Headache is one of the most frequent reasons for patients to visit family doctors and neurologists. According to Statistics Canada, 8.3% of Canadians (2.7 million) reported that they had been diagnosed with migraines by a health professional.
There are different forms of headaches including:
- tension-type headaches, mostly begin slowly above the eyes and can radiate to the front and back of the head.
- migraine headaches, range from mild to severe, often associated with other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and over-sensitive senses.
- cluster headaches affect one side of the head and can be extremely painful
- organic headaches, caused by intracranial illnesses such as sinus infections, ear infections, and brain tumours.
- rebound headaches, caused by medication overuse.
Over-the-counter and prescription medications are still the most common treatment methods.
Much research has been conducted to confirm the effectiveness of how acupuncture heals patients that suffer from headaches.
Treatment plans vary depending on the type of headaches and Chinese medicine diagnoses, and it is especially important for patients suffering from chronic headaches to adherence to their treatment plan. As health improves, maintenance sessions are needed and Chinese herbal medicine is recommended in order to maintain the energy balance and prevent the recurrence of headaches.
Dr. Yangyang Xu, Ph.D. R.Ac, Associate Dean at Alberta College of Acupuncture & Traditional Chinese Medicine explains headaches and stress in the following video.
Contact us at 403-286-8788 to schedule your appointment for a comprehensive assessment.
