Acupuncture for headache

Say goodbye to Tension Headaches and Migraines with Expert Acupuncture Treatment

Headaches affect the lives of millions. Tension headache is among the most common. Now, what if I told you there’s a non-pharmacological treatment that could help alleviate your pain? Well, let me introduce you to the wonderful world of acupuncture.

You see, acupuncture has been growing in popularity as a go-to remedy for various aches and pains, including headaches. Turkish researchers researchers decided to investigate just how effective acupuncture could be for tension headaches.

They divided individuals into two groups. One group had ten sessions of laser acupuncture three times per week, while the other received a similar-looking placebo treatment.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The researchers were looking for changes in headache intensity, duration of attacks, and the number of days each month with a headache. And, did they find some differences!

In the first month alone, the acupuncture group’s headache intensity dropped by 5 points! This improvement continued in the second and third months, with reductions of 3 and 2 additional points, respectively.

The placebo group? Well, they didn’t see much change at all.

What’s more, the acupuncture group experienced shorter attacks and fewer days with headaches each month. In fact, after just one month, participants in the acupuncture group had 15 headache-free days!

The takeaway? Laser acupuncture made a real, significant difference for people with chronic tension-type headaches, while the placebo group didn’t see much improvement. So next time you find yourself in the grip of a tension headache, remember: acupuncture just might be the key to relief.

Here at Dr Vitalis Acupuncture, we pride ourselves on our specialised expertise in acupuncture for headaches and migraines. We’re committed to helping you unlock the benefits of this ancient treatment and guide you toward a life with fewer headaches. Don’t let the pain hold you back any longer. Take action today and schedule your first appointment with our dedicated team. Your journey to a happier, headache-free life starts with just one click or call.

Acupuncture as good as painkillers, says study

For centuries, sceptics have dismissed acupuncture as nothing more than a mind game, a placebo effect that tricks patients into believing they’re experiencing relief. But in a groundbreaking new study, researchers have discovered that the ancient Chinese practice is not only legitimate but as effective as popular painkillers in treating debilitating conditions such as arthritis.

The study, led by a team of scientists from two British universities, employed brain scans on patients undergoing the 2,500-year-old treatment, revealing significant differences in the brain’s response to acupuncture needles compared with “dummy needles” that did not puncture the skin. The results showed that the part of the brain responsible for managing pain and the nervous system responded positively to acupuncture, improving pain relief by as much as 15 per cent.

Dr George Lewith, from the University of Southampton’s Complementary Medicine Research Unit, emphasises the significance of these findings: “The evidence we now have is that acupuncture works very well on pain.” This revelation challenges the long-held scepticism surrounding acupuncture and its purported benefits.

Acupuncturists worldwide have welcomed the study, published in the scientific journal NeuroImage, as it provides much-needed validation for a practice that has often been dismissed as mere pseudoscience. Persis Tamboly, of the British Acupuncture Council, says: “We’re really thrilled about this research… research like this substantiates what we’ve always maintained – that acupuncture works.”

With millions of acupuncture treatments performed each year, even high-profile figures like Cherie Blair, Kate Winslet, and Joan Collins count themselves as supporters. The British Acupuncture Council hopes that these findings will pave the way for acupuncture to be accepted as a National Health Service treatment.

The study, utilising sophisticated positron emission tomography (PET) scans, compared the brain’s response to real acupuncture needles with that of blunt and dummy needles. The real needles stimulated an additional part of the brain called the ipsilateral insular, improving pain relief by 10-15 per cent – a result comparable to the effects of conventional analgesic drugs.

While this research offers compelling evidence of acupuncture’s effectiveness in pain relief, it does not yet explain how the practice treats other issues, such as stress or disease. Dr Lewith confirms that further research is planned: “This is a very interesting area… I’m now getting a very realistic understanding of the effects of this mechanism.”

The journey of acupuncture from ancient Chinese wisdom to modern scientific validation serves as a testament to the power of an open mind and the potential for new discoveries. As the enigma of acupuncture continues to unravel, the possibilities for improved patient care and a more holistic approach to medicine become ever more tangible.

You may be interested to read the story in NZ Herald covering this subject.

Acupunture post-operative nausea

Acupuncture vs medication for postsurgery nausea

In the first such clinical trial of its kind, researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found that acupuncture is more effective at reducing nausea and vomiting after major breast surgery than the leading medication.

The researchers also found that patients who underwent the acupuncture treatment reported decreased postoperative pain and increased satisfaction with their postoperative recovery. In conducting the trial, the researchers also demonstrated that the pressure point they stimulated possesses previously unknown pain-killing properties.

The results of the Duke study were published Sept. 22, 2004, in the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia.

It was a groundbreaking clinical trial, and the first of its kind. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina set out to compare the ancient practice of acupuncture to modern medication in easing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), as well as pain, following major breast surgery. The results? Astounding. Acupuncture not only proved more effective than the leading medication, ondansetron (Zofran), but also revealed previously unknown pain-killing properties.

The trial was led by Duke anesthesiologist Tong Joo (T.J.) Gan, M.D., who recognised the importance of addressing PONV: approximately 70% of women undergoing major breast surgery with general anesthesia experience this complication, which directly affects the speed of recovery and the timing of their return home.

In this remarkable trial, 75 women slated for major breast surgery (breast augmentation, breast reduction, or mastectomy) were divided into three groups: one receiving acupuncture, another receiving ondansetron, and the last receiving neither. Instead of traditional acupuncture, Gan employed an electro-acupuncture device that stimulated the P6 pressure point just below the wrist, delivering a small electrical pulse through the skin.

Two hours after surgery, a staggering 77% of the acupuncture group experienced no PONV and did not require antiemetic drugs to reduce nausea and vomiting. In comparison, only 64% of those who received ondansetron and 42% of those who received nothing had the same outcome. At 24 hours, the rates were still impressive: 73% for acupuncture, 52% for ondansetron, and 38% for the control group.

These results indicated that not only was electro-acupuncture more effective than ondansetron, it also provided better control of nausea and a higher degree of patient satisfaction. This revelation paves the way for a rethinking of traditional postoperative care and a renewed appreciation for the power of this ancient Chinese practice.

But how does acupuncture work? While the exact mechanisms are still not entirely understood, recent research suggests that acupuncture may stimulate the release of hormones or endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Different frequencies of electro-acupuncture stimulation appear to release distinct types of endorphins, providing varying durations and onset times of analgesic effects.

In an age where we are increasingly reliant on synthetic medications, this groundbreaking study serves as a powerful reminder that age-old practices like acupuncture can still hold the key to unlocking effective and natural remedies for postoperative care. So, the next time you hear of someone going under the knife, remember the triumph of the needle, and consider how acupuncture might help them on the road to recovery.