Migraines

Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.

Hello Tara,

It would be helpful if you could detail the points and the herbs you are using so other practitioners can give more precise recommendations.

Comment by Archived User

Hi,

Here is the more detailed info (thanks for replying Chad!)

Trying to concieve for the past 2 years. One miscarriage at 8 weeks term. No appetite, cold hands and feet, slight stress due to lack of conception, wakes up feeling tired, but has no trouble getting to sleep, a bit of a light sleeper, period is regular, cramps in the first few days. Work is not stressful and is regular- no shift work. Pulse is thready/sl. wiry, thin, tongue is normal to slightly pale but not too bad, normal thin white tongue fur. She's about 5'7/8 or so, thin body.

Last treatment consisted of:

LU 7 w/ KD 6
KD 16
LV 8
GB 34
ST 36
SP 4

Other points often used LI 4 and LV 3(if prior to ovulation),
SP 6, KD 3, REN 4, REN 6, Zigong, Taiyang, Yintang, GB 13,
DU 24, BL 15, BL 17, BL 20, BL 21, BL 23.

At the moment I have her taking Gui Pi Tang by Golden Flower Chinese Herbs. She doesn't have trouble sleeping but wakes up feeling very tired. Since taking it, and with regular treatments, her appetite has improved and her hands and feet are less cold. At this point the energy levels are still sluggish and she gets bloated after eating dinner (her largest meal)

I've diagnosed her with LV Xue Xu, SP Qi Xu, slight Xue Xu

Migraine history...she's had them a few years. They are typically one sided, above one eye/forehead. THe spread a little to side of head but tend to come back to the original location. Thumping quality. These drain her energy completely and she is nauseous. She finds that she can't do anything when she gets them, no control over them at all.

I'm hoping that with the reg. treatments and the herbs, we will see a decrease in them. I haven't been treating her migraines much yet as her primary reason for seeing me is fertility. In a couple of weeks, I may change her formula to an Essence tonifying one that focuses more on her KD's.

She has a good diet already but I've also advised her on Xue nourishing foods and SP strengthening foods as well.

Everything I've read concerning migraine/headaches tells me I've advised her as much as I can...but maybe someone out there has had great success with this type of pattern in regards to the migraines. I've also read differing opinions about whether to treat the migraine *during* it, as this can either help or possibly worsen it.

Any opinions are appreciated, if you need more info, please let me know!

Thanks everyone,

T

Comment by Archived User

Hi Tara, Several of my patients have reported that magnesium supplements have greatly improved their migraines. Maybe you can google some additional research on this. Best, Jacqueline Flisher, M.Ac. L.Ac. Dipl.Ac.

Comment by Archived User

Thanks Jacqueline,

I appreciate the suggestion and will pass it on to my patient. I took a look at your website- it looks great and I really do get a sense of ease and kindness just from the site.

Thanks again,

Tara

Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.

Hello Tara,

I, too, would expect that the migraines would respond to the treatment you are already performing. Migraines, however, can be somewhat complicated as they can have multiple causes - allergies, circulatory issues, etc. As usual, pattern differentiation is the key here. From my perspective the points you are currently using are good. I would consider adding massage and/or acupuncture to the following areas on the side where she typically feels the migraines.

I would massage in the area of cervical vertebrae 1 and 2 (C1, C2) through to TH 16 which you could also needle - essentially the "sky window" area (also including points such as SI 16, SI 17, and LI 18 if they illicit pressure pain). The goal here is to regulate the circulation to and from the head. Migraines are not entirely understood but a regulation of the vascular systems running through the neck to the brain are what I concentrate on in most cases. This along with Tai Yang, which you are already using, is often very helpful.

Comment by Archived User

Chad,

Thanks for those suggestions as well. I'll incorporate those into regular treatments for her and see if that helps.

Cheers!

Tara

Comment by Archived User

Chad - I've had some significant success with GB20 and GB3 using mild electrical stimulation with "hand type" needles. I normally use this combination with all "headache" problems and have experienced an 80 - 85% success rate. Em paz, (in peace,) Dave

Comment by Archived User

Hi Tara, I'm not sure whether you still need the info. you were looking for, but I would try to loosen up your client's posterior neck with Lu7, Would check if she shows deficiency in one or more of her pulses, and might find a lack of energy in SJ/PC pair, and so would tonify them with SJ3 & PC9, bilaterally; you could check as well working on her GB meridian at GB43, using it to tonify. Migraine is usually appearing because of either a muscular tension that creates circulatory blockage, or very poor circulatory system by itself especially in the posterior neck arteries that go up to the head, and loosening muscles, you would improve irrigation to the head and prevent the head arteries from delating. All the best

Comment by Archived User

May I also suggest Chi kung exercises? My girlfriend suffered from severe migranes and neck stiffness that occured once or twice a week. The pains were often unbearable, she took medications for them and pretty much had to just lay down, couldn't function with them at all. After we met I introduced her to Chi kung exercises and we did these two three times a week, then slowly increased the frequency. In about 3 months the migraines barely occurred for her once a while. After about 6 months both the migranes and the neck pains were pretty much all gone. She is doing Chi kung with me for over a year now and she is completely free of these symptoms, also generally a lot more relaxed, her stress level has dropped down dramatically. She credits all these to chi kung.

Chi kung also has other great benefits for health, you might want to recommend your patient to also look into this natural healing method.

Best wishes:
Blade~

Comment by Chad J. Dupuis, L.Ac.

From my experience migraines are either structural or vascular (or, of course, a mix of both). Generally the vascular type respond well to general TCM pattern treatment and dietary/lifestyle change, whereas the structural based need more focal treatment on the upper neck and cervical huatuo points. From what I can see the points you are using seem appropriate, although, they would not be as appropriate if the problem is more structural. Below are the main areas that we palpate for pressure pain and treat in most cases. You should also read through the general tcm acupuncture for headaches section for a few more ideas from a traditional TCM perspective.

Our treatments utilize tuina, medical qi gong (in the form of tong ren therapy), and acupuncture. Generally we would start with qi gong and deep tuina massage on the areas noted below with an asterisk, then perform acupuncture on the points listed below and systemic pattern based TCM points, and then finish with deep tuina after the needles have been removed and most likely use cupping in this case on the upper back.

Huatuo area of C1 and C2 **

Taiyang

TH 16 *

LV 3, LI 4, GV 20, GB 20, and at or around the area where the patient experiences the most pain verified also by pressure pain upon palpation (the "ashi" points).

The most important part of the treatment would be the deep tuina around the huatuo area of C1, C2 and out and around TH 16 (the sky window area). This opens up the circulation to and from the brain and will have an effect on the vascular dimension of migraines as well as improving circulation in the cervical spine which will aid the structural aspect.

We have very good results with migraines, so I hope you can reproduce what we see in our clinic. Generally the migraines should become less and less frequent and less strong within 7-10 treatments. They may, of course, need to be seen over a long period of time but something within the 5-12 treatment range should have the frequency and intensity changed significantly.

Comment by Archived User

dull heavy pain means too much damp energy in her head, or spleen is too weak can not move the wet energy. if she eat birthcontrol pills also can cause headache.

try ear seeds : shenmen, sinus , 0 points, spleen, neck, spine, ub. 3 days change another ear to treatment.

everyday tuina both ears till it became red color them pull ears 20 times can feel pain on the ears.

thank you

regards

Feng Mei

Comment by Archived User

Thank you for your suggestions. I will try adding the additional tui na and ear seeds. I will keep you posted on the progress.