Acupuncture has been shown to help reduce intensity and frequency of symptoms offering a natural approach to treatment.
Information released by NICE (National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence) reported medication overuse is one of the most common causes of headaches affecting about one in 50 people. Women are five times more likely to suffer from these. NICE conclude that acupuncture is the only proven method to prevent tension-type headaches and migraine and that doctors should prescribe it. There have been numerous studies for acupuncture in the treatment of migraines. One systematic review demonstrated that traditional acupuncture is superior to sham acupuncture and pharmacological therapy for chronic headache treatment by improving headache intensity and frequency and increasing the response rate. The review which included 31 studies on acupuncture for chronic headache, including migraine and tension headache. This large scale study was conducted by Duke University Medical Centre, North Carolina, USA and published in Anesthesia and Analgesia.
There are things that you can do to help yourself. Try to keep track of when your headaches start, a diary may be helpful to keep track symptoms and possible triggers. Triggers may include anything from anxiety and smells to eating chocolate. Finding the triggers and avoiding them when possible could help. Try to explore healthy ways to deal with stress, yoga, meditation, breathing or swimming are all gentle ways to reduce the effects of stress.
Click on the links for factsheets on headaches and migraine
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