Originally developed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Originally developed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture is an ancient form of treatment used for chronic health conditions, that has becoming increasingly accepted by the West as a viable method of treatment. Treatment is performed by the placement of fine, long strong needles in specific points along the body's meridians that aids in the restoration and balance of yin and yang. Done properly, acupuncture helps realign the flow of chi or vital energy along the body's paths.
Migraines are extremely severe headaches that are experienced by tens of millions of people that can last from a few minutes to a few days. Migraines can be triggered by stress, diet, allergens and changes in the weather but the specific reason some people (especially women) are more susceptible is still a mystery. The severity of the pain can impair vision and render the sufferer virtually unable to function.
One of the leading causes of absenteeism from work, migraines result in the loss of tens of billions of dollars a year in lost productivity and medical expenses. Fortunately, acupuncture has been found to be an effective in the control and prevention of the associated pain.
Migraine Prevention
Over the years, many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of using acupuncture to treat migraines. When people with a history of migraines were divided into groups with one given regular treatments using acupuncture aimed at head pain while another group was treated with migraine medication, it was found that the group receiving the acupuncture treatments had fewer missed work days and no side effects. The study also concluded that treating migraines using acupuncture was also more cost-effective.
In another study, points were assigned to the duration, severity and frequency of migraine pain and other symptoms. This was done to quantify the effect on each patient's quality of life. Several types of medication were used on subgroups of patients not using acupuncture and it was discovered that using acupuncture to treat migraines was significantly more effective at reducing symptoms, than any of the migraine medicines. During the first six months of the study, patients that were treated using acupuncture showed a drop of more than 78,000 points while the patients that received the migraine medicines showed a drop of less than 4.500 points. The ratio continued throughout the entire year of the study.
On an individual basis, the average patient being treated with acupuncture experienced a drop of 80 percent of the quantifiable values while the average per patient receiving the migraine medicines showed a drop of less than 46 percent. In addition, no side effects were reported by a single patient being treated for their migraines using acupuncture while side effects for those on medications included diarrhea, nausea and burning sensations. Some medications also caused vomiting and stuffiness in the chest.
The difference in cost and lost days from work between acupuncture treatments and medical prescriptions significantly favored those who were treated using acupuncture. Although Western doctors were amazed at the outcome, acupuncture practitioners were disappointed because the study was limited to measuring pain control and they know that acupuncture can do much more.
Originally developed by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) acupuncture is an ancient form of treatment used for chronic health conditions, that has becoming increasingly accepted by the West as a viable method of treatment. Treatment is performed by the placement of fine, long strong needles in specific points along the body's meridians that aids in the restoration and balance of yin and yang. Done properly, acupuncture helps realign the flow of chi or vital energy along the body's paths.
Migraines are extremely severe headaches that are experienced by tens of millions of people that can last from a few minutes to a few days. Migraines can be triggered by stress, diet, allergens and changes in the weather but the specific reason some people (especially women) are more susceptible is still a mystery. The severity of the pain can impair vision and render the sufferer virtually unable to function.
One of the leading causes of absenteeism from work, migraines result in the loss of tens of billions of dollars a year in lost productivity and medical expenses. Fortunately, acupuncture has been found to be an effective in the control and prevention of the associated pain.
Migraine Prevention
Over the years, many studies have been conducted on the effectiveness of using acupuncture to treat migraines. When people with a history of migraines were divided into groups with one given regular treatments using acupuncture aimed at head pain while another group was treated with migraine medication, it was found that the group receiving the acupuncture treatments had fewer missed work days and no side effects. The study also concluded that treating migraines using acupuncture was also more cost-effective.
In another study, points were assigned to the duration, severity and frequency of migraine pain and other symptoms. This was done to quantify the effect on each patient's quality of life. Several types of medication were used on subgroups of patients not using acupuncture and it was discovered that using acupuncture to treat migraines was significantly more effective at reducing symptoms, than any of the migraine medicines. During the first six months of the study, patients that were treated using acupuncture showed a drop of more than 78,000 points while the patients that received the migraine medicines showed a drop of less than 4.500 points. The ratio continued throughout the entire year of the study.
On an individual basis, the average patient being treated with acupuncture experienced a drop of 80 percent of the quantifiable values while the average per patient receiving the migraine medicines showed a drop of less than 46 percent. In addition, no side effects were reported by a single patient being treated for their migraines using acupuncture while side effects for those on medications included diarrhea, nausea and burning sensations. Some medications also caused vomiting and stuffiness in the chest.
The difference in cost and lost days from work between acupuncture treatments and medical prescriptions significantly favored those who were treated using acupuncture. Although Western doctors were amazed at the outcome, acupuncture practitioners were disappointed because the study was limited to measuring pain control and they know that acupuncture can do much more.
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