A Chinese Medicine Approach to Migraines

Migraines are the leading cause of disability worldwide. It is undoubtedly disabling to optimal performance. Those who suffer know the grueling marathon of pain and discomfort that migraines bring.

The symptoms can begin 1-2 days before the actual migraine, with signs of its impending arrival including thirst, fatigue, frequent urination, constipation, and neck stiffness (especially on one side). Some victims experience an “aura” at the onset of the migraine, which involves visual disturbances such as floaters and bright sparks, auditory hallucinations, difficulty speaking and swallowing, and weakness and numbness. 

Biomedical explanations for the cause of migraines are limited. It often is described as a complex combination of neurologic, hormonal, vascular, and metabolic malfunctions. Genetics may play a role, as many mothers and daughters share this ailment. It is believed that hormone fluctuations contribute to a higher incidence in women. One observation is that a drop in estrogen (associated with the menstrual cycle and menopause) can cause blood vessels to constrict. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) looks at both internal and external factors when sorting through causes and types of migraines. There may be external factors like wind, cold, heat, and damp environmental conditions that trigger changes in the body, affecting qi and blood flow. Internal factors are lifestyle issues that offset the body’s natural yin yang balance. What we eat, how we sleep, the stress we are exposed to, and how we cope all play into that balance. 

Yang energy flows upward in the body. The yang channels intersect in the head, so blockages and deficiencies can cause pain, confusion, and dizziness. These blockages and deficiencies often, at their root, involve yin organs of the body, including the liver, spleen, and kidney. Some of the TCM approaches, depending on the individual pattern of the person being treated, include: Expel Wind-Cold, Anchor Liver Yang (& Nourish Kidney Yin), Sedate Liver Fire, Transform Phlegm (& Support Spleen), Nourish Qi, and Move blood.

In treatment, we often try to address the underlying pattern contributing to the chronic nature of the disease. Acupuncture can also effectively alleviate symptoms or shorten an actual attack. We can work by moving the local stagnation of the affected channel, which often involves yang channels of the body such as the Gallbladder, Bladder, and San Jiao channels.

While treatment is customized for each person, some common acupuncture points for migraine can be helpful—self-administered acupressure to help with the symptoms of an attack. 

Here are a few points for self-care :

GB 20 (wind pool): the meeting place at the base of the skull and top of the neck, in the soft depressions just past the bony prominence behind the ears.

Taiyang (supreme yang): in the temple area, in the depression between the outer corner of the eye and the hairline.

UB 2 (drilling bamboo): in the depression in the bone just under the inner corner of the eyebrow.

In addition to a hot compress on the neck, some magnesium supplementation, and ginger tea (for nausea), someone experiencing a migraine can also gently massage these acupressure points for 30 seconds in repeated intervals to ease some of the tension brought on by this debilitating disease. You can even add a little lavender or peppermint essential oil for added relief.

 Please don’t wait for a migraine to rear its aching head! Get in for regular acupuncture treatments to help reset the organ and channel balance needed for your body to function migraine free! Contact Marc J. Gian, in the Flatiron District in NYC and Crown Heights, Brooklyn

references

https://thejournalofheadacheandpain.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s10194-020-01208-0