Taming Migraines with Traditional Chinese MEdicine
Over 28 million Americans suffer from migraines. If you’re one of them, you’re well aware of the symptoms: debilitating pain, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound.
The cause of migraines is complex. Most medical experts agree that these headaches arise from functional changes in the trigeminal nerve (a major nerve pathway from your brain), imbalances in brain chemicals, and painful dilation of blood vessels.
Western physicians typically focus treatment on drugs to abort the headache, and, in some cases, to prevent future attacks. Unfortunately, these medications can cause side effects and do not cure the headaches.
When considering the origin of migraines, practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) look for signs of disharmony in the whole body, not just the brain. As their predecessors have done for 5,000 years, they relieve migraines by using acupuncture and Chinese herbs to correct imbalances.
Scientific research supports these ancient practices. In 1997, the National Institute of Health (NIH) issued a long-awaited statement that listed headache among the many ailments acupuncture may benefit.
In Dr. Hongfei Lin’s experience, acupuncture and Chinese herbs help nearly 90 percent of her patients with migraines. Dr. Lin tailors treatments to fit each patient’s unique needs. First, she identifies blockage in the energy meridians and imbalances of internal organs. She then inserts hair-fine, sterile needles into specific acupoints. (Because Dr. Lin treats the body as a whole, a needle in the foot may relieve a headache!) If necessary, patients may also go home with a customized blend of herbs.
Depending upon the origin of your migraines, the number of office visits can range from eight to twenty. Many times, other symptoms – insomnia, mood swings, fatigue, hormonal imbalances, and even temporal mandibular joint pain – will improve during this period. Once your body’s harmony is restored, your migraines should stop, and other benefits will persist long after treatment.
“Dr. Lin has amazing hands and will find all troubled spots in your body… I used to have headaches once or twice a week, which disappeared with medication but would return the next day. I now am headache free for up to two weeks at a time. If I do get a headache, it is less intense, and I can still do everything I was planning to do. The treatments also give me a burst of energy and a more positive outlook. Now I feel more balanced, can do more, and most importantly, I feel less stress. Being a practitioner in western medicine (physical therapist), I know that I would not have been able to get these results with traditional treatments. I highly recommend Dr. Lin as a practitioner.”
–Birgit Mueller, Physical Therapist.
A Story of Mother and Son
For over twenty years, B.J. suffered from migraine headaches. After three months of treatment by Dr. Lin, the migraines ceased. Since 1999 she has been migraine free.
Her son Lonny suffered from migraines for six years. She brought him to see Dr. Lin in May 2004. Four months later, his migraines were gone, and Lonny has been migraine-free since September 2004.
In December 2005, Lonny wrote this thank you note to Dr. Lin:
“Dr. Lin, I am pleased to be able to thank you for the fact that I no longer suffer from those horrible migraine headaches… I attribute the lack of headaches to your acupuncture and herbal treatments. I thank you wholeheartedly for this occurrence. I tell people everywhere that acupuncture is probably the best treatment that one can undergo for various types of illness! I wish you much luck in your endeavors…”