Headaches and Complexity

People are complicated, sometimes more so than we would like to think. When it comes to health problems, for example, we often want to look for the one thing that has caused us to be ill; we have a headache, perhaps, because we didn't get enough sleep last night, or we have a headache because we haven't eaten enough; or maybe we have a headache because we are stressed out, or maybe it is the weather which is to blame. But quite often I think it is not that there is one thing behind our being off colour, but an array of factors which taken together add up, perhaps, to a headache or whatever the problem is.

In the case of headaches and migraines, one of these factors is surely to do with our neck and shoulders. When I treat someone who has headaches or migraines, I always have a look at their neck and shoulders. And in fact I have more than a look, I use my hands and examine them. And I almost always find some knots of tension. Often these knots are what are called Trigger Points, small areas of tightness which cause pain. And the thing about Trigger Points is that the pain is usually felt some distance away from the point, as what is called referred pain. So for instance a Trigger Point in the trapezius muscle on top of your shoulder can cause pain on the side of your head, circling round the ear to the temple, a typical kind of pain for some tension headaches and some migraines. So whatever else we do for you in this scenario, we need to gently work on this muscle, releasing the tightness with acupuncture, and maybe with massage or cupping. 

As I say, this muscular tension may not be the only factor predisposing you to headaches, and we also need to think about why the tension is there in the first place (hunching our shoulders as a stress response maybe, long hours using a keyboard or driving maybe...) So we need a fairly comprehensive approach, which is why I think acupuncture is such a useful treatment given that it can not only release muscular tension, but it can also promote an overall feeling of relaxation affecting both the body and mind, initiate some of the body's intrinsic pain killing mechanisms, and promote a more harmonious and balanced state of being. 

This is backed up by the research; for instance, a recent systematic review of 62 clinical trials, including 4,947 patients in total, found acupuncture to be effective in both the treatment and prevention of migraines, and superior to medication. (The Effect of Acupuncture on the Quality of Life in Patients With Migraine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Pharmacol 2018 Oct 26:9:1190)