Migraine Headaches
What causes them and what can be done to help
Migraine Headaches
Migraine Headaches is a leading cause of lost work time and disability in the UK. It is more common in women at nearly 1 in 5 and 1 in 20 in men.
In the UK some 10% of people use Acupuncture to treat their migraine, whilst in Germany it is the most common form of treatment to treat migraines. See also our page on osteopathy for migraines.
A definition of reduction of migraine headaches is a decrease of 50% based on criteria from the International Headache Society. This is in people having two to eight migraine attacks per month.
Recent studies have demonstrated that Acupuncture was associated with clinically and statistically significant improvement in clinical outcomes compared with no acupuncture.
Added to this can be the therapeutic protocol of adding Osteopathic treatment to the mix as this is a way to help loosen neck restrictions which can culminate as one of the major factors leading to headaches.
Very often pain in the trapezius on top of the shoulder can also be a big factor in causing headaches. Very often just pinching these muscles can lead to a pain referral into the head, and these points are called trigger points which can be effectively reduced as a migraine causing feature.
Certainly posture should always be looked at to try and maintain neck in an easy posture whereby strain is minimised especially looking at a computer screen.
Exercise is also very useful in helping minimise headaches and a lot of research has been done is establishing a link between exercise and headaches.
If you do suffer migraines give us a call on 020 7692 1818 or email me at lholve@camdenpractice.co.uk and ill be happy to discuss whether treatment might be of benefit.
Some References:
Diener HC, Kronfeld K, Boewing G, et al., for the GERAC Migraine Study Group. Efficacy of acupuncture for the prophylaxis of migraine: a multicentre randomised controlled clinical trial
. Lancet Neurol. 2006;5(4):310–316.
Streng A, Linde K, Hoppe A, et al. Effectiveness and tolerability of acupuncture compared with metoprolol in migraine prophylaxis. Headache. 2006;46(10):1492–1502. 11. American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. Frequently asked questions about acupuncture.
http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/acu_info/faqs.html. Accessed February 24, 2010.
