Acupuncture has a long track record of helping people manage migraines. As a migraine sufferer, I rely on regular acupuncture treatments and lifestyle changes to help keep me functional and pain free, and I enjoy helping people keep their migraines under control with acupuncture, herbal medicine and lifestyle changes. It’s also important to have a game plan to help you prevent or manage symptoms before they flare up. Here are some easy lifestyle changes you can implement right now to help you manage migraines in between acupuncture treatments:
Stay Hydrated: Ideally, your urine will be a pale yellow or almost clear when you are hydrated well. Dehydration can often trigger migraines. I suggest patients drink 8 ounces of water when they feel a headache coming on, and repeat in twenty minutes. Choose spring or reverse osmosis water; I often find that if I drink bottled water “with minerals added for taste” that it increases my pain.
Drink electrolytes: If plain water doesn’t help ease you pain, try a clean electrolyte drink without a lot of dyes and drink a half or full serving.
Take a break from the computer: Eye and muscle strain contributes to many headaches and migraines. Check your computer setup to make sure your neck, head and arms are ergonomically aligned. Try to get up and walk around once an hour and focus your gaze in the distance and on greenery if possible.
Find your food triggers: Migraines can be triggers from certain foods like chocolate, red wine, sulfates, nitrates, cheese, nuts, alcohol, and caffeine. If you suspect your migraines are triggered from food, keep a food and headache diary and see if you can find a connection.
Rest in a dark, quiet room: If you can, take a break and try a short twenty-minute nap. Even if you don’t sleep, a quick break from all distractions can help reduce your stress, which also contributes to migraines.
What about the acupuncture?
Acupuncture can help you reduce pain and inflammation when you have an acute headache or migraine, and it can help as a preventative in between episodes. Both treatment strategies are important in the overall plan of care.
Treating migraines (or other health conditions too) with acupuncture is a lot like going to the gym. One visit may help that day, but you’re not going to reach your goals unless you commit to a regular series of treatments and possibly some lifestyle changes. There’s no magic number as to how many visits it takes to help your migraines; each person heals on their own time schedule, and you may have occasional flare ups that require a “tune-up”. You have probably seen your medical doctor on several occasions while he/she helps manage your migraines and tries different things; it’s the same with acupuncture. Based on your feedback at each visit, we continue to update your plan of care until we have reached your goals.
Vitalichi 