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Woman with a migraine on sofa.

Acupuncture for Headaches: A Holistic Approach to Lasting Relief

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Nearly everyone experiences a headache at some point, but for those who suffer from frequent or chronic headaches, the impact can be truly debilitating. Whether it’s the dull, persistent ache of a tension headache, the intense throbbing of a migraine, or pain associated with an underlying health condition, identifying the root cause is essential for lasting relief.

Headaches can stem from a wide range of factors, including stress, hormonal imbalances, musculoskeletal tension, neurological sensitivities, or illness. That’s why an accurate and comprehensive diagnosis is so important. At the Kaplan Center, we reject the notion that you simply have to “live with it.” Our team is committed to helping patients identify the underlying causes of their headaches and develop personalized, effective treatment plans.

One highly effective and increasingly popular treatment we offer is acupuncture. This ancient therapy, rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine and practiced for over 2,000 years, is now backed by modern scientific research for its effectiveness in managing and preventing various types of headaches.

The Science Behind Acupuncture

Recent clinical studies, including those published in prestigious medical journals such as The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and JAMA Internal Medicine, show that acupuncture can significantly reduce the frequency, duration, and intensity of migraines and tension-type headaches. These improvements are often sustained over time and can be more effective than medication alone, without the side effects commonly associated with pharmaceuticals.

Acupuncture is thought to work by stimulating specific points on the body (called acupoints) to regulate the central nervous system, promote the release of endorphins and serotonin, reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, and balance the body’s stress response. For headache sufferers, this means more than temporary relief—it can lead to fewer attacks, better sleep, and improved overall well-being.

In one major study, those who received true acupuncture had significantly better outcomes than those receiving standard care or sham (placebo) acupuncture. These findings have led organizations such as the World Health Organization and the American Migraine Foundation to recognize acupuncture as a viable, evidence-based treatment option.

How We Can Help

Our acupuncture treatments are delivered by highly trained practitioners in a calming, patient-centered environment. Most patients find the sessions relaxing and even rejuvenating. Over time, many report dramatic improvements not only in their headache patterns but also in their energy levels, mood, sleep, and stress resilience.

If you or someone you love is living with chronic headaches, know that lasting relief is possible. Call the Kaplan Center today—703-532-4892—to schedule your appointment and take the first step toward a pain-free, empowered future.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

References

Jena, S., Witt, C. M., Brinkhaus, B., Wegscheider, K., & Willich, S. N. (2008). Acupuncture in patients with headache. Cephalalgia, 28(9), 969–979.

Linde, K., Allais, G., Brinkhaus, B., Manheimer, E., Vickers, A., & White, A. R. (2016). Acupuncture for the prevention of tension-type headache. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4), CD007587.

Vickers, A. J., Vertosick, E. A., Lewith, G., MacPherson, H., Foster, N. E., Sherman, K. J., … & Linde, K. (2018). Acupuncture for chronic pain: Update of an individual patient data meta-analysis. The Journal of Pain, 19(5), 455–474.

World Health Organization. (2002). Acupuncture: Review and analysis of reports on controlled clinical trials.

Zhao, L., Chen, J., Li, Y., Sun, X., Chang, X., Zheng, H., … & Liang, F. (2017). The long-term effect of acupuncture for migraine prophylaxis: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Internal Medicine, 177(4), 508–515.

Paying attention to what you eat and drink may help prevent headache or migraine attacks.

What to Eat and What to Avoid If You Get Migraine Headaches

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Migraines are far more than just a bad headache. Experts believe migraine headaches are caused by abnormal brain activity, including dilation and constriction of the blood vessels within the brain. An attack can last from several hours to several days and affects a person’s ability to function at home and at work. A migraine can generate feelings of nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and sound, throbbing head pain, aura, and visual distortion, causing a person to want to withdraw and seek immediate relief. If you have never experienced a migraine headache, consider yourself lucky, but for those who do, finding a way to manage the pain and lessen the frequency is a top priority.

