT USE IT DURING PREGNANCY.
Kidney 1: KD-1 is located on the sole of the foot, at the junction of the arch, and the ball of the foot. You can find this point between the second and third toes, and approximately 1/3 the distance between the base of the second toe and the heel. Kidney 1 can sedate and calm the mind, while also regulating blood flow to the vital organs of the upper body, such as the brain.
Keep track of the results of your self-acupressure practice to pay close attention to your progress and well-being. This is vital information that we can use in your next acupuncture appointment to help you feel even better!
If you are interested in getting rid of your headache, call us today to schedule your appointment.
Many research studies are proving acupuncture can help ease symptoms associated with chronic tension headaches. One of these studies published by the Cochrane Library concluded a course of six acupuncture treatments can be a viable option in the treatment of “tension-type headaches”. According to the study, participants treated with acupuncture and painkillers reported their headache frequency was less. This study was actually a compilation of several acupuncture trials. A total of 12 trials met the criteria to be included in this conclusive study. Acupuncture was also compared to several other modalities such as massage and physiotherapy, but the findings were inconclusive.
Tension headaches are not as debilitating as migraines but often occur more frequently. Tension headaches are reported to be the most common type of headache experienced. Stress tends to be the biggest factor regarding these types of headaches. Those who suffer from tension headaches frequently report a feeling of their head being squeezed, with pressure around the forehead, temples, and back of the head or neck. Tension headaches can last for as short as 30 minutes or they could linger for days.
While the exact cause of tension headaches is still not clear, they are most commonly attributed to muscle tension or spasms of the head, face, scalp, or jaw. Tension headaches are considered chronic if a person experiences them 15 or more days per month for several months. The most common treatment for tension headaches is over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or aspirin. Severe cases are sometimes treated with prescription drugs, but they tend to fail because they do not address the root cause of the headaches.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is known for locating and treating the root cause of any ailment, including tension headaches. One of the ways TCM treats the root is by identifying personal triggers that create tension-type headaches. The licensed acupuncturist plays the role of a detective when treating patients. Acupuncturists usually ask multiple questions regarding the symptoms of any illness, including tension-type headaches. This allows for proper diagnosis and treatments. This can also give the patient insight into why the headaches keep occurring and how they can eliminate some of the triggers.
TCM includes more than just acupuncture. Herbal formulas, accessory modalities such as cupping or tuina, and even relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or qi gong are a part of TCM. Acupuncture itself provides headache relief with a great deal of success. As few as one or two needles can be sufficient in stopping tension-type headaches. Acupuncture is also very effective at providing relief from stress and anxiety, two of the most common triggers of tension-type headaches. By adding in herbs and accessory modalities, the patient then has the tools needed to counter oncoming headaches on a long-term basis. The acupuncture treatments then become a type of maintenance to keep the headaches at bay.
A person suffering from tension-type headaches could benefit greatly from regular acupuncture treatments. If you are one of the nearly 1.4 billion people that suffer regularly from tension-type headaches, give me a call today, acupuncture and TCM CAN HELP!
Acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and is practiced in many different forms which include herbal remedies, cupping, and massage, which have all been used for thousands of years. The basis of TCM is the idea of qi, the body’s vital energy.
TCM treatments promote the movement of qi throughout the body in order to help bring balance back to the body. The goal of acupuncture is to correct this imbalance which can cause a variety of ailments and conditions that you may currently have.
Acupuncture uses very thin needles (which have been compared to being as small as cat whiskers) that stimulate pressure points and other areas of your body. It stimulates qi by placing needles in specific spots, often along meridians. Meridians are the channels that Qi travels in the body.
Acupuncture can help with many health conditions, including:
Below are the top five ways that acupuncture can help
1. Relieves Pain
Acupuncture can help alleviate many types of pain that may range from headaches and migraines to neck and back pain. These studies have shown its effectiveness in treating lower back pain, migraines, tension headaches, and knee pain. Acupuncture works differently for everybody. For some, a single treatment can alleviate symptoms for several months while others need a more routine treatment schedule.
2. Improved Sleep
Another thing that Acupuncture can help improve is sleep and insomnia. Scientists believe that acupuncture increases the production of brain chemicals that promote relaxation, thus allowing for better sleep.
