A recent systematic review from The Cochrane Library has found that Acupuncture was slightly better at helping control episodic migraines when compared to standard drug treatment.
They report that acupuncture reduces headache frequency, more people respond, and fewer people experience adverse events when compared to standard drug treatment (metoprolol, flunarizine, valproic acid or beta‐blockers)
The Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that contain different types of high-quality, independent evidence to inform healthcare decision-making. An extremely well-regarded assessor of clinical research trials.
You can see the short ‘Clinical Answer’ right here at the Cochrane Library.
Migraine is thought to begin as an electrical phenomenon in the cerebrum that then affects blood vessels, biochemistry, and causes neurogenic inflammation.
Acupuncture can help in the treatment of migraine by:
- Providing pain relief – by stimulating nerves located in muscles and other tissues
- Reducing inflammation – by promoting release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors
- Reducing the degree of cortical spreading depression (an electrical wave in the brain associated with migraine)
- Modulating extracranial and intracranial blood flow
- Affecting serotonin (5-hydroxytriptamine) levels in the brain
Eleanor Henderson, the acupuncturist at The Body Junction, is available for treatments on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays & alternate Wednesdays. Please call 07779006821 or email [email protected] for more information.