Knowing what triggers your migraine headaches is the best defense in avoiding them, especially since triggers can be cumulative. While there are a number of potential causes of a migraine – including hormones, stress, weather, medications, and environmental factors – for many, dietary triggers are a major contributor. Keeping a detailed journal for several weeks may sound tedious, but the effort you put in will be well worth it. With some careful recording, a pattern should be detected. Doing this, along with a thorough physical exam to look for possible nutritional deficiencies (migraine sufferers tend to be deficient in magnesium, vitamin B (riboflavin), vitamin D, and CoQ10), and a detailed discussion with your physician or migraine specialist will put you well on your way to regaining the quality of life you have lost.

When considering how you can reshape your diet to improve migraine symptoms, the bottom line is to eat fresh, not processed, food. The more work that goes into preparing foods for the consumer, the more likely it is that it will have an additive that may be a trigger for you. In general, the following food guidelines will benefit most migraine sufferers.

Questions? Give Us a Call!

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What to Eat

Halibut, mackerel, and salmon

Opt for the fattier fishes at the grocery store to make sure you are getting enough omega-3 fatty acids. Diets high in omega-3s and low in omega-6s have been found to lessen the frequency and occurrence of migraine headaches,

Cashews, almonds, and pumpkin seeds

Because of their high magnesium content, cashews, almonds, and pumpkin seeds are the nuts to turn to if you suffer from migraines. Aim for 1 ounce per day.

Steel-cut oatmeal

Drops in blood sugar can be a trigger for many migraine sufferers. To maintain steady blood-sugar levels, eat foods with a low-glycemic index, like steel-cut oatmeal and oat bran.

Spinach

Popeye ate it for energy and iron, but migraine sufferers will appreciate spinach for its high folic acid (B9) content. A 2024 study folate’s relationship with the frequency of migraine found that participants who increased their intake of folic acid experienced an improvement in their migraine symptoms. A review of 11 studies regarding the role of vitamin-B supplementation to treat migraines found it to be an effective treatment for adults, with few side effects. Other dietary sources of vitamin B include mushrooms, asparagus, and eggs.

Incidentally, spinach is also high in magnesium, doubling its migraine-fighting properties. Whether it’s steamed, fresh, or sautéed, try adding a spinach dish to the menu once a week!

Water

Staying hydrated is one of the most important things you can do for your body in general, and you’ll see that it will help with migraines too. Eight glasses of water each day is recommended, but if you consistently miss that mark make sure to snack on foods with high water content, like cucumbers, apples, and pears!

What to Avoid

Alcoholic beverages

Red wine, beer, and whiskey, in particular, have been cited in numerous studies to be triggers for migraines. Alcohol is the most frequently reported trigger by those suffering from migraines, with most studies finding a prevalence rate between 29 and 36 percent.

Baked goods

Wheat flour, found in most traditional baked goods, contains the protein gluten. If you are sensitive to gluten (approximately 6 percent of the population is) or if you have the autoimmune disorder celiac disease (it is suspected that there are more people with undiagnosed celiac disease than diagnosed), even small amounts of gluten can set off an inflammatory response in your body. While celiac disease can be diagnosed through specialized testing by your physician, there are no specific tests for gluten intolerance. Eliminating all gluten from your diet for at least two weeks and monitoring your symptoms is the only reliable way to make the diagnosis of gluten-sensitivity at this time. Along with intestinal problems, neurological presentations—including migraines—are common to both diseases. If you think gluten may be the cause of your migraine, talk to your physician before you adopt a gluten-free diet for a better understanding of how it will affect your overall health.

Processed meats

In order to maximize the shelf life and flavor of processed meats and fish, such as hot dogs, sausages, bacon, deli meats, and smoked fish, manufacturers add the food preservatives sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite. When we consume foods with nitrates and nitrites the result is an increase in nitric oxide, which has been linked to an increase in the occurrence of migraine headaches. Furthermore, a very interesting study found that people whose intestinal microbiome contained a higher level of particular bacteria that facilitates the breakdown of nitrates were more likely to suffer a migraine attack after eating food that contained them.

