Acupuncture is practiced as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, conventional medicine. It is an ancient practice that's used to relieve pain and alleviate nausea. Acupuncture has also been used to help stop addictive behaviors such as smoking or alcoholism. Scientific research specifically demonstrates that acupuncture can reduce headache pain when used alone or in conjunction with conventional medicine.
History
Researchers believe that acupuncture originated in China several thousand years ago, but the first written description of acupuncture as a medical practice is found in “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine,” written in about 100 B.C. The modern practice of acupuncture is based on “The Great Compendium of Acupuncture and Moxibustion,” published during the Ming Dynasty, which ran from 1368 to 1644. Acupuncture gained acceptance in the U.S. when a panel from the National Institutes of Health recommended it as a useful clinical practice in 1997.
Function
Acupuncturists insert very thin, metal needles into specific body locations to unblock the flow of Qi, or energy, in the body. Each acupuncture point is aligned with a channel through which Qi flows for a particular purpose. To explain how acupuncture works, researchers theorized that the insertion points stimulated specific neurotransmitters in the brain. A study published in the September 2009 issue of the journal NeuroImage confirmed that acupuncture affects the brain’s ability to regulate pain on a short- and long-term basis by stimulating brain regions that process and weaken pain signals.
Headache Types
There are three broad groups of primary headaches that differ in their intensity and duration. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that migraine headaches involve a debilitating throbbing pain that lasts from several hours to several days. Episodic and chronic tension headaches can occur frequently, and are generally related to a specific source of stress or tension. Pain occurs when the head, neck and scalp muscles contract, creating the sensation of constant pressure. Chronic headaches occur almost every day, causing mild to severe pain. They have no known cause, but researchers believe that stress may trigger these headaches.
Research
Studies demonstrate that acupuncture is effective in reducing the pain of the different types of headache. A review published in the January 2009 Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews indicates that acupuncture is effective for treating pain associated with tension headaches. Another review in the same issue found that acupuncture is at least as effective as drug treatments for relieving migraine pain, and poses fewer side effects. Pain relief for chronic daily headaches is improved when acupuncture is used with medication, according to a study in the September 2005 journal Headache.
Finding an Acupuncturist
To find an acupuncturist to help with your headaches, use the directory provided by a certifying organization, such as the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture. On your first visit, discuss your symptoms and the plan of treatment the acupuncturist will follow. Be sure the acupuncturist uses sterile, single-use needles as required by the Food and Drug Administration.
References
- Rheumatology: A Brief History of Acupuncture
- NeuroImage: Chinese Acupuncture vs. Sham Acupuncture’s Effect on μ-Opioid Receptors (MORs)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Headache–Hope Through Research
- The Cochrane Library: Acupuncture for Tension-Type Headache
- The Cochrane Library: Acupuncture for Migraine Prophylaxis
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