Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into special points in the body. This stimulates the body’s natural pain killing hormones, increases the flow of blood, stimulates the nervous system, and decreases tension in tendons and muscle tissue. In my practice, Holistic Health Palm Beach, Inc., Wellington, Florida, I also focus on the goal of balancing the body’s energy by focusing on the emotional factors that may be causing turbulence and unbalance in the body. The body’s life force, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is referred to as Qi, which is stimulated by acupuncture to move and clear the body of pathogens and other physiological causes of the patient’s presenting symptoms.
Relieving migraine pain (a recurrent throbbing headache that typically affects one side of the head and is often accompanied by nausea and disturbed vision) with acupuncture works in many different ways. Each patient suffering from migraines is suffering from them for many different reasons. Once I do an intake session, read the tongue and pulse (a diagnostic method used in holistic medicine to determine pathological factors in the body), and discuss the patient’s history, the right course of action can then be determined to help alleviate the migraine pain. Essentially, acupuncture releases endorphins, serotonin, and other key components in the body to help relieve the pain. Precise individually factored herbal formulas are also prescribed to help balance the internal body system and relieve the pain. One reason acupuncture may be working well to relieve migraines is that it blocks the neurotransmitters and therefore blocks the pain messages from being delivered to the brain.
Another primary goal is to possibly to wean the patient off prescription or over-the-counter drugs they are taking, if they wish to do so. Sometimes weaning off of these drugs can leave the patient with rebound headaches, therefore making them afraid to discontinue pharmaceutical therapy for their pain. Always consult your western physician before discontinuing prescription medication. Like acupuncture, chiropractic also aims to realign imbalances in the body to restore proper function and relieve the patient of migraine pain. I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Randy Laurich of The Wellness Experience in Wellington, Florida. We discussed how both acupuncture and chiropractic may work well together to relieve migraine pain for our patients.
According to Dr. Randy, there is a common misconception regarding just how headaches and migraines need to be treated. “Most migraines are cervicogenic, meaning the cause of the head pain is referred from the bony structures or soft tissues of the neck. People tend to go on drugs and it turns into a cycle. Impingement of the nerves are really the main cause of the migraines,” said Dr. Randy. From his perspective, migraines are related to tension on the upper cervical spine, mainly the third and fourth cervical vertebrae pinching the nerves in those regions.
Interestingly, the location of the migraine is very telling as to the potential cause of it. Dr. Randy stated, “if the body of the second cervical vertebrae is rotated to the right, then it is more likely to have an effect on the right side of the head near the right temple or behind the eyes. When the pain is presenting in the occipital region, the pain usually starts at the occiput and radiates up to the top of crown of the head. When the atlas (or top cervical vertebra) is rotated, then it can cause a full blown migraine felt all over the head.” Combining Acupuncture with Chiropractic as an ideal treatment for migraines Acupuncture relaxes or sedates the patient into a state of ease, creates an opening, relieves tension, and then helps the patient receive the chiropractic adjustment. According to Dr. Randy, it allows him the ideal opportunity to correct any spinal misalignment, thereby helping the nervous system and body heal itself. With migraines, we both agree that it takes longer to make a change because the structure has been imbalanced for a longer period of time. Everyone is different, has different injuries, history, hormonal scenarios, etc., so its hard to determine how long it will take to get relief. Plans of treatment need to be customized for acupuncture and chiropractic, and of course, the committed patient is the most successful one.
When you visit Dr. Randy at The Wellness Experience for your first treatment, he will analyze your spine with his Pro-Adjuster system, perform orthopedic and neurological tests in the office and will rule out any contraindications for spinal adjustments. You will then receive gentle impulses that will be put into the spine to start the correction of the misaligned vertebrae in the cervical spine. Manual therapy stretch techniques are also typically used to reduce tension on the muscles, and then relaxation on the hydrotherapy table is offered to reduce the stress that comes with going back into the world again. Feel free to contact Dr. Randy Laurich , Chiropractor 561-333-5351 if you have questions or to schedule an appointment please visit www.wellness-experience.com
The Wellness Experience, is conveniently located in Kobosko’s Crossing Plaza at 9180 Forest Hill Boulevard, Wellington, Florida 33414
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