How acupuncture helped me conquer migraines

Migraine affects up to 15% of the UK population - around two thirds of sufferers are women. Over a billion people worldwide at some point experience migraine.

The symptoms of migraines often include a headache which can last up to three days. Sufferers may also experience double vision, nausea and vomiting. Headaches are usually one sided and often pain occurs in the temple area. Migraines are often thought to be caused by emotional strain, stress, hormonal imbalances, and lack of food and/or sleep or by a reaction to some foods or medications.

I have suffered with migraines for around ten years, since I was fifteen years old. Since this time I have quickly learnt that many things can trigger a migraine attack. Certain smells, a lack of sleep, and stress often resulted in an attack.

In any given month I could have between one and six attacks. Some weeks were so bad that I would get one horrendous attack and what I can only describe as aftershocks over the next few days. In the worst attacks I was so debilitated that the pain was unbearable and I had to retire to a darkened room. My migraines were severely painful for an average eight hours, but a dull pain would last for several days.

Over the years I have tried every sort of pain relief, from over-the-counter headache tablets - which only worked sometimes in the very early stages - to targeted migraine drugs, which worked on some of the attacks but left me feeling nauseous. After my migraines reached an intolerable level and I found myself spending three weeks a month suffering with them. My doctor recommended Imigran Recovery (sumatriptan), which has recently been made an over-the counter drug. As with other drugs, they only worked on some of the attacks.

In desperation, I decided to explore acupuncture in the hope of alleviating my migraine. I visited the Backcare and Acupuncture Clinic in Sutton Coldfield. There is also a clinic in Walsall.

Sessions at the clinic took around an hour. They consisted of taking my medical history and lifestyle, some osteopathic assessment of my neck and upper back, and finally the strategically placed acupuncture needles. The first week I had two attacks, the next week I had one. But at the start of week three I had no migraines.

I have had treatment twice a month for about eighteen months and have been largely migraine free. If I do have a migraine it is much less severe and shorter in duration than those before I tried acupuncture. These migraines often coincide with breaks in treatment due to holidays. I am therefore glad to get back for an acupuncture treatment.

Research supports my own experience of acupuncture and has shown that it can be very beneficial in the treatment of migraines as it tends to lessen the frequency and severity of attacks.

Migraine sufferers often have lower levels of endorphins (natural pain killers) and acupuncture can work to return levels of these hormones to normal. Increased levels of these substances are associated with headache improvement. When released, endorphins will act to inhibit the perception of pain. They also help control the action of the nervous system to affect both the blood circulation to the head and other symptoms such as nausea.

Traditional Chinese philosophy states that our health is dependent on the body's motivating energy, known as qi, moving in a smooth and balanced way through a series of channels beneath the skin.

It also states that pain is caused by stagnation, and may be relieved by needling points that clear the appropriate channels and restore free flow through the area concerned.

In Chinese terms headaches are more closely associated with disturbance to liver qi (or energy). Stress and emotional upset impact strongly on the liver which, if it becomes too agitated, vents the excess energy upwards into the head. By inserting fine needles into the channels of qi energy an acupuncturist can stimulate the body's own healing response and help restore its natural equilibrium and alleviate the pain.

The choice of points to treat depends on several factors including the exact location of the pain, the nature of the headache and the overall condition of the patient. Acupuncture will provide a personalised treatment designed for the individual.

Acupuncture can help by:
• reducing the frequency and intensity of headaches in many patients
• reducing the use of medication
• reducing the number of sick days taken
• showing a success rate of 50-80% comparable to the results of medication but without the side effects
• offering an effective preventative treatment for migraine

Vickers et al (2004) conducted a large trial (400 patients) into acupuncture as a treatment for the UK, score: 34% improvement in the acupuncture group versus 16% for standard medical treatment (significant difference). After receiving acupuncture patients had 22 fewer days of headache per year, made 25% fewer visits to the GP, and used 15% less medication.

For more information contact:

Catherine Harris on 07515167877 or
Paul Clusker at the Backcare and Acupuncture Clinic on 07973908933

- Catherine Harris