The Physiology of Acupuncture for Migraines

The Physiology of Acupuncture for Migraines

1 in 6 Americans suffer from severe headaches, also called migraines, on a regular basis. What are physicians doing to combat migraine symptoms other than prescribing prescription medications? The Journal of Pain Research has been developing and conducting studies regarding the effects of natural treatments, such as acupuncture, for migraines and frequent headache symptoms. Although there are not many studies on the subject matter, the ones existing have provided thorough and positive information toward the credibility of acupuncture treatments.

The Journal of Pain Research conducted an in-depth study where brain imaging was used to show a correlation between acupuncture treatments and its effect on brain metabolites. The study included 45 subjects who were all determined to suffer from frequent and severe migraines. During the evaluation period and before any treatment was administered, the 45 subjects underwent an MRSI Brain Imaging scan which measured the amount of brain metabolites in areas of the brain that housed receptors for pain.

After evaluation, the subjects were administered acupuncture treatments for five consecutive days and then re-evaluated for symptom severity and relief. Upon completion of the full study, researchers concluded that the subjects exhibited a decrease in migraine pain severity and showed a highly significant decrease in brain metabolite levels in areas of the brain such as the Thalami Region. The Thalami Region of the brain is associated with pain.

A positive correlation was drawn between acupuncture treatments and a reduction of brain metabolite levels in the brain, showing a decrease in painful symptoms associated with migraines. The results are a significant attribute to the practice of acupuncture and the availability of natural treatments versus migraine relief from prescription medications.

How does it work?

Acupuncture treatments are uniquely tailored to each patient. Whether you are suffering from frequent, irritating headaches or debilitating migraines, Fast Relief Acupuncture works to figure out what the best route of treatment is for you. Overall, however, acupuncture can provide a multitude of benefits to patients including symptom relief from headaches at all severity levels. Acupoints at specific areas of the body are manipulated to provide pain relief, a stimulation of various systems of the body which will trigger healing processes, and muscle stiffness and tension relief.

Needling is the most common form of acupuncture treatments for migraines. The insertion of tiny hair-like needles into acupoints is virtually painless and there are no negative side-effects.

Fast Relief Acupuncture is proud to identify as a migraine specialist, providing outstanding care and developing satisfactory, lasting results. If you present with any number of the migraine symptoms below or have been diagnosed by a doctor, you can be sure that Fast Relief Acupuncture will garnish the results that you need to heal.

Symptoms of migraines

  • Sensitivity to light or sounds
  • Severe pain in the head that is described as throbbing, sharp or dull
  • Distorted vision
  • Dizziness
  • Lightheadedness
  • Overall feelings of sickness (Malaise)
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Nasal congestion
  • Inability to function as normal

Fast Relief Acupuncture will work together with your doctor to create the best treatment plan for your unique migraine diagnosis. Come heal with us, the fast way!

Hi,

My Name is John Kim

I have been a licensed acupuncturist since 2000. When I first started my acupuncture career, my primary goal as a practitioner was to help people anguishing from living with pain everyday of their lives. I have seen on numerous occasions what chronic pain can do to a person physically but also seen how it can debilitate a person’s psyche as well.


Throughout the years, I have studied, developed and incorporated a very unique treatment protocol that has successfully treated and effectively reduced pain levels on chronic pain patients. I have combined traditional methods of acupuncture along with modern, research proven techniques to help reduce chronic pain symptoms in a safe, non- chemically addictive, and effective process.


If you have any of the following:

  • Headache/ Migraine
  • Arthritis/ Stenosis
  • Nerve pain
  • Neck/Back pain
  • Fibromyalgia pain
  • Allergies
  • TMJ
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Scar Tissue
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Do not hesitate and contact me!

I am here to help you to feel your very best!

Acupuncture is an Alternative Treatment for Headaches Related to Traumatic Brain Injury

A Traumatic Brain Injury is defined as, “a brain dysfunction caused by an outside force, usually a violent blow to the head”. This type of injury is a common occurrence in all age groups, however, is most significantly seen as the result of a sports injury or a vehicular collision. Approximately 1.1 million ER visits, per year in the United States, and approximately 235 hospitalizations per year in the United States are attributed to Traumatic Brain Injuries. Even more noteworthy is the 50,000 deaths every year that result from this serious injury.

Although many Traumatic Brain Injury patients go on to live with mild symptoms, numerous experience a life-long disability that completely changes the course of their day to day lives. Disabilities resulting from trauma in the brain can lead to high risk surgeries, medication, lasting side-effects and routine doctors’ visits.

