If you are one of the more than 45 million Americans (one in six) who suffer from headaches, you need to know that research shows that Acupuncture can help. In fact, Researchers at Duke University Medical School looked into more than 30 studies involving over 4,000 patients with headaches, and found that acupuncture can be more effective than medication in reducing the severity and frequency of chronic headaches. Acupuncture offers powerful relief without the side effects of prescription or over-the-counter drugs.
If you live in the Orlando or Winter Park area and suffer from headaches or migraines we recommend that you contact our clinic and schedule a consultation appointment so that we can evaluate your case. We have helped thousands of patients who suffered from headaches and migraines. Head pain or, Tou Tong, in Chinese has been treated successfully with acupuncture and Oriental medicine for thousands of years. Many patients notice results after their very first treatment. We want you to know that there is a natural alternative to treating headaches. Our clinic’s gentle, individualized approach makes it easy to see why more people than ever are choosing acupuncture to get rid of their headaches.
How Does an Acupuncturist Diagnose My Headache?
For an acupuncturist the most important diagnosis of headaches and migraines are based on the location of the symptoms. For example, is the pain behind the eyes, on the forehead, on the sides of the head, at the temple, or in the back of the head. We will also ask about the nature of the pain, if it is sharp and stabbing or dull and achy. The timing of the head pain is also important. Is it there all of the time or does the pain come and go? Is the pain better or worse after rest or after stress or exercise? The answers to these questions often tell us what is causing the head pain, and therefore how to get rid of it.
Where Do the Needles Go?
Acupuncture points that can be used to treat headaches are located all over the body, literally from head to toe. However, in our clinic, we most commonly use points on the hands and lower leg to treat headaches. Often just a few properly placed needles will bring instant relief to a headache.
Does Acupuncture Really Work for Headaches?
Since the early seventies, studies around the globe have suggested that acupuncture is an effective treatment for migraines and headaches. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center analyzed the results of more than 30 studies on acupuncture as a pain reliever for a variety of ailments, including chronic headaches. They found that acupuncture decreases pain with fewer side effects and can be less expensive than medication.
In a study published in the November 1999 issue of Cephalalgia, scientists evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of migraines and recurrent headaches by systematically reviewing 22 randomized controlled trials. A total of 1,042 patients were examined. It was found that headache and migraine sufferers experienced significantly more relief from acupuncture than patients who were administered “sham” acupuncture.
In a case study, published in the June 2003 Issue of Medical Acupuncture, doctors found that acupuncture resulted in the resolution or reduction in the frequency and severity of cluster headaches, and a decrease or discontinuation of pain medications.
According to the July 2005 issue of the British Medical Journal, a randomized controlled trial in Germany found that acupuncture cut tension headache rates almost in half. This report found that over a 12-month period, headache patients who received regular acupuncture sessions reported fewer headaches, had a higher quality of life, missed fewer days from work, used less medication, and made fewer visits to a general practitioner than patients given standard treatment for headaches.
In the January 2009 edition of the Cochrane Library, the results of 12 randomized trials, with a total of 2,317 participants, were examined. In those studies that compared acupuncture treatment to no or routine care, 47% of patients receiving acupuncture reported a decrease in the number of headache days by at least half compared only a 16% average decrease for patients receiving either no or routine care.
Do I Need a Referral?
No. In the state of Florida, Acupuncturists are licensed as primary care providers. This means that you never need a referral to see an Acupuncture Physician.
Will the acupuncture therapy interfere with my medications?
No. Acupuncture has been very well researched and there are no known interactions with medications and acupuncture.
John Barnett, AP
President, Orlando Acupuncture, Inc.
407.673.6700
www.orlandoacupuncture.com