August 2011 - Headache Be Gone!

In This Issue: 
**Headache Be Gone! 
 *Stress Related (physical or emotional)
 *Sinus Related
 *Hormone Related 
 **Thanks for Tuning In! Book On-line Anytime!
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Headache Be Gone! 
Headaches can be one of the WORST things to experience, especially if your headaches are severe, recurrent and keep you from sleeping which just makes everything that much more severe. They can become a background noise to your life and daily activities that feels like a constant struggle; a continuous effort to forceably put the pain in the background and carry on.

Luckily, Acupuncture is a wonderful treatment for headaches of every sort and can be very effective, especially in the acute phase. I have had many patients walk in with a headache and walk out feeling fine. Add some herbs to the mix and perhaps some Acupressure and you have a winning combination. Here is some more information about specific types of headaches as well as some recommendations for self care.

Stress Related
Stress related headaches are extremely common, and can be due to purely emotional upset, due to physical tension in the neck and shoulders or a combination of both. Either course is primarily due to Liver Qi Stagnation affecting the Bladder (back of the neck headache) and Gall Bladder (temporal headache) channels that traverse the head.

Using a combination of Acupuncture and Tuina massage, these blocked channels can be opened up, Qi flow restored and headaches diminished.

At home or at work, regular neck and shoulder stretching should be emphasized along with massaging the point He Gu or Large Intestine 4. Located in the center of the web between the thumb and index finger, massaging this point several times a day will help to open your Qi gates and move Qi in your whole body.


Sinus Related
Sinus related headaches can be due to a combination of energetic excesses and deficiencies causing frequent colds, flus or allergies combined with Qi stagnation in the face and sinuses. Acupuncture treatments generally focus on moving Qi in the localized areas of pain (frontal sinuses, forehead) while treating the underlying energetic deficiencies for long term resolution. Combine this with herbal remedies like Chuan Xiong Wan, one of my favorite herbal formulas, and you'll be feeling better in no time. One of the primary ingredients in Chuan Xiong Wan is actually green tea and regular consumption of a good loose leaf green tea can do a lot for clearing the head and sinuses.


Hormone Related
Nagging headaches a part of your menstrual cycle or transition to menopause? Acupuncture can help. Using a combination of Acupuncture and Chinese herbal therapies focused around your cycle (or lack therof...) we can moderate the energetic interplay between Liver and Kidney Yin and Yang, clear the deficient heat that is rising to create headaches, irritability and anxiousness and help you find yourself again.

Acupuncture treatments every two weeks for 2-3 months are recommended to start. Dietary therapies can also be helpful but vary based on your menstrual cycle. Next time you have a hormone related headache, try a cup of mint tea to start, perhaps with a touch of orange peel. Both of these herbs enter the Liver channel.

Thanks for Tuning In!
As usual thanks again for tuning in! If you are interested in more information about Chinese Medicine to treat insomnia this summer, please don't hesitate to call or book on-line. Free 15 minute consultations in person or over the phone are always available which you can book via phone at (503)445-8888 or on-line as well if you have more specific questions.

Looking forward to seeing you!
~Rebecca