Migraine

I've reviewed the previous posts on this forum regarding acupuncture treatments and they've been very helpful. I would appreciate hearing from any of you with updates on your condition or migraine sufferers who have recently tried acupuncture.

I have migraines a couple times a week as well as CDH. My CDH might well be MOH because I medicate more than three times per week, although I try my very best to medicate less.

Does acupuncture help if you're also struggling with MOH or CDH? Should I mention to the acupuncturist any other physical ailments I have, such as fatigue, etc. in hopes of them performing treatments relating to those conditions as well?

I haven't tried acupuncture, but I'm sure someone will be along to share their experience.

Hi marvel, I tried acupuncture for about 3 months to treat my CDH and chronic migraines. At first I had positive results - CDH improved, severity of migraines improved. My nearly constant vertigo and nausea also improved, and for the first time in over a year my insomnia was virtually gone. All of this was much more than I had expected.

Unfortunately, the longer I went, the fewer results I had. During the course of my treatment my migraines also became daily (though I don't think this was related to the acupuncture). My acupuncturist was convinced she would be able to "cure" my "headaches". As time went on and she couldn't, she began to blame things like my medications for continuing to cause problems. (She doesn't believe in medication of any kind.) So I eventually stopped going.

The acupuncture was great to reduce my daily pain, as well as improve my nausea, vertigo and insomnia. But the trade-off in how much time I was missing at work to go to the appointments (at least 2 hours a day twice a week) wasn't worth it when I saw fewer results.

I will also say that I have had similar results from medications - some initial improvement that just sort of peters out.

Put in the same situation again though I would definitely try it. Maybe with a different acupuncturist though. Not that I didn't like her, just her terminology bothered me. The headache clinic I go to now has an acupuncturist on staff so if I decide to go back to it that's probably where I'll go.

Not sure if this helps. I'd be happy to answer any questions though.

Hi,

I'm currently dealing with CDH and just started accupuncture, thought it couldn't hurt, not too much anyway . I had my second treatment today. I haven't had any results so far other than feeling relaxed which is great in itself. I don't see it being the cure to Migraine but possibly a relief to some of the pain. The guy I see expects to try 2 days a week for 3 weeks then reaccess.

I'm currently on Short Term Disability since this current headache has been going for 4 weeks so making the appointments isn't such a problem but I can see where continuing treatment will become a problem.

Taking so much medication has always concerned me, chemicals in the system, so on. And when you still have migraine it seems like alternative treatment is worth the try. I'll be interested in knowing how your treatments go and I'll be glad to keep you posted on mine.

Take care and I wish you luck with the treatments.

Sherri

I've been going since December. I went once a week for about a month(with a vacation break) then about every other week, depending on my schedule. I will admit that I almost gave up. She was all focused on my menstrual cycle being out of balance (I was on the pill and my period came during the 3rd week which didn't bother me, it had been doing that for 9 months on a regular basis) but that is all part of the "getting your chi back in balance"? (something like that). Anyways, I started having horrible headaches and periods every 2 weeks with awful cramps after only 2 visits and they continued for 6 weeks. Finally I broke down and told her we needed to change the game plan or I was done.(I had no idea if the problems were related to the acu but since it was the only new thing in my life, I could only guess it was, which must mean accupuncture does SOMETHING, right?) I told her I was there for my headaches, not my periods! She yammered about the whole chi thing. whatever. Either fix the head or we part our ways.

So, after that she did different things and I had an appointment with my gyn for a yearly visit in early Feb. It happened that the gyn and I decided to do a trial of stopping the BCP's again. So over the course of the month, both my periods and my headaches have calmed down. Amazingly I went 33 days between my last 2 after 3 in 6 weeks prior and countless HA to go with them. Though I can't specifically say which helped the most. (I can say I tried stopping my BCP's a couple years ago and it didn't help at all so in the interest of baby prevention, I started them after 2-3 months. This time DH may make a little trip to the snip doctor.)