Aged cheeses

Cheese lovers, beware! Certain aged cheeses, such as blue, Brie, cheddar, provolone, Gorgonzola, and Parmesan all contain tyramine, a naturally occurring substance found in aged and fermented foods that have long been linked to an increase in migraine headaches.

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MSG

It’s not just in your Chinese food! Monosodium glutamate, which has a long, proven history of causing headaches and migraines, is a flavor enhancer that can be found in food items from marinades and salad dressings to chips, seasonings, even canned tuna! It has so many aliases – natural flavoring, hydrolyzed plant protein, komu extract – that unless you are an expert in food labels, it’s hard to know if you’re eating it or not. The bottom line—if you eat a lot of processed, packaged, or restaurant foods, you’re likely eating a good amount of MSG.

Artificial sweeteners

They are found in beverages, baked goods, candies, and scores of other processed foods, and for many, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame are a migraine trigger.

Citrus fruits

It may surprise you to see citrus fruits on this list, but octopamine, a chemical compound found in certain citrus fruits, can cause migraines with aura for those who are sensitive.

Bottom line

The only way to improve the frequency of migraines is to understand what is causing them. Our providers have years of experience treating patients with chronic migraines and we can help you uncover the root cause of your pain. To speak to an experienced nurse today, please give us a call at 703-532-4892.

Watch now: Dr. Lisa Lilienfield on “The Mystery of Migraines”

Praise for Dr. Kaplan’s book – Why You Are Still Sick: How Infections Can Break Your Immune System & How You Can Recover

“Gary Kaplan is not only a pioneer in his field, he’s a badass who is changing the face of medicine. This book holds everything I wish I knew twenty years ago about autoimmunity. It’s an incredible resource for anyone with chronic pain and illness. It will bring hope and health to so many people.”

– Dave Asprey, founder, Bulletproof 360

References

Finocchi C, Sivori G. Food as trigger and aggravating factor of migraine. Neurol Sci. 2012 May;33 Suppl 1:S77-80. doi: 10.1007/s10072-012-1046-5. PMID: 22644176.

Sun-Edelstein C, Mauskop A. Foods and supplements in the management of migraine headaches. Clin J Pain. 2009 Jun;25(5):446-52. doi: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31819a6f65. PMID: 19454881.

Haghdoost F, Togha M. Migraine management: Non-pharmacological points for patients and health care professionals. Open Med (Wars). 2022 Nov 23;17(1):1869-1882. doi: 10.1515/med-2022-0598. PMID: 36475060; PMCID: PMC9691984.

Saedisomeolia A, Ashoori M. Riboflavin in Human Health: A Review of Current Evidences. Adv Food Nutr Res. 2018;83:57-81. doi: 10.1016/bs.afnr.2017.11.002. Epub 2018 Feb 2. PMID: 29477226.

Razeghi Jahromi S, Ghorbani Z, Martelletti P, Lampl C, Togha M; School of Advanced Studies of the European Headache Federation (EHF-SAS). Association of diet and headache. J Headache Pain. 2019 Nov 14;20(1):106. doi: 10.1186/s10194-019-1057-1. PMID: 31726975; PMCID: PMC6854770.

Chen YS, Lee HF, Tsai CH, Hsu YY, Fang CJ, Chen CJ, Hung YH, Hu FW. Effect of Vitamin B2 supplementation on migraine prophylaxis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Neurosci. 2022 Sep;25(9):1801-1812. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2021.1904542. Epub 2021 Mar 29. PMID: 33779525.

Tian S, Yu X, Wu L, Zheng H, Zhong X, Xie Y, Wu W. Vitamin B6 and folate intake are associated with lower risk of severe headache or migraine in adults: An analysis based on NHANES 1999-2004. Nutr Res. 2024 Jan;121:51-60. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2023.11.008. Epub 2023 Nov 15. PMID: 38042023.

