Acupuncture

When you get a headache what does it feel like? Is it dull, nagging, aching and lasts all day? Is it sharp, stabbing, throbbing and short-lived?

Where is your pain located? Does it feel like a tight headband going from your forehead to the back of your head? Maybe into your neck? Is it on one side? Behind your eyes? Do you feel it at your temples or near your jawline?

Do you feel better when you lie down in a dark room and recuperate? Does eating a snack or a meal help? Conversely, do you feel better when you get out and take a walk or does eating a greasy meal make your headache worse or even bring it on?

In Eastern Medicine, the answers to these questions help to define and diagnose the type of headache you experience based on pain, location and whether your headache is a manifestation of a deficient or excess state.

Excess vs Deficiency

Excess conditions tend to be more intense and acute while deficient conditions tend to be more dull, nagging and chronic. If your symptoms are better with rest, your headache is likely due to deficiency because you are easily depleted. If your symptoms are better with exercise or movement, your headaches are likely due to an excess state and you need to burn off energy.

In Eastern Medicine, when we diagnose a deficient state we tonify or nourish the imbalance, in an excess state we quell or calm the overactivity. We have several tools we use to bring the body back to balance. The main tools are acupuncture, nutrition and botanicals.
Acupuncture

One of the best ways to get immediate relief from a headache is to find a qualified, licensed acupuncturist in your area and get acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture is when tiny needles are inserted at specific locations that correspond to your pain. Many acupuncturists specialize in headaches and love treating them because acupuncture often provides on-the-spot relief and people leave the acupuncturist’s office headache-free. Regular acupuncture can also prevent headaches from occurring in the first place and many people end up getting regular treatments once or twice a month to keep their headaches completely away.

Nutrition

Eastern medicine has been treating headaches with nutritional recommendations for thousands of years. First, it is good to identify if you are more prone to a stress or tension headache if you have missed meals or are feeling hungry. This type of headache means there is a deficiency occurring and the body needs energy in order to nourish itself and prevent a headache.

Many people are busy at work or on their computer focusing for hours and they are not paying attention to their hunger. This is a sign of a deficient-type headache.

It is also possible to experience a headache after eating foods that do not agree with your constitution. For example, if your headache pain comes with brain fog or muzzy feeling in the head, it is best to avoid sugary or fried foods and aim for healthy options.

Acupuncturists are also trained in what foods are best for what type of headache you are experiencing and can counsel you on how to change your meals to prevent headaches.

Chinese Medicinals (Botanicals)

There are many formulas in the vast Chinese Medicinal Pharmacy that are used for headaches. A licensed acupuncturist has undergone many years of training in this pharmacopoeia and can prescribe a formula that will bring homeostasis to an excess or deficient constitution. These formulas are often individualized to each person’s constitution with great precision or there are common formulas used that are also very effective.

A study conducted by researchers at the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and published by the Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, demonstrates how acupuncture can improve visual acuity, reduce light sensitivity and decrease visual defects. The study tested the efficacy of a four point acupuncture prescription in the treatment of loss of vision. The researchers used three acupuncture points around the eye and one point in the suboccipital region. All of the points are classically indicated in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for the treatment of eye problems. The test concluded acupuncture is beneficial in the treatment of vision problems.

The eyes can reflect a lot of things regarding a person’s overall health. Illnesses can be detected by the ophthalmologist in the very early stages. And conditions like glaucoma, neuritis and even vision loss can be indicators of systemic health problems. TCM has always known about the connection between the eyes and a person’s health. Many eye conditions respond well to acupuncture treatments and these methods have been used for centuries to assist in keeping the eyes healthy.

TCM pays very close attention to the relationship between the organs and the tissues. Imbalances within the body can sometimes manifest as problems in the eyes. If a person is treated for eye problems, the underlying imbalances that have caused these issues will also be treated by the licensed acupuncturist.

The main concept behind acupuncture is the nourishment and movement of blood and energy throughout the body to create harmonic balance. Quite frequently, there are imbalances in more than one organ system that lead to problems in the eyes. But the organ system most closely associated with the eyes in TCM is the liver. In TCM, the liver “opens to the eyes.” The liver provides the primary energy flow that is responsible for the supp ort of healthy vision. Within the eye, certain meridians have primary influence over specific areas. For instance, the pupil is influenced by the kidney meridian, the retina is influenced by the liver and kidney meridians, and the sclera is influenced by the lung meridian. Reading the eye is one of the tools acupuncturists utilize when diagnosing a patient.

Receiving regular acupuncture treatments can be very beneficial in the prevention and treatment of ophthalmologic conditions. But there are some things that can be done at home too that may also help. Acupressure massage can reduce tension in the eyes and contribute to overall eye health. This can be done multiple times throughout the day to help stimulate blood flow and positive energy into the area. There are also several frequently used Chinese herbs that can help keep the eyes healthy, including goji berries and chrysanthemum flowers. Both of these herbs can be steeped into green tea for a nice eye rejuvenation tonic.

To find out how acupuncture and TCM can help you with any vision issues you might have, give me a call today at (218) 724-3400 to schedule your appointment.