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Headaches are a common experience; nearly everyone has suffered a bad headache at some point. For some people, however, headaches become a serious problem when they occur often enough to interfere with the ability to function on a daily basis. For this group, headaches can lead to serious physical, emotional, and (in some cases) financial stress.

There are many types of headaches. The following list includes the most prevalent forms:

Tension-Type Headaches: Tension-type headaches are the most common type experienced by adults. The main symptoms of tension-type headaches include a constant pain or pressure on the head that may be accompanied by aching pain at the back of the head, neck, or in the temples. Tension-type headaches are often attributed to spasms in the muscles of the neck, jaw, and face.

Migraine Headaches: Occasionally, tension-type headaches are misdiagnosed as migraine headaches. However, migraine headaches are different because they often present with other neurological symptoms such as sensitivity to light and sound; numbness and tingling; or auditory and visual disturbances. Migraines, unlike tension-type headaches, produce a throbbing pain, usually on one side of the head.

Cluster Headaches: Cluster headaches involve pain that occurs periodically. These episodes are experienced as a cycle of active pain followed by a remission.

Sinus Headaches: Sinus headaches are just one symptom of a larger problem known as sinusitis or rhino-sinusitis. They are caused by inflammation of the sinuses because of allergies or as the result of an infection.

Acupuncture for Headache Sufferers

Acupuncture is an effective treatment for all types of headaches. This ancient technique shares the objectives of Western medicine: to relieve pain and help patients to function better. However, acupuncture accomplishes these goals without the use of drugs or harmful side effects.

Acupuncture is successful in treating a wide range of headaches, including migraines, tension-type headaches, cluster headaches, sinus-related headaches, and others. Headaches are the most common reason physicians refer their patients to an acupuncturist; the World Health Organization lists headaches among the many conditions for which it has found acupuncture to be effective. The National Institutes of Health also recommends acupuncture in the treatment of headaches.

Chinese Medicine and Headaches

Acupuncture works to balance the body’s ‘Qi’ or ‘life force.’ As acupuncture becomes increasingly popular, more scientists in the Western world have sought to understand the mechanisms that make the practice so successful. The following is an abbreviated list of their discoveries:

• Acupuncture helps with the release of endorphin compounds in the nervous system. Endorphins work as natural painkillers and help to relieve headache pain.

• Many types of headaches are attributed to low levels of serotonin. Acupuncture has been found to regulate serotonin levels in both the brain and spinal cord.

• Scientists have discovered that low levels of magnesium in the blood are related to migraine headaches. Acupuncture has been proven to increase blood magnesium levels.

Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation Center and Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used in the treatment of headaches for thousands of years in China. At Monmouth Pain and Rehabilitation Center located in Red Bank, we provide experienced New Jersey Certified Acupuncturists. These licensed practitioners are trained in the Chinese tradition. To learn more about holistic, drug-free treatment options for any type of headache, please call or visit our Red Bank, New Jersey facility.