Can I Treat Migraines With Acupuncture? Absolutely.

“Your gut and your hormones aren’t two separate problems. They’re one conversation – and most women have never been shown how to listen to it.”

– DR. RILEY SMITH

Did you know that migraines affect nearly 50 million Americans? Leading to billions in lost productivity not to mention the debilitating effects on peoples’ lives. They are somewhat of a mystery to the medical world and the pharmaceutical options are not ideal. Migraines can last from hours to days and triggers are many.

While the medical options are a bit of a shotgun approach, acupuncture provides a viable alternative to many of my patients. Along with acupuncture I often include Chinese herbal medicine, tui na massage and cupping.

1. Proven results to relieve migraine pain. Pain and headaches/migraines are the number one reason patients seek me out. It has reached epidemic proportions in our country. Thousands of studies have shown how acupuncture effectively treats pain- both acute and chronic.

2. Acupuncture decreases inflammation. Migraines are a mystery but one thing is certain- inflammation plays a part. Acupuncture is proven to reduce inflammatory response in the body by triggering the release of immune-mediating chemicals and that decrease inflammation.

3. Acupuncture helps to lower serotonin levels. Why is this important? It has been widely studied and proven that serotonin shows a link in the creation of migraines. Enter acupuncture as preventative medicine- regular acupuncture is a proven way to reduce serotonin levels. When we can lower the systemic causes of migraines, there is less room opportunity in the body for home to take root.

4. Acupuncture helps to alleviate associated migraine symptoms. Migraines bring along a host of unwanted guests- nausea, vomiting and dizziness to name a few. An outstanding and proven way to treat these conditions in the body is- you guessed it- acupuncture and herbs.

5. Acupuncture enhances blood circulation. Often times, pain is related to decreased oxygen levels in the body and/or tissue not receiving proper oxygenation due to decreased blood flow. Acupuncture helps to increase blood flow systemically and to targeted areas of the body (enter cupping) thereby reducing pain.

The short version

This is where the article opens up the idea behind the pull quote – written in your voice, root cause first, in language that makes sense to someone who has been told everything looks fine.

How these systems actually connect

showing the bold inline lead-in pattern from the reference:

Your gut. A short demo sentence on the role the gut plays.

Your hormones. A short demo sentence on how the two move together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can gut issues really affect my hormones?

A large share of hormone processing and clearance happens in the gut, so when digestion is under strain, hormone balance often follows.

Why do my labs come back normal when I still don't feel right?

Standard panels are built to flag disease, not the early-pattern shifts that leave you depleted. Reading several systems together is where the answer usually shows up.

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