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Migraines- How Seattle Acupuncture Can Help

By: Gabrielle Anderson, Seattle Acupuncture

What do Vincent Van Gogh, Lewis Carroll, Claude Monet, Julius Caesar, Virginia Wolfe, Napolean, Elvis Presley, and Present John F. Kennedy, have in common?  They are amongst millions of individuals that have played out their unique life story while dealing with the challenge of migraines.

A migraine is uniquely different than most other types of headaches, in that it is caused by vasodilation of cranial blood vessels, as opposed to vasoconstriction being the culprit in most other types of headaches- such as tension headaches.  Genetics plays an influential role as well- 90% of migraine sufferers come from a family with a history of them.

The reputable Mayo Clinic summarizes the definition of a migraine as such:

"A migraine headache can cause intense throbbing or pulsing in one area of the head and is commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound.  migraine attacks can cause significant pain for hours to days and be so severe that all you can think about is finding a dark, quiet place to lie down.  some migraines are preceded or accompanied by sensory warning symptoms (aura) such as flashes of light, blind spots or tingling in your arm or leg."  

As unappealing as the above set of symptoms sounds, anyone who has experienced a migraine knows that a simple string of sentences does nothing to convey the intensity of debilitating effects migraines can have on your day to day life.   

Far more than a headache, migraines can also affect speech, and make it difficult to form sentences.  Migraines typically last from four hours to three days, and sometimes even longer. The various visual phenomena, or, aura, that precede a migraine (usually by about 10-30 minutes before the headache) are experienced by approximately 20 percent of migraine sufferers.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the National Headache foundation report that approximately 30 million Americans suffer from migraines.  30 million!  And an overwhelming 75% of those are women.  So where do migraines come from, and why do some people suffer from them, when others have never experienced a migraine in their life?

While the exact reason hasn't been fully explained yet, it is clear that migraine sufferers brain's are more easily excited than non-sufferers; the neurons that fire and start the cascade of events that cause vasodilation are triggered to fire more easily.

And, as previously mentioned, a family history of migraines increases your chances.

Additionally, fluctuations in female hormones seem to increase the brain’s hyper-excitability even more, which explains 1) why the menstrual cycle plays such a role in migraine sufferers, and 2) why over 75% of migraine sufferers are women, the majority by a long shot.

Migraines seem intricately interconnected with female hormones, as they are often triggered before or during menstrual periods when estrogen levels drop.  Additionally, most women report a decrease in frequency and severity of migraines after menopause.   

So, what causes vasodilation to happen in the first place?  

Researchers have found that certain triggers (these triggers vary from person to person, which further complicates the treatment of the mysterious migraine) cause a spasm of the arteries at the base of the brain, reducing blood flow, and causing the brain to release neurotransmitters, such as seratonin  (a key neurotransmitter of the central nervous system that regulates mood, appetite, sleep, and intestinal movements).  Before a migraine attack, seratonin levels in the brain have been measured as unusually high, but during a migraine attack, seratonin drops to unusually low levels.  Seratonin activates nerves in the dura (a protective, fibrous membrane that covers the brain), and these nerves stimulate nearby blood vessels to dilate.  

This dilation of cranial blood vessels causes the nerves to send a pain signal to the brain, usually starting in the occipital cortex (the brain's vision center near the base of your skull).  From here, pain spreads, activating the brain stem and sensory neurons.  The expansion of blood vessels and the pathway on which the nerve signals are conducted is thought to cause the throbbing pain behind the eyes and around the temples.  Dramatic changes in seratonin levels and blood flow may explain nausea, distorted vision, and disrupted speech accompanying a migraine.

Identify Triggers

The first step toward finding a solution for your unique set of symptoms, is finding what triggers send your brain into that hyper-excited state.  There are uncontrollable triggers, such as weather fluctuations, and varying hormones during the menstrual cycle. Then there are controllable triggers, such as odors, lights, smoke, and diet.


Treatment Options

Most treatment options for migraine sufferers offer little to no relief, not to mention short lived results.  More and more research is backing up the therapeutic effects of "alternative" medicine- natural, holistic health and wellness options that work to address the underlying cause of migraines, and prevent future attacks, as opposed to just trying to find a quick fix to cover a symptom for temporary relief.  

