Not all headaches are the same!

We are all familiar with a headache, most of us occasionally being bothered by one every now and again. But what if it becomes a more regular occurrence, or perhaps we are susceptible to migraines? Then it becomes a bit more impactful on daily life and as a result can affect many of the things we choose to do. Not all headaches are the same, and if you are someone who experiences them regularly you will know just how much they can affect your everyday existence. 

Chronic headaches are the singular most common reason for seeking acupuncture treatment here at Eight Branches Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine. This is great news on the one hand, because headaches tend to respond really well to both acupuncture and herbs. On the other hand it’s not much fun for the person who has been living with the condition, often for quite some time.  It’s true to say that acupuncture is often turned to as a ‘last resort’, when other medical options have been exhausted where no lasting relief has been found.

But what causes them in the first place? In traditional Chinese medicine the reasons behind each person’s experience of a headache can be many and varied. As with all things Chinese medicine, there’s not a ‘one size fits all’! 

In order to establish the background behind your headache, you will find that your practitioner will ask a series of questions. This will form the basis of your diagnosis and produce an individual treatment plan. For instance, it’s not just a question of ‘is it a migraine’ or ‘is it a tension headache’. It is more important to find out where exactly the headache manifests. Maybe it’s the temples, or one (or both) sides above the ear … perhaps it’s on the top of the head, or on the occiput. It might be that it’s mainly a frontal headache, presenting across the forehead. And what makes it better or worse? Is it better for rest, or for activity? What time of day does it usually occur, and how long does it last? Most importantly, what does the headache feel like … is it a sharp pain, dull, throbbing, does it move around? These are all things that you may not have considered, but are of utmost importance to the Chinese medicine practitioner. 

If the headaches began before the age of 12 then ‘constitutional’ factors may be a potential cause. This means the general health of the parents around conception may be considered, and the mother’s health during pregnancy. Acupuncture points, or herbs, will then be selected with this in mind. 

Emotional factors are often a common trigger. For instance, some people find their headache frequency or intensity increases during times of emotional turbulence. It’s not just stress, it might be worry, fear, anger, grief, or even issues of self-worth. All of these can create subtly different types of headaches, and therefore the use of slightly different acupuncture points or herbs.

Dietary factors can also be a contributory cause. Most of us are familiar with some headaches being triggered by food sensitivities. But how many of us realise that eating too late at night, or excessively consuming too much hot/cold/’damp’foods can also impact? The same can apply if we regularly eat our food too quickly, or ‘on the run’… even restricting our food can have a similar effect. Again it’s not a ‘one size fits all’, so what affects one person may not affect another. But these are all taken into consideration when formulating a treatment strategy. 

Too much work with no rest can also deplete our system, and poor sleeping habits may make things worse. For some a trauma, such as a fall or accident, might be important. Perhaps even have a minor incident not previously attributed to the onset of the headaches …it is surprising how many chronic cases can be traced back to this as the trigger. 

For women often hormone factors may be at play, and if so this is often given centre stage in the treatment plan. Even childbirth, such as frequent pregnancies (including miscarriages), with the subsequent blood loss and abrupt cessation of hormones, might be involved. All of these are given equal consideration.

It may not be any single one of these things, it may not be any of these things. More usually it is a combination of reasons, and that is fine too. One of the beauties of Chinese medicine is the holistic approach to treatment, the whole person is taken into account rather than just the symptoms themselves. 

As you can see, there are so many things to consider when treating chronic headaches and migraines with traditional acupuncture and herbal medicine. For more information, the British Acupuncture Council have produced this short clip, available at the following link:

https://www.acupuncture.org.uk/public-content/public-video/2064-acupuncture-and-migraine.html

NICE (National Institute for Care Excellence) also recommend a course of up to 10 acupuncture sessions in cases of unresolved chronic tension headaches

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/headache-tension-type/management/management/

Alternatively feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or queries, always happy to help.