Headaches and the Experienced Acupuncturist

Acupuncture is often used to treat headaches, but how many massage therapists understand how these treatments can help their clients in a course of therapy?

This article is the second in a series of articles about headaches and therapies. The first article is here.

Dr. Ron Bieler (website), a licensed acupuncturist practicing in Costa Mesa, Calif., offers some help. Although the mechanisms of headache are poorly understood, he says it seems headaches come from tension concentrated in the head and neck.

“Some people just tend to collect their tension in this area, while others will collect tension in the low back or feet,” he said.

Bieler, who has practiced acupuncture for 20 years, begins by examining the hara, the area in the center of the body where the main meridians pass. Hara-based treatments are a Japanese concept used in addition to the traditional Chinese medicine starting points of pulses or tongue color, he said.

First, he checks for congestion or active with a blunt, pen-like probe, asking the patient if one spot is more tender than another.

Once he identifies the tender points, he uses acupuncture needles to alter the energy flow. Headaches begin to wane as the congestion clears from liver or spleen meridians.

When energy flow in the meridians have been restored to optimum, he asks questions and counsels the patient about possible causes such as disturbances in the menses or problems caused by lifestyle such as diet and overwork.

These problems can also respond to treatment via other meridians, but the patient is ultimately in charge of what needs to be done to keep headaches away.

Sound familiar, massage therapists?

Bieler adds that about six visits will deal with most headache patterns, but the occasional tune-up may be required. If people are experiencing extra stress or injury, the headaches may try to re-establish their patterns again.

Once the headaches subside, patients will often ask for additional treatment with less pressing problems such as back pain or sleep disturbances, something massage therapists often observe in massage clients.