Headaches in Wokingham

Headaches are one of the most common types of pain. Most people reach for a painkiller at the first sign of a headache – and pain relief medication is among the most widely purchased in the world. Interestingly, the original painkiller, aspirin, derives from herbal medicine – specifically the bark of the willow tree.

Causes of headaches

Many people assume their headache is caused by dehydration, and sometimes this is the case. However, headaches are more commonly caused by stress or tiredness. Pain is a messenger – the body signalling that something is out of balance. Rather than listening to that signal, we tend to suppress it with painkillers and carry on, which allows the underlying cause to persist.

Often the body simply needs rest. The mind, however, tends to resist slowing down, and this ongoing tension between body and mind is a common driver of chronic headaches.

Acupuncture for headaches

Acupuncture is a highly effective treatment for headaches. It can help by:

• Increasing endorphin and neuropeptide Y levels, which help to combat negative affective states
• Stimulating nerves in muscles and other tissues, leading to the release of endorphins and other neurohumoral factors that change how pain is processed in the brain and spinal cord
• Reducing inflammation by promoting the release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors
• Increasing local microcirculation, which aids the dispersal of swelling

Our headache acupuncturist

Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto BM (Beijing), BSc (Hons) TCM, MBAcC, MATCM, MAAC

Dr (TCM) Attilio D'Alberto has been treating headaches and migraines for over 20 years and has an excellent success rate across all headache types.

Dr (TCM) D'Alberto graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine from Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in China, completing a full-time, five-year degree programme including six months of clinical internship at two of Beijing's largest hospitals.

References

Friedman AP et al. Migraine and tension headaches: a clinical study of two thousand cases. Neurology 1954; 4: 773–88.
Headache Classification Subcommittee of the International Headache Society. The International Classification of Headache Disorders: 2nd edition. Cephalalgia 2004; 24: 9–160.
Lance JW et al. Investigations into the mechanism and treatment of chronic headache. Med J Aust 1965; 2: 909–14.
Russell MB et al. Familial occurrence of chronic tension-type headache. Cephalalgia 1999; 19: 207–10.
Steiner TJ et al, 2007. Guidelines for all healthcare professionals in the diagnosis and management of migraine, tension-type, cluster and medication-overuse headache. British Association for the Study of Headache.
Watson DP. Easing the pain: challenges and opportunities in headache management. Br J Gen Pract 2008; 58: 77–8.