Migraine is a serious neurological disorder that affects millions of people around the world. It is very painful and becomes debilitating when the sufferer is unable to accomplish his normal daily activities due to the pain felt during an attack. The large number of sufferers of this disease has spurred further research to know more about it. Luckily for the migraineurs, more knowledge has resulted in the discovery of new methods of treatment, both conventional and alternative. Although the usual process applied to cure migraines is conventional, alternative ones are catching up. The reason for this is that remedies that fall under the alternative category are more natural and provide lesser side effects. One of these remedies is acupuncture.
Acupuncture is a form of therapy that is being used today to alleviate pain. Its origins come from Oriental Medicine and evolved from principles of Oriental philosophy.
The principle behind this therapy is the ability of the body to heal itself. Areas in the body called "meridians" or "acupoints" are stimulated by the insertion of fine, slender needles, with the aim of adjusting one's "vital energy". When the body's energy is in balance, then it can heal itself.In a recent study done in Italy, the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of migraines was conducted. The results indicated a decrease in the number of attacks experienced by those who were given acupuncture. In addition, no side effects were felt by the patients.
In an acupuncture treatment session, needles are inserted in a patient's acupoints. The needles are then gently manipulated to increase blood flow in the tissues when the small arteries near the needle points dilate.
The increased circulation removes a condition referred to as "stagnation". Removal of stagnation has been found to be very effective against chronic illnesses.To cure migraines, however, the described technique would not be effective since expansion of blood vessels in the head cause migraine attacks. Instead, manipulation of acupoints is limited to the arms and legs and no stimulation is done to the head and neck areas. The procedure is done with the patient sitting up instead of the usual lying position. This minimizes the risk of undesired expansion of blood vessels after the session. The application of an electrical current to the needles is sometimes done to help constrict the arteries.
For migraine prevention, the acupuncture therapy addresses the nervous system, which becomes imbalanced when the person is under emotional stress. In this method, the patient is made to sit and needles are inserted just below the skin in areas within the forearms and lower legs. Manipulation of the needles is done while the patient exhales. This decreases muscle tension and activates a certain part of the nervous system. Muscle tension in the neck and upper back is a cause of migraine as well. Applying needles to these areas to increase blood flow and release tension can also be done.
In spite of its documented success, acupuncture is yet to be recognized as a conventional means to cure migraines. However, migraineurs can take comfort in the fact that they have one more means of treatment available for them. For those who have found acupuncture effective, it is already sufficient.