Although all patients who are diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury are encouraged to routinely see their physician so that the condition can be properly monitored, there is a way for patients to be treated and healed in a safe, effective manner that doesn’t include surgeries, prescription medications or adverse side-effects. Acupuncture can aid these patients in regaining cognitive, motor, emotional, verbal and behavioral related components while also serving as a headache reliever, which is the most common symptom of a Traumatic Brain Injury.

Proven studies that show acupuncture works

Over the last few years, acupuncture has especially boomed in areas such as China and North Korea. Medical professionals have joined together to conduct extensive studies in all areas of acupuncture research, to include the effects of treatment for Traumatic Brain Injury patients. Some studies, which were conducted within the acupuncture epicenter of the world, China, were compiled together and analyzed by top-notch researchers at the Cochrane Review. Based on their specific collective data pulls, Cochrane Review discovered that acupuncture, when administered by needling or with electrodes, was indeed effective in treating acuter Traumatic Brain Injury over a period of time.

Backing up the Cochrane Review conclusions, in 2018, Hindawi researchers in China concluded, based upon their own extensive research, that Traumatic Brain Injury patients receiving acupuncture were less likely to use emergency or hospital services than those who weren’t receiving acupuncture treatment, within the first year of the injury.

Acupuncture relief for Traumatic Brain Injury Patients

After a diagnosis has been received, patients who suffer from a Traumatic Brain Injury can turn to acupuncture treatments to better aid in their healing process. Fast Relief Acupuncture works together with the patient’s team of doctors to administer the best possible care. Acupuncture has been proven to be beneficial to a patient’s cognitive quality, sleep progression, and symptom relief, which are all main side-effects of a traumatic injury to the brain.

Migraines or frequent headaches often result from a brain injury and, believe it or not, can be extremely hard to manage with prescription medications or other therapies. Fast Relief Acupuncture owner, John Kim, is a certified migraine specialist who works with Traumatic Brain Injury patients to manage their symptoms and ultimately become symptom-free. Using top-notch acupuncture techniques, such as acupressure, needling, and electro-stimulation, Fast Relief Acupuncture will quickly rid of your painful symptoms and manage your injury in an all-natural, effective and safe way.

Acupuncture needling, acupressure, and electro-stimulation enable the acupuncturist to gently manipulate movements that stimulate the body’s natural healing tendencies and promote physical well-being. While creating a relaxed state, mentally and physically, these acupuncture treatments can send naturally produced pain-relieving hormones to the brain which allow patients to find relief from Traumatic Brain Injury symptoms, such as headaches.

Mental stresses from an injury such as this can cause major depression or anxiety symptoms that can be detrimental to patients who do not receive the proper treatment. Acupuncture also stimulates the production of “feel good” hormones that serve in boosting mood and relieving stress-related symptoms such as high blood pressure, increased heart rate and mood swings.

Why choose Fast Relief Acupuncture?  

Fast Relief Acupuncture is enjoyed by patients who suffer from an array of ailments, to include those who have received a Traumatic Brain Injury diagnosis. Being a certified migraine specialist sets John Kim apart from other offices in Northern New Jersey. Fast Relief Acupuncture has the skills, knowledge and experience to help you live a better, symptom-free life from your Traumatic Brain Injury. Don’t let your Traumatic Brain Injury control you. Let’s control your Traumatic Brain Injury with the help of natural treatment such as Acupuncture. Call Fast Relief Acupuncture, today!

Hi,

My Name is John Kim

I have been a licensed acupuncturist since 2000. When I first started my acupuncture career, my primary goal as a practitioner was to help people anguishing from living with pain everyday of their lives. I have seen on numerous occasions what chronic pain can do to a person physically but also seen how it can debilitate a person’s psyche as well.


Throughout the years, I have studied, developed and incorporated a very unique treatment protocol that has successfully treated and effectively reduced pain levels on chronic pain patients. I have combined traditional methods of acupuncture along with modern, research proven techniques to help reduce chronic pain symptoms in a safe, non- chemically addictive, and effective process.


If you have any of the following:

  • Headache/ Migraine
  • Arthritis/ Stenosis
  • Nerve pain
  • Neck/Back pain
  • Fibromyalgia pain
  • Allergies
  • TMJ
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Scar Tissue
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Do not hesitate and contact me!