3. Uplift Mood
Acupuncture can help with improving mood, including helping with depression, stress, and anxiety. The needles from acupuncture treatment release endorphins in the body. Endorphins are hormones that provide a boost in mood, encouraging happiness and relaxation.
4. Help the Heart
Acupuncture is also good for your heart due to the relaxation and stress reduction that one achieves from the treatments, which are also known to reduce blood pressure. Stress and high blood pressure are commonly related to heart attacks and heart disease.
5. Support the Immune System
Research has shown that acupuncture can boost immune system function. The placement of acupuncture needles can release immune-boosting cytokines. Cytokines are messenger cells that regulate the body’s immune response. By triggering the immune system, acupuncture can help fight infections or illnesses like colds and the flu.
While this is not an exhaustive list of how acupuncture can help, if you deal with any of the above symptoms or think that acupuncture may be right for you- schedule an appointment with us! We’d be happy to support you in achieving your health care goals!
There are many people who will experience headaches caused by many different reasons. Many people will have headaches monthly, weekly, and daily. What do you do about helping your headaches? You may take medication, rest, or do something naturally. Many of the medications for headaches could come with side effects that will affect your health in many ways. There are more people who have been turning to more natural methods such as acupuncture, herbs, and homeopathics with success. One simple way comes from a set of exercises called eight section of brocade or Ba Duan Jin.
This exercise is called open sky touch heel. It helps with harmonizing your kidney and liver. It will improve blood flow and help you with headaches. Besides headaches it will also help you with low back pain and flexibility. Below is a video of how to do open sky touch heel. If you or anyone you know has migraine headaches please watch and share the video.
Have you been suffering from headaches? Are you tired of taking medications for your headaches? Are you looking for a natural and safe way to help relieve your headaches? If so you are at the right place. Chinese medicine has shown to be an effective natural treatment for headaches.
Headaches are a common health condition that affects many people. There are many different types and characteristics of headaches. There are also different kinds of treatments both conventional and alternative treatments
Because headaches are such a common symptom, many times they are not related to any serious conditions. However, that being said there are times when you should be concerned when you have a headache. Some headaches may have the following signs and symptoms
These signs and symptoms if there is prolonged headache may be a sign of a more serious condition, not always but possible.
There are different types of headaches. Some of the most common types of headaches are tension headaches and migraine headaches. Tension headaches many times will feel like a band around your whole head. The pain is dull and nagging. Many times when you have elevated stress there may be tension headaches.
Migraine headaches are also a common type of headache. Migraines may have the following symptoms:
There could be many reasons why you can have a migraine headache such as hormones, diet, and stress.
Some other forms of headaches are cluster headaches, temporal arteritis, facial pain, increased intracranial pressure, meningeal pain, cervical spondylosis, and headache with common colds.
The treatments for most type of headaches are medications and rest. Many times the headaches will be reoccurring and is controlled by medications.
Chinese medicine includes acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutrition, medical massage, and exercise. When there is a patient with a headache we will look for different imbalances within the body to why there is a headache. There are different diagnostic techniques we may use to diagnose the headache you may be experiencing. Chinese medicine looks at the body as a whole to diagnose the root cause of the headache.
There could be many causes for headaches according to Chinese medical theory. Headaches are an imbalance within the body that is obstructing the blood flow. When there is no free flow there is pain. Imbalances within in our body are caused by improper diet, stress, over work, and lack of exercise. No matter what the cause is it is an imbalance that does not allow the blood to flow properly in your body. To allow the free flow of blood acupuncture and Chinese herbs are most effective.
Acupuncture and Chinese herbs will regulate your body and allow your body to become balanced to promote your body’s self-healing mechanisms. Physiologically, research has shown that acupuncture will act on the brain and release different chemicals, neurotransmitters, and hormones that will stimulate your body’s self-healing mechanisms.
To maintain headache free it is important to have good diet, exercise, and live in a balanced way. For example, there are those who will eat the same food every day. If you eat something everyday that is the same there could be a possibility that you may develop an allergy to that food and it will cause you to have a headache. So balance is important. Your food should be from all different colors and have variety everyday. When you strive to live in a more balanced way you will more likely be headache free.
If you are struggling with headache and want a natural way to relieve your pain, look into acupuncture and Chinese medicine to help you. Do not hesitate to contact us anytime at Master Lu’s Health Center in Salt Lake City.
