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Acupuncture
I've had migraines since I was 5 and I am now 25. My migraines have become very severe in the past year. Imitrex works but my insurance only pays for 9 pills a month. My dr wants me to try several preventatives, buy I want to try a natural remedy before I start take a prescription every day. Has anyone tried b12 or B2 shots? I was also thinking about starting acupuncture. Has anyone ever tried and what were the results?
Hey there! I've been meaning to try acupuncture for a while now too, but couldn't find a specialist around my town... But, I can tell you from experience that a Vitamin B complex (I'm talking about pills here, not shots) might help, but take care not to take too much...Either have some blood tests to check the levels of Vitamin B in your blood (and check the iron too) or start with caution and take 1 month on, 1 month off... I've tried the B complex last year and it worked just fine, I was feeling better, having less migraines and definitely being more relaxed, but when I started taking them again around Easter this year I almost ended up in the ER... I started feeling sick, my stomach hurt like never before, I was nauseous and I had some terrible diarrhoea/constipation alternate episodes... I did not go to the doctor (I live in Romania, where doctors are more likely to hurt you than heal you :(( ), but I did some extensive online research on the topic and found out that my symptoms could be caused by the Vitamin B pills, so I stopped taking them and felt a whole lot better... Funny thing is that migraines are back to haunt me, and I'm also really dizzy (I'm not a summer creature and I guess the hot weather and the sudden, repetitive thunderstorms we have around here add up to the problem) so I really feel like taking Bs again but I'm afraid of triggering stomach aches again...
I haven't tried B 12 unless it was in one concoction I used to take that had three ingredients (thinking it might have had B 2 though). Do you have low B 12?
I have tried acupuncture and had mixed results. If you have TMJ issues, I don't recommend the needle in the head on the side of the head. I had many, many treatments and different kinds of acupuncture done to me.
If you get someone who knows what they are doing, like the last lady I had, a Chinese lady that I think had taught acupuncture, you will likely find at least some help through acupuncture (provided there is not an underlying medical cause such as a tumor on the brain or pituitary, for example) for migraines.
I had one acupuncturist who felt she had her best success with people who had daily headache.
Acupuncture can add up financially, so if that's an issue for you, like it was for me when I was paying out of pocket, you might see if the acupuncturist will work with you at a discount. I found more than one willing to work with me that way, thankfully! It takes commitment (which isn't hard when one is in so much pain) doing it at least twice a week for a long time before you might be able to go down to more of a maintenance regime.
I feel it was worth the help I got- part of the help was having someone spend that much time trying to help me who seemed to care. My headaches seemed to 'cycle' faster- ping-ponging from one side of the head to another instead of nearly always being on one side of my head.
If you have high blood pressure though, you may want to try a preventative in the form of blood pressure medication, such as Inderol (ask your doctor). That was one that an internist I had was on for his own migraines. I tried it but had to quit because it made me wheeze. On the other hand, I think an acupuncturist might tell you they can treat high blood pressure.
Please make sure if you haven't lately, that you are not iron deficient, as that in itself can cause headaches and would be likely to make your situation worse.
I have tried acupuncture and had mixed results. If you have TMJ issues, I don't recommend the needle in the head on the side of the head. I had many, many treatments and different kinds of acupuncture done to me.
If you get someone who knows what they are doing, like the last lady I had, a Chinese lady that I think had taught acupuncture, you will likely find at least some help through acupuncture (provided there is not an underlying medical cause such as a tumor on the brain or pituitary, for example) for migraines.
I had one acupuncturist who felt she had her best success with people who had daily headache.
Acupuncture can add up financially, so if that's an issue for you, like it was for me when I was paying out of pocket, you might see if the acupuncturist will work with you at a discount. I found more than one willing to work with me that way, thankfully! It takes commitment (which isn't hard when one is in so much pain) doing it at least twice a week for a long time before you might be able to go down to more of a maintenance regime.
I feel it was worth the help I got- part of the help was having someone spend that much time trying to help me who seemed to care. My headaches seemed to 'cycle' faster- ping-ponging from one side of the head to another instead of nearly always being on one side of my head.
If you have high blood pressure though, you may want to try a preventative in the form of blood pressure medication, such as Inderol (ask your doctor). That was one that an internist I had was on for his own migraines. I tried it but had to quit because it made me wheeze. On the other hand, I think an acupuncturist might tell you they can treat high blood pressure.
Please make sure if you haven't lately, that you are not iron deficient, as that in itself can cause headaches and would be likely to make your situation worse.
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