Headaches
Facts and statics
Headaches are one of the most common reasons for attending a general practice or a neurology clinic in the UK. Migraine is the third most common disease in the world (behind dental caries and tension-type headache) with an estimated global prevalence of 14.7% (that’s around 1 in 7 people). Some 15% of the UK adult population have a migraine, and 80% have an episodic tension-type headache from time to time. The lifetime prevalence of headache is 96%, being higher in women than in men. Every day more than 100,000 people are absent from school or work because of migraines.
There are many kinds of headaches but Migraine headaches, and tension-type headaches are the main sorts.
Tension-type headaches are the most common type of headache, with the lifetime prevalence ranging between 30% and 78% according to different studies.
Migraine can occur with or without an aura. A typical aura lasts from five to 60 minutes before the headache starts. It consists of transient visual, sensory, and speech disturbances. Visual symptoms are the most common manifestation of an aura and consist of flickering lights, spots or lines, or blind spots. migraine headaches can affect anyone at any age, 75% of sufferers are women and 3-7% are children
What is the treatment for headaches?
Many people who have migraines find that over-the-counter painkillers, such as paracetamol, aspirin and ibuprofen, can help to reduce their symptoms. NHS UK suggests Acupuncture treatments if medication is unsuitable or do not help. Evidence suggests that a course of treatments may be beneficial to prevent or reduce the severity of the headaches.
Acupuncture for Headaches
Headache is one of the most common symptoms encountered in Acupuncture clinical practice. Several clinical trials support the use of Acupuncture for the reduction of headache frequency, duration, nausea and sensitivity to light.
In Chinese medicine, there are 8 reasons causing Headaches. First, we take a thorough case history from migraine patients to help uncover any patterns and triggering factors. We look at the mind-body as a whole to identify the factors contributing to Headaches. Once we determine the underlying cause then we can proceed to administer Acupuncture.
There are several studies* suggeste effectiveness af acupuncture in reducing the symptoms of headaches. Currently the National Institude for Health and Care Exellance (NICE) recommends acupuncture as an effective treatment for tension headaches.