Many people reach for over the counter painkillers when they feel a migraine coming.  These may give mild, temporary relief, but for most migraine sufferers, they are not nearly enough, and increasing the dose of these has associated risks such as ulcers and GI bleeding, and can increase the likelihood of a rebound headaches once they are out of your system.

Naturopathic Doctors, Chiropractic Physicians and Medical Doctors are recommending Seattle Acupuncture as a way to help prevent migraines, because they see the results.  Because Seattle Acupuncture is a holistic medicine, it is addressing each patient on an individual basis, creating a unique treatment to address the symptoms they are experiencing.  Acupuncture is beneficial for stress relief, and also therapeutic for improving quality of sleep, and those two reasons alone are enough to give it a try.  Additionally, research has shown that Seattle Acupuncture points shift the body back into a parasympathetic mode, the central nervous system's "rest and relax" mode, a state conducive to healing, stress relief, and pain relief.  Acupuncture is famous for pain relief, because it triggers the release of endogenous endorphins, our body's own natural painkillers.  

WebMD Health News reports that researchers found that Acupuncture "offers substantial benefits in preventing headaches and improving the quality of life for people who suffer from frequent headaches, especially migraines," and additionally, is more affordable than standard medical care.

The study was published in the "British Medical Journal" and compared Acupuncture (12 treatments over a 3 month period) to standard medical care, and found that those who received Acupuncture:

-Experienced 22 fewer days with headaches

-Used 15% less medication

-Made 25% fewer visits to their doctor

-Took 15% fewer days off sick from work than the control group

In an Acupuncture session, I (Gabrielle Anderson, Seattle Acupuncture) assess each unique individual to determine which channels are being affected, and to diagnose the pattern that their symptoms represent.  Points are selected to help open energetic channels and to rebalance the system and dissipate pain.  

The number of Seattle Acupuncture treatments necessary to achieve maximum relief and optimal wellness depends on the individual's unique set of symptoms.  Some patients notice improvement after the first session, and the majority of people notice that Seattle Acupuncture helps decrease stress immediately, and improve sleep fairly quickly.  The number of follow-up sessions depends on a person’s history- the intensity and frequency of migraines, the triggers that cause them, and the overall lifestyle of the individual are factored into the treatment plan.   Most people report that after 3-5 sessions they are able to notice improvement.

Stress Relief and Exercise

Stress management is the number one goal for prevention.  Take steps to reduce stress, and find healthy activities that help you de-stress.

Yoga and meditation are excellent options, but they're not for everyone, and that's fine.  Figure out what helps you relax- taking a hot bath, gardening, listening to music, a gentle walk in nature, taking a hot bath, reading a book... all of these are great options.  Find time to slow down and do what is most soothing for you.

Exercise is a fantastic stress reliever.  It's so important to make time to get our heart's pumping and our blood circulating.  There are countless benefits to exercise, and I'm sure you know most of them already.  All you need to figure out is what type of exericise works best for your lifestyle, what is something you can commit to and keep up with, and glean some benefit and enjoyment  from.  Make sure to warm up gently, quick bursts of intense exercise can be a trigger for some people.

Restorative Rest

Making sure sleep is regular, restful, and the right amount for you, is a huge component to pain relief.  Aim for around 8 hours of sleep each night, going to bed and getting up at a regular time.

Nourish your Body

Eating regularly and drinking enough water are also important components in migraine prevention.  Drink at least 8 cups of water a day, and more if you are in a hot climate or exercising.  Get to know your body's needs, and stay hydrated.  Along with eating regular, balanced meals of healthy, nutritive food, it's important to be conscious of dietary triggers. Some common dietary triggers include alcohol, dairy, chocolate, caffeine, gluten, aspartame, monosodium glutamate, salty foods, processed foods, and foods with nitrates.    A food diary can be invaluable to help you identify triggers.

More than half of migraine sufferers don't seek help, or don't know what they're options are for help.  Since migraines are such a complex condition, with varying triggers and symptoms, the treatment also needs to be unique and individualized, in order to get effective, lasting results.   While there is no simple fix or easy cure, the process of studying your migraine patterns empowers you with knowledge that can be used to properly address your symptoms and find a level of relief that allows you to live a more manageable daily life.

Do you have questions about how Acupuncture can help with your migrain headaches?  Feel free to contact us and we can answer your questions!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email Kevin Rindal, Seattle Chiropractor at DrRindal@InHealthSeattle.com.