Seeking Relief from Headaches? Acupuncture and Cranial Sacral Therapy May Be Your Answer

Headaches are a widespread issue, and it’s likely you’ve experienced them too. Whether you’re dealing with tension headaches, migraines, or chronic headaches that won’t go away, finding long-term relief can feel challenging. Fortunately, acupuncture for headaches offers a natural, effective solution. In my clinic, I often combine cranial sacral therapy with acupuncture to provide holistic headache relief, addressing both the root cause and the symptoms.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), half of all adults worldwide have experienced a headache in the past year, with 30% reporting migraines. While some headaches can be managed with rest or over-the-counter medications, others persist despite various treatments. That’s where natural treatments for migraines like acupuncture and cranial sacral therapy come into play. These therapies not only alleviate pain but also help reduce the frequency and intensity of headaches over time.

Common Types of Headaches

Before diving into treatment options, it’s essential to understand the type of headache you’re experiencing:

• Migraine headaches: Intense throbbing pain, often accompanied by nausea, light sensitivity, and sometimes auras.

• Tension headaches: A dull, aching sensation, usually described as a tight band around your head.

• Cluster headaches: Severe pain around one eye or on one side of the face.

• Hormone-related headaches: Often linked to the menstrual cycle or other hormonal imbalances.

Each type of headache has unique triggers and characteristics, but the good news is that acupuncture and cranial sacral therapy can address them all. These techniques work to balance your body’s energy (Qi) and release tension in the muscles and tissues, offering relief without medication.

How Does Acupuncture Help with Headaches?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), headaches are often seen as a sign of an imbalance in the body’s Qi, blood, or fluids. By targeting specific acupuncture points, I aim to unblock energy pathways and restore your body’s natural harmony. Acupuncture for migraines and other headaches has been shown to reduce both the intensity and frequency of headaches in numerous studies.

During your visit, I will perform a comprehensive assessment that includes:

• Pulse measurement to evaluate your current health status.

• Tongue examination to gauge your digestive system and long-term health.

• A review of your medical history to identify potential patterns and triggers.

By taking this holistic approach, I tailor a treatment plan specifically for you, focusing on the type and location of your headache, as well as factors that make it better or worse. Ask your therapist if they take pulse and tongue examinations unfortunately most therapist don’t.

How Cranial Sacral Therapy Enhances Headache Treatment

n addition to acupuncture, I often incorporate cranial sacral therapy into headache treatments. This gentle, hands-on technique works to relieve tension in the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, promoting natural movement of the fluids and reducing pressure in the head. Combining acupuncture and cranial sacral therapy provides a more comprehensive, natural approach to long-term headache relief.

This dual treatment approach is especially beneficial for patients dealing with chronic headaches that haven’t responded to traditional treatments. By addressing the underlying causes—whether it’s tension in the neck, hormonal imbalances, or disruptions in the body’s Qi—we can provide lasting relief from even the most stubborn headaches.

What to Expect During Your Treatment

When you visit my clinic, I’ll begin by asking you a few key questions to determine the root cause of your headaches:

• When did your headaches start?

• What time of day do they usually occur?

• Where is the pain located?

• What makes the pain better or worse?

From there, I’ll develop a personalized treatment plan that combines acupuncture and cranial sacral therapy, aimed at not just relieving your current symptoms, but preventing future headaches as well.

Acupuncture for Specific Headaches

Temporal Headache

These headaches can be pounding and throbbing in nature that is usually localised on one side of the head, around the temple area but also around the front of the head. These headaches can arise from just one sides of head but some people experience migraine that radiates around the head also.

There are other indications that a temporal headache is starting with symptoms like constipation, mood swings, and cravings days before the pain occurs. Chinese Medicine would view this either as a liver-yang rising pattern or phlegm retention pattern of disharmony depending on its root cause.

Tension Headache

A tension headache can feel like a tight band around your forehead like a feeling of someone pushing into the head with a wet towel. Some people may feel a dull, aching sensation all over your head with some tenderness or sensitivity around your neck, scalp, forehead or shoulder muscles also might occur. These headaches may occur one or two times per month on average and are episodic headaches but tension headaches can be chronic. Stress is the often the tigger of tension headaches. In terms of Chinese medicine a tension headache may be due to a deficiency syndrome, dullness implies deficiency potentially from Liver Yin causing Liver-yang to rise upwards.

Cluster Headache

Cluster headache occur around or behind one eye or on one side of the face at a time. The typical symptoms may include severe burning and piercing pain behind the eyes with swelling, redness, flushing, and sweating on the side that’s affected by the headache. Congestion of the nasal is reported and tearing of the eyes. These headache can last from fifteen minutes to three hours in duration and come in series of waves over the day. Cluster headaches can occur at the same time of the day and can be one after the other. In terms of Chinese Medicine cluster headaches located at the eyes are related to the liver either due to Liver Blood deficiency with liver yang rising symptoms. Most often occur during the change of weather either side of winter, in the spring or autumn months.

Migraine

A headache termed as a Migraine, is usually a different kind of sensation that causes intense pulsing pain deep within your head. A duration of a migraine episode may last anywhere between four hours to three days. These migraines will significantly limiting your ability to live life and will disrupt your daily routine. Common symptoms throbbing pain, usually on one side of the head, light and sound sensitivity with the feeling of nausea and vomiting for added annoyance. Auras are sometimes included with these headache which manifest with tingling on one side of your face or in one arm and trouble speaking, flashing or shimmering lights, zigzag lines, stars and blind spots. Chinese Medicine would view these headaches as a deficiency type of headache which has progressed into a excess type. The deficiency will be from yin (fluids, blood, hormonal) then progressing to excess (yang, qi) due to inability of the substances (yin, fluid etc) to control the rising and persistence yang. Usually from a Kidney Yin deficiency.

Why Choose Acupuncture for Headaches?

If you’ve tried medications, lifestyle changes, or other treatments without success, acupuncture for chronic headaches could be the solution you need. By addressing the root cause of your headaches, I can help you achieve long-term relief without relying on painkillers or invasive treatments.

At my clinic, I combine acupuncture and cranial sacral therapy to offer a truly holistic treatment for headaches. Whether you’re dealing with migraines, tension headaches, or cluster headaches, these therapies provide a natural, effective way to relieve pain and improve your overall quality of life.

Ready to experience the benefits of natural headache treatment? Contact us today to schedule your consultation and start your journey toward lasting relief.

References:

1. Hui Zheng,et al,  Acupuncture for Patients With Chronic Tension-Type Headache, A Randomized Controlled Trial, Neurology Oct 2022, 99 (14) e1560-e1569; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000200670

2. Zhao L, Chen J, Li Y, et al. The Long-term Effect of Acupuncture for Migraine Prophylaxis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2017;177(4):508–515. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.9378

3. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/headache-disorders#:~:text=Half%20to%20three%20quarters%20of,of%20the%20world's%20adult%20population.

4. Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/0333102417738202