Dry Needling Provides Headache and Migraine Relief without Drugs
If you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines, you know the pain can be very disruptive to your life. Most treatments for headaches include pain meds, whether over the counter or prescription. But dry needling offers an alternative that is minimally invasive and can relieve pain without any drugs.
What causes headaches?
Women are more prone to headaches and most headaches are rooted in the suboccipital muscles, which are the muscles at the very base of the skull where your head and neck meet. These muscles are responsible for most tension headaches and migraines. By treating the muscles with dry needling, it causes them to relax and the tension to subside, which greatly improves or eliminates the pain.
How does dry needling for headache relief work?
Doctors LoConte, Welch and Riley all practice dry needling and have seen great results for their patients who suffer from tension headaches and migraines.
“It is typically a combination of things we do for the patient, but dry needling is a really positive treatment that can be done without manipulation and still be super effective,” Dr. LoConte says.
Dr. LoConte has been using dry needling for headache relief for many years with very positive and quick results for patients. “Needles are a mechanical way to get those muscles to calm down really quickly,” Dr. LoConte says. “Because I can precisely target the areas that are causing the pain, the results are instantaneous.”
Since most chiropractic headache relief treatment involves several modalities, Dr. LoConte says that he evaluates all the neck and shoulder muscles to determine the best course treatment for the patient. This may include manipulation, laser, and/or dry needling.
“What’s great about dry needling, especially for a patient with a bad migraine, is that it is gentle,” Dr. LoConte says. “Patients with headaches might not be able to tolerate manipulation of the head or neck, especially if their pain is causing dizziness. Dry needling allows them to lie still while the treatment is performed.”
The relief provided by dry needling is incredibly quick because it creates a sharp sensation at the point of insertion that then travels on a specific pathway from the point of stimulation to the brain. A session typically lasts for 15-20 minutes and the pain usually dissipates at the time of insertion or shortly after the needles have been removed. What’s even better is the treatment typically provides long-term relief.
“Usually, people have no more headache pain for weeks or months,” Dr. LoConte says. “The only time we see it being shorter is if the patient is reaggravating the area though lifestyle, for example, posture or the nature of their work.”
If you are experiencing headaches, dry needling may be able to solve the root of the tension rather than you masking the pain with drugs. Call our offices to make an appointment with one of our doctors.