I am here to help you to feel your very best!

Acupuncture Migraine Specialist: 5 Steps to Prepare for a First-time Visit

You may have just started experiencing re-occurring Migraines, or maybe they have become a chronic nuisance. Whichever the case, finding an effective treatment for lasting relief is important but can be challenging.

Fast Relief Acupuncture is Bergen County’s leading migraine specialist, providing lasting holistic treatments to eliminate migraines safely and completely. Here are five things you should know to best prepare for your appointment.

Get to know your health from the inside-out, especially your migraine / headache- You will want to know the ins and outs of your headache issue. To better evaluate your symptoms, look at the “Five W’s and an H” strategy below. Answer the questions as they relate to your unique headache condition.

WHO

Do you or anyone in your family experience frequent headaches and/or suffer from severe migraines? It is always helpful and important to know your family history regarding any conditions that they or you may have. Our acupuncture specialist will greatly benefit from receiving information that will help provide a detailed and effective treatment plan based off of your family history.

WHAT

What type of symptoms do you feel when having a migraine attack? Write down highly descriptive words such as, stabbing, tingling, pounding, pulsing, or burning. To know your symptoms is to know your headache. Your acupuncturist will be able to identify other body parts affected by your headache and if there are other issues that need to be addressed.

WHEN

When do your headaches occur? Do they appear at specific times, such as at night or after a stressful day? Be as specific as possible, as this can help your specialist identify important triggers that may be causing your discomfort.

WHY

Why do your headaches occur? What are those triggers that cause the migraine? Is it stress, exercise, sleep? All of these could be a trigger. Write down what you were doing when the migraine began.

HOW

How long does your migraine last? Minutes, hours, days? When does your migraine feel the worst? Does it become the worst right away or does it gradually climb in severity?

Here are some tips prior to your initial visit that can greatly aid in your recovery!

Jot down everything- In order to keep your “Five Ws and an H” strategy organized; it is helpful to write everything down in a notebook. Your migraine specialist will devise a plan for your treatment based on your history and current symptoms along with your treatment goals. Keeping a journal in a notebook can greatly aid in deciphering exactly what you need to find headache/ migraine relief.

Know your own medical history- Believe it or not, many patients come to us without a recollection of their own medical histories. During the consultation, our staff gets to know you on a personal basis, including any conditions, medical issues, or medications taken in the past. The information portrayed within these areas will help determine what may be the root cause of your migraine issue, plus harness any important treatment measures for future appointments. To best prepare for your consultation appointment, take the time to gather your medical records from previous doctors, especially ones that you may have visited for the same issue.

Write down questions to ask your therapist- In the same notebook that you write your symptoms, jot down questions or concerns that you wish to address during your consultation appointment or during the appointments after. We realize that this may be your first time trying a natural treatment such as acupuncture. With all first-time experiences come a bound of nerves and a multitude of questions. Our office staff is here to answer any question you may have and calm your concerns.  When you write down questions as you think of them, you will be able to focus more on your consultation rather than stressing over remembering what you may think you have missed.

Come with an open mind- Acupuncture is a natural, proven, and cost-effective treatment that is quite different than a regular doctor appointment. With that being said, come with an open mind. The experience may be daunting for the first time; however, we will make sure you are comfortable, relaxed and that you leave excited to experience your next appointment with us! 

Equipping yourself with the tools above will enhance your first-time acupuncture experience at Fast Relief Acupuncture. Being prepared and willing is the first step in finding lasting migraine relief! Call us today to set up a free consultation appointment.

Hi,

My Name is John Kim

I have been a licensed acupuncturist since 2000. When I first started my acupuncture career, my primary goal as a practitioner was to help people anguishing from living with pain everyday of their lives. I have seen on numerous occasions what chronic pain can do to a person physically but also seen how it can debilitate a person’s psyche as well.


Throughout the years, I have studied, developed and incorporated a very unique treatment protocol that has successfully treated and effectively reduced pain levels on chronic pain patients. I have combined traditional methods of acupuncture along with modern, research proven techniques to help reduce chronic pain symptoms in a safe, non- chemically addictive, and effective process.


If you have any of the following:

  • Headache/ Migraine
  • Arthritis/ Stenosis
  • Nerve pain
  • Neck/Back pain
  • Fibromyalgia pain
  • Allergies
  • TMJ
  • Plantar Fasciitis
  • Scar Tissue
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Do not hesitate and contact me!

I am here to help you to feel your very best!