Acupuncture can relieve your migraine pain naturally, so you can live your life to the fullest. A migraine is a recurrent throbbing headache that typically affects one side of the head and causes sensitivity to light, nausea, and vomiting. Some people may also experience auras or visual disturbances where they see flashes of light. Migraines are different from headaches; headaches cause less pain than migraines. Migraines are more intense and usually concentrated on one side of the head. A migraine can last for days and can be physically debilitating, often interfering with one's ability to function. Learn what causes your migraines, certain things can trigger your exacerbating symptoms.
What can cause migraines?
There have been tons of research on migraines to figure out what causes them which has yet to be defined. However, they think it can be hormonal changes and nerve signaling affecting the blood vessels in the brain and how the body responds to pain. When blood vessels in the brain become wider, more blood and oxygen flow to the brain which can release a compound called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are a group of lipids with hormone-like actions that your body makes primarily for tissue damage or infection. When your prostaglandins are elevated, they can increase pain. Estrogen controls the chemicals in your brain that regulate pain sensation. Some women may experience migraines near their monthly time due to a drop in their estrogen levels. Researchers have suggested that certain triggers can cause stress or sleep deprivation can bring an onset of a migraine attack.
What you might notice one or two days before your migraine comes?
Constipation
Mood changes, from depression to euphoria
Food cravings
Neck stiffness
Increased urination
Fluid retention
Frequent yawning
What are the common triggers for migraines?
Stress is a common trigger as it can alter the way the brain functions, including the output of hormones and chemical messengers. When you stress, your body produces more serotonin (stress hormone) to enable your body to respond to stress accordingly.
Certain foods such as cured meats (deli meats, bacon), aged cheeses (blue cheese), salty and pickled foods, and even chocolate can trigger a migraine as they have substances such as nitrates, preservatives, and tyramine. Foods high in salt (sodium) can increase your blood pressure which may activate a migraine.
Lack of sleep or a change in sleeping patterns, when your body is not well rested, can affect hormone production, and the pain threshold is reduced.
Caffeine has been shown to trigger migraines in 2 ways; by drinking caffeinated drinks or by not having caffeine in your system causing withdrawals.
Alcohol has chemicals (histamine and ethanol) that both have been known to trigger migraines. Histamine causes inflammation in the body and ethanol is a diuretic (which makes you urinate more) which affects your blood pressure levels.
Changes in the weather can cause a migraine. The pressure changes due to storms, "heavy" grey days and high humidity have both been linked to the chemical changes in the brain, which can cause irritation to your nerves and can increase inflammation.
How can acupuncture help with migraines?
Acupuncture is effective in treating migraines as it stimulates your nerves and pressure points in your body to relieve your symptoms.
Acupuncture can help to:
Reduce tightness in the neck
Stimulate the release of endorphins which reduce pain
Promote healthy blood circulation
Improve immune function
Reduce stress levels and encourage relaxation
How often should you get acupuncture done for your migraines?
Using acupuncture for your treatments of migraines can be very helpful. The number of appointments for acupuncture will depend on your personal constitution, the severity and occurrence of your migraines, and medical history will depend on how quickly your body responds to the treatments.
Relieving migraines with acupuncture
Migraines are triggered by many factors such as stress, lack of sleep, too much caffeine or an imbalance of hormone levels. Acupuncture has been proven to help with symptoms and restoring balance in the body by reducing pain, inflammation, and neck muscle tightness. It's also known to help you relax and regulate your serotonin levels in the brain.
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