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ACUPUNCTURE – THE ONLY RECOMMENDED PROPHYLACTIC TREATMENT FOR HEADACHE
Research has shown that a course of acupuncture can reduce symptoms of headaches by more than 50% and in some people acupuncture has been reported to eliminate their symptoms altogether!!
Suffering with a headache is unnecessary…
“Headache has been underestimated, under-recognised and under-treated throughout the world” WHO
Headache disorders are among the most common disorder of the nervous system. Nearly 50% of us have suffered from a headache in the last year and nearly 10% of those have reported migraine. Up to 4% of the worlds adult population suffer with headaches on 15 or more days a month.
Not only is headache painful, but it is also disabling.
Acupuncture for headaches…
Research has shown that a course of acupuncture can reduce symptoms of headaches by more than 50% and in some people acupuncture has been reported to eliminate their symptoms altogether!!
Following this research the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) passed a Guideline for Headaches, CG15 in September 2012 declaring a course of up to 10 sessions of acupuncture over 5-8 weeks as the ONLY recommended prophylactic treatment that isn’t drugs.
There are many types of headaches, some chronic and some episodic. Like with any other aches and pain the longevity of symptoms can act as a general guide of how many treatments you may need to help with your headache management. The more acute headache sufferer may only need 1-2 treatments, but for the more chronic and long-term sufferers, more treatments will be necessary. What is clear is that acupuncture is very likely to help with fighting your headache.
What to do next?
Start by keeping a headache diary today – record the frequency, duration and severity of the headache. Contact us if you would like a simple spreadsheet to follow.
If you are suffering with headaches, call the clinic to book an appointment in with me.
Anja Davidson
Osteopath M.Ost
Dry Needling and Neck pain
When used in combination with osteopathy, acupuncture is a hugely effective treatment for neck and back pain.
A study (see link) published in 2014 in the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy has found patients who received dry needling for their neck pain showed significantly better improvement than the untreated group. It was a small study, but always a good place to start. The patients reported 33% less pain immediately after treatment and 66% less pain a week later.
Most of our osteopaths have completed their acupuncture training with the British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) and it is a hugely effective method of treatment, especially when used in combination with osteopathy. We often use this for neck and lower back pain, hip and shoulder pain along with many other injuries.