At the past visit I asked her to concentrate on my neck. I'd like to see if she can help that now. It did seem to help for a couple days. The next visit I'll ask for head and neck if she can do both, just to keep up the good vibes.

I'll also add that I was at my last straw. I certainly had not maxed out on meds and I had not found this website. But I had just had an MD appt the month before and he had finally given me some tripan samples to try after increasing my topomax again. But CDH were my biggest problem too. And probably MOH from using advil for neck pain, which in theory, is not related to HA, but in reality probably is. He had said I have cluster HA which I strongly doubt - I have a cluster pattern, but not cluster type pain. Plus I have nausea sometimes, others just a really bad HA that has me in the bathroom holding my head at work. So I was willing to try the last alternative therapy I knew of - accupunture. I researched the ones in town and the person I am going to has as a specialty on her website - neuromuscular and headache disease. She also specializes in women's health but she's not pushy and too "eastern". She's never prescribed herbs or concoctions and when I called to talk to her, I agreed with the schedule and prices. I'm not against the "eastern" side, but she's never questioned my "western" medications, which I appreciate.

Good luck. I agree with above. If you can afford it, it can't hurt to try for a couple months. It can get pricey. I figure that by 12 weeks at $60 a pop...... that's $720 I could have spent on a lot of other stuff! But if it helps my quality of life (as I told my boss who is in shock I see a massage therapist every other week as well as the accupunture and chiropractor) it is worth it to not live with chronic pain.

Diane

I just read your post again. My first visit was long and very thorough. Now I saw a woman and was ok discussing this stuff with her, but she asked about EVERYTHING. It was like how your first visit to a new GP ought to be! There was no actual physical, just a long list of questions. But it was funny that we connected a ton of my health "problems" to college, even some that weren't current anymore, like a history of fainting. Most of the stuff still happens, except that I didn't get headaches until I was pregnant at 32 and they didn't get chronic and really severe until about 2-3 years ago (my kids are now 8 1/2).

So they will probably have you fill out a questionaire of some type anyways. And then I told her what I wanted to focus on, even though she took her own approach of how to get there. She did show me all the charts. You can look at them on any good website (just google accupuncture and look for the charts with all the colorful lines connecting the body parts). I just don't get it for some reason - I'll blame it on Dopamax and my brain is just too full of other facts to cram in anything more complicated than 2nd grade information right now. (Gotta help the boys with their homework, right?)

Diane, mom to Jacob and Steven, run of the mill average, trouble making, 2nd grade boys, who are learning more than I ever learned in all of elementary school

Sherri,

Please keep us posted, I know I'm always interested in learning through other's experiences and sharing my own too

quote:

Taking so much medication has always concerned me, chemicals in the system, so on. And when you still have migraine it seems like alternative treatment is worth the try. I'll be interested in knowing how your treatments go and I'll be glad to keep you posted on mine.

Diane,

That's how I feel too. If something can improve my quality of life and reduce the pain, I may as well give it a try (as long as it's not something completely off the wall!) I tried a chiropractor who was great but it got to expensive and wasn't improving my migraines. I also tried hypnosis - a long, long time ago- and that didn't work either. However, it did teach me how to relax and breathe deeply. I still use those techniques when the pain is severe. Just my two cents.

Side note: I completely understand about kids and their homework. My daughter is in third grade and is learning math in a way I never did. Thankfully, they send home a family letter for each chapter. If they didn't, I'd be lost and teaching her how to use the calculator LOL

My teenage boys are almost beyond my college math too.

quote:

But if it helps my quality of life (as I told my boss who is in shock I see a massage therapist every other week as well as the accupunture and chiropractor) it is worth it to not live with chronic pain.

I've found acupuncture to help with symptoms while I'm experiencing them. It is very helpful as a respite from the day's stresses, I often fall asleep during treatments. I've found it good for stress relief, in general, and to relax tight muscles.

I don't believe you could use acupuncture in isolation to completely deal with migraine. I tried regularly some years back, it's only due to the benefits I've noted that I keep going back.