Medical Acupuncture Topic Guide

Migraine headaches are intense, recurring headaches that are sometimes accompanied by nausea, vomiting and other symptoms. Alternative therapies that have proven successful for some include: spinal manipulation, acupuncture, and homeopathy. It is important to do research on the practitioner and make sure alternative therapies don't do harm.

Cluster headaches are different that typical headaches or migraines in that they begin intensely and last from 5 minutes to an hour. They may come several times during the day, punctuated by painless periods. The cause is unclear, but competing theories trace this type of headache to either a malfunctioning vascular system in the brain, or a malfunctioning neurological symptom in the brain. A variety of drugs is used to treat cluster headaches.

Two general types of headaches exist: primary (like migraines and cluster headaches) and secondary (headaches caused by a structural problem, trauma, or infection) Triggers include stress, lack of sleep, not enough food or fluids, and many other causes. A variety of medications all working through a variety of different mechanisms are used to treat migraines.

Migraine headaches are one of the most common problems seen by doctors, Urgent Care Centers, and Emergency Departments. While the exact cause of this type of headache is not clearly understood, researchers and doctors believe they are due to changes in the brain and surrounding blood vessels.Triggers for migraine headache are certain foods (chocolate, cheese, alcohol, msg, etc.), stress, birth control pills, and smoking.Signs and symptoms of a migraine include a variety of warning signs (referred to as “prodome”), for example, feeling "high," irritable, or depressed, migraine aura, headache pain, and migraine pain that resolves. Other migraine symptoms, for example, problems eating, concentrating, and fatigue may linger after the pain is gone.

Headaches are among the most common complaints worldwide. Though headaches are common symptoms of many diseases, tension-type headaches have specific characteristics, such as a tightening feeling on both sides of the head; sensitivity to light or sound; and other hallmarks. Treatment typically includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs).