Natural methods can be just as effective as headache treatments as medication. Treatments such as acupuncture, and butterbur extract are proven treatments that can reduce the severity and lessen the frequency of headaches. Alternative headache treatments are more appealing to some people, since most of these treatments don't carry the risks of side effects, as certain prescription medications do.
Most headaches cause a pain that can range from moderate to severe. There are different types of headaches. Each has its own symptoms. Migraines are among the most common headaches. Symptoms include throbbing pain, sensitivity to light, and nausea. Tension headaches involve pain in the scalp, head, or neck. Cluster headaches usually cause pain on only one side of the head, and can also cause nasal congestion and watery eyes.
Benefits of Acupuncture
Chinese medicine has long supported the belief in the benefits of acupuncture. Studies even support the idea that acupuncture works as a cure for migraine and other headaches. According to eastern culture, energy is blocked and is prevented from leaving certain areas of the body. This prevents the energy from flowing evenly throughout the body and the result is pain. Acupuncture releases the trapped energy and allows it to travel through the body.
According to a study published in the British Medical Journal (May 15, 2004), acupuncture is an effective long term cure for migraine and other chronic headaches.The study analyzed 401 adults between the ages of 18 and 65 who had frequent severe headaches. One group of patients received acupuncture treatments once a week for three months, in addition to the traditional medical treatment for headaches.
Researchers discovered that one year later, the patients who underwent acupuncture, had fewer headaches, needed less medication, did not need to go to the doctor, and did not call in sick from work, as often as the group who didn't receive acupuncture treatments. This was the largest study to examine the effects that acupuncture has on headache pain.
Butterbur Extract
Butterbur extract also works as a cure for headache pain. Butterbur is a flower that thrives in swamp like areas such as along the banks of rivers, ditches, and marshes. Native Americans have long used butterbur for inflammation and to relieve headache pain. Research from a study released by the Department of Neurology and Epidemiology in 2004, indicates that butterbur not only relieves headaches, but can prevent them altogether.
The participants who received butterbur during the four month study had a nearly 50 percent decrease in the frequency of their migraine attacks. Patients can take butterbur as a supplement in the form of a tablet or capsule. A person should not get butterbur directly from the plant because it has toxic substances. The toxins are removed from the supplements. Patients should consult their physician before taking butterbur for their headaches.
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