Acupuncture is an ancient healing art that, with a few modern touches, is still helping people today, including people with chronic headaches. Winchester Chiropractic Center in Winchester, VA, lists what you need to know about treating headaches with acupuncture.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a chiropractic technique in which extremely thin needles are inserted into specific points on your body. Needles are stimulated gently by hand or by a machine that produces low doses of electricity. This is why sometimes modern acupuncture is called electroacupuncture. After a while, the needles come out.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
The thin needles help the body release chemicals that help reduce pain, enhance your mood, and make you feel relaxed. Some people become so relaxed during an acupuncture treatment that they fall asleep. Many animals also fall asleep when they are given acupuncture treatment.
About Acupuncture Needles
Needles are used only one time. You will get completely sterile needles, then they get thrown away. Needles are usually made out of stainless steel, or nickel-chromium steel wire. Some acupuncturists use gold-plated needles, but the added gold has no known advantage over less expensive kinds of needles. The tips of acupuncture needles are slightly blunted, so they do not feel as sharp as other kinds of needles, such as a hypodermic needle.
Acupuncture May Help You Sleep Better
Many people who suffer from chronic headaches also have problems sleeping. Not getting enough sleep can contribute to how often you get headaches. Acupuncture sessions can help you get a better night sleep.
Side Effects of Acupuncture
There are very few reported side effects of using acupuncture or electroacupuncture for headaches. There may be some soreness, bruising or minor bleeding from the needles.
Acupuncture Can Be Safely Combined with Other Therapies
Acupuncture or electroacupuncture can be used in conjunction with other therapies, such as those from an adjustment chiropractor, to help your headaches and anything else you are being treated for. You can still go to an adjustment chiropractor for treatment one day and get acupuncture another day. You can also use it in conjunction with cranial therapy, if your chiropractor recommends it.
Finding an Acupuncturist
Our chiropractic center offers acupuncture. You can also check out the Find a Practitioner tool on the web page of the American Society of Acupuncturists.
Let Us Help
There’s no need to suffer from chronic headaches when there are effective treatments available. If you live in the Winchester, VA, area, contact Winchester Chiropractic Center at (540) 667-0220 to make an appointment today.
