Common Headache Types
1) Sinusitis: Pain is usually felt above the eyebrows or under the eyeballs. Moving the head increases the pain.
2) Cluster: Pain is sudden and very severe, usually around one eye.
3) Tension Type Headache: It is the most common type of headache. The pain is in the whole head or in the form of a band and is of a compressive nature.
4) Migraine: Severe pain is felt especially in one part of the head. Sensitivity to light, smells, sound; It may be accompanied by symptoms such as numbness and nausea in some parts of the body.
Effect Mechanisms of Migraine and Other Common Headache Types
Migraine is a serious health problem that is encountered in one out of every 6 people in our country. According to many researchers, the contraction of the cerebral vessels before the migraine attack and the enlargement during the attack creates a change in the cerebral blood flow. Researchers think that these changes lead to pain. However, there are those who argue that the fluctuations in blood levels of various neuromediators such as serotonin affect the brain chemistry and this change causes migraine attacks.
Sinusitis is based on the inflammation of the epithelium covering the sinus cavities in the facial bones. The pain, on the other hand, is completely caused by the irritation of the nerve endings of the inflammation.
Cluster headache is seen relatively less frequently and is based on the swelling of the blood vessels surrounding the facial nerves and causing pain by pressing on the nerves. Although the exact cause of this swelling in the veins has not been revealed, it is thought that the hormone serotonin is responsible.
Tension headache is the most common type of headache. This type of pain is caused by the excessive tension of the head and neck muscles due to daily life events and stress.
The Role of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Headache
Acupuncture is a very effective and reliable treatment method for headaches, as it is for all other painful diseases. The reason why acupuncture is extremely effective in headaches is that it is effective not only on one of the causes of pain, but also on all the causes that play a role in the formation of pain, and it can activate all the systems of the body related to pain relief.
Headaches consist of different causes according to their types. Acupuncture treatment stops the pain and prevents its reoccurrence by directly inhibiting that mechanism in the type of headache in question (such as relaxing the muscles, narrowing the blood vessels, preventing stress or preventing the release of chemicals that initiate pain).
Acupuncture is very effective in initiating pain-relieving mechanisms as well as stopping the mechanisms that cause pain. There are endogenous chemicals in our body, such as endogenous opioids, enkephalin, endorphin, dynorphin, neurotensin, serotonin, ACTH, corticosteroids, that reduce the perception of pain directly and indirectly. In the treatment of pain with acupuncture, it has been shown that the blood values of all these chemicals increase.
In addition to all the above, it is a very important data to consider that acupuncture treatment has no side effects. Because keeping headaches under control with drugs has very serious toxic effects on kidneys and liver in the long run. In the light of this information, it is obvious that acupuncture is a very effective and reliable treatment method both in the treatment of attacks of headache and in the prevention of recurrence of pain (prophylaxis).
Tips for Headaches
Try to find out what triggers your headache: something like food, lack of sleep, talking too much, laughing too much, noise, dim light, stress.
Be mindful of your meal schedule. Being hungry often triggers a headache. Take care to maintain your meal order, especially on holidays.
Caffeine, alcohol and cigarette consumption may initiate your headache. Be careful with headaches when using them.
Get plenty of magnesium. Magnesium can play a role in preventing the onset of pain by relaxing the vessels. Leafy greens, vegetables and nuts contain plenty of magnesium.
Pay attention to your sleep patterns. Not being able to sleep at the hours you are accustomed to may initiate a headache attack. Make sure to exercise regularly.
