Migraines hurt. Between the headache, nausea, and sensitivity, migraines can be overwhelmingly painful. This is why we take preventative measures to avoid migraines. There are plenty of fixes out there, but which solution is the best? There are medicines, surgeries, and relaxation techniques.

Now, instantly I’m drawn towards relaxation techniques. What’s better than feeling relaxed? But let’s take a look at the other two options briefly - for each has its own issues. Medicines are excellent for recovering from a migraine. If you’re in the midst of an attack, there are medicines that can aid a quick recovery. Medicines, however, come with a litany of side effects. There are health risks inherent in taking chemical treatment as a preventative measure. Research on Topiramate, one of the most common migraine-prevention medicines, reveals warnings of side effects including poor body heat regulation, visual impairment, and coordination problems. “Avoid activities requiring mental alertness” may be read on the bottle. Migraine medicines come with built-in risks.

Surgery is an effective prevention option as well, but surgery is invasive, expensive, and I see it as more of a last-resort measure for chronic migraines.

With relaxation techniques… there are no pitfalls. And Chinese acupuncture techniques are proving to be effective migraine preventive measures.

In fact, the US National Library of Medicine has posted a study on the subject. Their conclusion was such:

“Acupuncture is at least as effective as, or possibly more effective than, prophylactic drug treatment, and has fewer adverse effects. Acupuncture should be considered a treatment option for patients willing to undergo this treatment.”

Check out the study yourself if you’d like!

This is why I recommend trying Chinese acupuncture as a relaxation technique and migraine preventative measure.