Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a diverse collection of medical ideas and practices with a rich history in China and throughout Asia. This comprehensive medical tradition stretches back 3,500 years, with various techniques used over this time to treat a range of physical and psychological conditions.
The central components of TCM include acupuncture, herbal medicine, diet therapy, mind/body therapy, and massage therapy, among others. TCM has been used for centuries to treat migraine headaches, with recent studies highlighting the huge potential of a holistic treatment approach for migraines and other headache disorders.
A migraine is a common and potentially debilitating neurovascular disorder. While a migraine is a type of headache, it's also associated with additional symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and tactile sensitivity. According to the International Headache Society, there are six different migraine subtypes, with visual disturbances and other symptoms affecting the classification.
In order to understand the traditional Chinese approach to migraine and headache disorders, it's important to grasp the holistic nature of TCM and how this affects both diagnosis and treatment. Rather than being based on specific scientific knowledge or direct cause and effect relationships, TCM proposes a vital energy field in the human body that circulates through channels called meridians. These channels connect to bodily organs and functions via branches, with various treatment methods used to locate and manipulate these branches in order to affect the flow of energy within the body.
Despite different approaches used in the East and West, a number of scientific studies have looked into TCM and its effect on migraine conditions. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes headaches as one of several conditions treated effectively by acupuncture, with the use of specific herbs and dietary factors also known to affect headache disorders.
According to A Single Case Study: Treating Migraine Headache With Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, and Diet by Misha-Josef Payant, DAOM, MS, Dipl Ac, CH (NCCAOM), acupuncture, herbal enemas, and diet modification had a positive effect on a single patient with a decade-long history of migraines. Her headaches became milder and shorter soon after treatment began, with acupuncture offering immediate relief from migraine symptoms and both diet modification and herbal enemas contributing to long-term healing.
According to another study, Acupuncture for the Prevention of Tension-Type Headache by Klaus Linde et al., traditional Chinese acupuncture may be effective in the treatment of migraines and other headache conditions. This study analyzed authentic acupuncture treatment compared to both routine care and placebo acupuncture. After looking at 12 trials and 2,349 participant records, the study found that "acupuncture is effective for treating frequent episodic or chronic tension-type headaches."
While the medical value of acupuncture and other Chinese medicine treatment forms remains controversial in some quarters, multiple studies continue to suggest its positive effect. The pathophysiological mechanisms of acupuncture treatment remain unclear, however. As a result, widespread acceptance is unlikely in the West until we understand exactly why this treatment can be so effective.
One exciting recent study by Tao Gu et al., Acupuncture Therapy in Treating Migraine, is attempting to solve this problem by uncovering the biochemical changes that take place in the brain when a migraine is being treated by acupuncture. As we understand more about the human body and how it reacts to acupuncture, TCM is likely to grow in popularity as a natural, holistic, and effective form of migraine treatment.