Dry Needling: Migraine Edition

Lights. Camera. Migraine.

If you suffer from migraines, you know all about the daunting feelings of blurred vision, nausea and single sided throb or pulsing on one side of the head.  These symptoms creep up on you, leaving you feeling helpless and bracing for impact. Treatments options range from medication, hot packs/cold packs, caffeine, dim lighting, or sleep. And sometimes, these treatments are not enough.

What if I told you a few needle sticks into your head and neck could help? Would you try it? By needle sticks, I mean dry needling.  And by head and neck, I mean areas within the muscles surrounding the cranium which house active trigger points from referred pain patterns of migraines.

A study done in 2007 showed a decrease in migraine symptoms with dry needling into active trigger point locations in the head and neck of 54 patients with symptomatic migraines. Patients received 4 treatments of dry needling on the 3^rd, 10^th, 30^th and 60^th day after an initial threshold measurement of migraine severity was taken.  The results of this study proved dry needling to be a successful adjunct to therapy for migraine patients in reducing their symptoms and aiding to decrease the dosages of specific migraine medications overtime.

So what are you waiting for? Foundational Concepts is home to 2 certified dry needling clinicians. Call to take advantage of our special dry needling evaluation and treatments.

Giamberadino et al: Contribution of Myofascial Trigger Points of Migraine Symptoms. J Pain, 8(11): 869-878, 2007.