How to Use Acupuncture to Treat Headaches

By eHow Health Editor

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Headaches can come in a very wide range of durations, intensities and locations. Some may strike right behind your eye, others can make your entire head feel like it's about to explode. Regardless of the types of headaches you get, you're going to want to treat them the right way the first time. One of the best ways to treat chronic or recurring headaches is to use acupuncture.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Speak to your doctor before you treat your headaches with acupuncture or any other method. Your doctor can help you to learn the risk factors as well as the pros and cons of the different treatments available, as well as which would be most effective for you.

Step2

Head to the Acufinder Web site (see Resources below) to find an acupuncturist in your area who is experienced with treating headaches.

Step3

Describe the pain you are feeling to the therapist and give them any information your doctor has provided that will help them choose the right course of action. Acupuncture treatments are a little different for each type of headache.

Step4

Combine your acupuncture treatment with traditional medicine. It's possible to work with your therapist and doctor simultaneously to see if you can double the effectiveness of your treatment.

Step5

Talk to your therapist about acupuncture's long term benefits. While it is possible in many cases for headaches to become limited, there is still no conclusive evidence that acupuncture has a permanent effect. You may be required to continue treatment as long as you wish to reduce the occurrence of headaches.

Step6

Use acupuncture to help you deal with stress, hunger, and a variety of other ailments that are linked to the development of headaches. Through acupuncture it is possible to deal not only with the headaches themselves, but their causes, making acupuncture one of the better choices of alternative medicine.

Tips & Warnings

Acupuncture is expensive at first, but subsequent visits are always less expensive. Just be sure to see the same specialist!
Do not give yourself acupuncture treatment as there is the possibility of developing serious side effects. Receive any acupuncture treatment from a licensed, trained professional.
If your headaches are not going away with the use of acupuncture or other homeopathic and alternative treatments, then you should speak to your doctor about changing tactics.