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	Migraine What is migraine? Migraine is one of the most common neurological conditions in the developed world. It is more prevalent than diabetes, epilepsy and asthma combined. Migraine is more than just a headache. It can be a debilitating condition, which has a considerable impact on the quality of life of sufferers and their families. Attacks can be completely disabling, forcing the sufferer to abandon everyday activities for up to 3 days. Even in symptom-free periods, sufferers may live in fear of the next attack. Stress, noise and food are among the triggers, which can initiate the onset of a migraine headache. Symptoms may include vomiting, nausea, extreme incapacitating pain, visual images such as flashes, and sensitivity to outside stimuli including light, sounds and smells. Those who suffer from migraines tend to have a more sensitive central nervous system than normal. While migraines affect far fewer people than tension-type headaches and have a much shorter duration, their symptoms are much more severe. They typically affect women more frequently than men, with pain that usually occurs on one side of the head. Migraines can be so severe that they can cause loss of appetite, blurred vision, nausea and even vomiting. What causes migraine? Migraine is believed to be caused by the release of a chemical called serotonin into the bloodstream from its storage sites in the body, resulting in changes in the neurotransmitters and blood vessels in the brain. Exactly what causes this to happen is still a subject for research and debate. However certain factors have been identified which can trigger attacks in susceptible people: Stress or sometimes the relief of stress Lack of food or infrequent meals Foods containing monosodium glutamate, caffeine and tyramine Certain specific foods like chocolate, citrus fruits, cheese Alcohol, especially red wine Overtiredness (physical or mental) Changes in sleep patterns Can migraine be hereditary? Migraine is a neurological condition, but often a hereditary disease also. One recent study concluded that migraines might be due to stomach infection with Helicobacter pylori, a common bacterial agent. The study concluded that a treatment strategy, which combined antibiotics and the "friendly bacteria”, Lactobacillus, was effective for many individuals, though others rose questions over the study’s design which failed to use double-blind controls. Symptoms Migraine is typically characterised by severe, recurring head pain, usually located on one side of the head and one or more of the following associated symptoms: nausea vomiting increased sensitivity to light, sound and smell Other associated symptoms may include light-headedness, diarrhoea and scalp tenderness. Migraine symptoms vary for each individual sufferer, making diagnosis. Treatment Although there is as yet, no miracle cure for migraine it is possible to bring your condition under control. There is now a wide range of treatments available which can be very effective, but migraine is a complex condition and a treatment, which is successful for one patient, may have no effect on another. It is therefore important to persevere until you develop a management plan, which works for YOU. Around 60% of migraine sufferers have never consulted their doctor about their migraine either because they don't like to bother him or her, or they believe that nothing can be done to help them. They may feel that a treatment prescribed in the past did not help and they have not felt it worthwhile to go back. There are many treatments now available and new products are introduced very frequently. Your doctor and your pharmacist are important allies in your battle against migraine and their advice and support can be invaluable. Acupuncture and migraine At migraines onset, sufferers can take painkillers to relieve its effects, but this often only provides short-term relief and in some cases is completely ineffectual. In contrast to treatment with ordinary painkillers, acupuncture provides an effective and powerful method to ease migraines with minimal or no side effects. Acupuncture is shown to be effective in treating migraine headaches. The exact mechanism of action is not known. One theory suggests that acupuncture releases endorphins, the brain's natural painkillers. Another states acupuncture may stabilize levels of serotonin, a chemical messenger in the brain. Research done has shown that after as few as 12 treatment sessions, patients experience fewer and less-severe migraine attacks.   Acupuncturists suggest that migraine headaches are caused by an imbalance in the body's flow of energy (blood stagnation in the meridians). Acupuncture re-establishes this equilibrium, thereby treating the cause and the pain of migraine.  Although acupuncture can ease the pain of an attack, this therapy is best used as a preventive treatment for migraine. Before treating with acupuncture, you need to ascertain the location of the headache. Because the head is traversed by many meridians, the location of the headache determines which meridians are involved. For example: Pain in the occipital area and nape of the neck indicates blockage in the bladder meridian. Pain at the forehead and above the eyes indicates the stomach meridian. Pain by the temples and side of the head is related to the gallbladder meridian. Pain at the top of the head indicates an imbalance in the liver meridian. Each of these headaches is relieved by applying acupuncture to different points. In addition, the acupuncturist will want to know what the pain is like, if it is associated with particular weather patterns, food intake, time of day, and so on.   After determining this, the acupuncturist will be able to design a treatment program to restore the flow of chi to normal and prevent the recurrence of headache. The majority of people with migraines seek acupuncture treatment after experimenting with other more conventional methods. While some people may feel immediate comfort from acupuncture, it usually takes four or five treatments to see a significant improvement. For initial treatment, the acupuncturist may advise one to two visits per week for a couple of weeks, then reduce it to once a week for two to three weeks, with follow-up treatments as needed.                                                                                                                                                   Back to top