Zaeem, Z., Zhou, L. & Dilli, E. Headaches: a Review of the Role of Dietary Factors. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 16, 101 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-016-0702-1

Bagdy G, Riba P, Kecskeméti V, Chase D, Juhász G. Headache-type adverse effects of NO donors: vasodilation and beyond. Br J Pharmacol. 2010 May;160(1):20-35. doi: 10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.00643.x. Epub 2010 Mar 19. PMID: 20331608; PMCID: PMC2860203.

D’Andrea G, Gucciardi A, Leon A. Elusive amines: migraine depends on biochemical abnormalities. Neurol Sci. 2022 Nov;43(11):6299-6304. doi: 10.1007/s10072-022-06241-2. Epub 2022 Jul 16. PMID: 35840874.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

This article was originally published in March, 2017. It was reviewed and updated in Jan 2024.

Drug Free Migraine Treatments

5 Ways to Treat a Migraine without Drugs

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As migraine sufferers will attest, a migraine headache can be caused by any number of factors, meaning that there is no one-size-fits-all remedy. Therefore, keeping an open mind and exploring some alternative treatments could actually be the key to becoming migraine-free. Fortunately, people seeking migraine relief have a wide range of treatments available to them, outside the realm of conventional medicine, that are clinically-proven to help reduce migraine frequency and severity.

Here are 5 drug free migraine treatments that can help keep your migraine at bay:

1. Craniosacral Therapy — By using a gentle, “light-touch” to help release both emotional and physical imbalances that have been stored in the body’s membranes and connective tissue, craniosacral therapy allows the body to respond and relax. Practitioners trained in craniosacral therapy are able to feel and monitor changes in the body by placing their hands in the areas that are the source of dysfunction, following the body’s cues as it works to release the tensions that are causing pain. Over time this non-invasive touch helps decrease the symptoms of headache and migraine.

2. Acupuncture — According to a review of 22 clinical trials studying more than 4,000 migraine sufferers, acupuncture was found to be as effective as medication – and sometimes even more effective than medication – for preventing migraines.

Questions? Give Us a Call!

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3. Nutritional Supplements — People who suffer with frequent migraines often look to vitamins and/or supplements in place of prescription medication. Riboflavin (vitamin B2), magnesium, and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) have all demonstrated protective effects against migraines.

Although side-effects are generally milder than those from prescription medications, supplementing is not risk free. Make sure to buy from a reliable source and talk to your doctor about dosages and possible interactions with other medications.

4. Trigger Point Therapy — Sometimes headache pain can be caused or worsened by trigger points or a strain/sprain located in the neck. If this is the case, trigger point injections can be very effective in relaxing tight areas in the neck and back, thereby reducing the incidence and severity of migraines.

5. Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy — Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT), also known as Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM), is a non-invasive, manual therapy that relieves tense muscles, tendons, and ligaments to allow the body to work more efficiently. A number of studies have shown that the hands-on techniques used in OMT, including massage, soft tissue and muscle stretching, and joint mobilization, are particularly effective for preventing migraines.

When it comes to migraines, symptoms vary from individual-to-individual, so prevention and treatment options may have mixed levels of success depending on an individual’s medical condition, history, and specific needs. Thinking outside-the-box when considering treatment options is the best approach when searching for relief from migraine symptoms.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

This article originally appeared in Dr. Kaplan’s column on MindBodyGreen.com. It was reviewed and updated on 4/4/2023.

 

concussion

Concussion: Signs, Symptoms, and What To Do

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Sports-related concussions (SRC) are a growing public health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1.5 million Americans suffer from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) each year, and three-quarters of these are classified as concussions or “mild” head injury. But the side-effects of a concussion can be anything but mild. A single incident can result in weeks of recovery, missed obligations, lingering headaches and even migraine, brain fog, and dizziness. The cumulative effect of multiple concussions is even more profound and can lead to an increased risk of neurodegenerative health problems later in life.

While getting back in the game and “shaking it off” may be appropriate in certain situations, anyone who suffers a blow to the head during practice or a game should immediately stop playing, particularly young, active children whose brains are not yet fully developed and therefore more susceptible to injury. Downplaying the incident or ignoring it, particularly in the minutes just after it occurs, could result in longer recovery as this study in Pediatrics concluded: “SRC recovery time may be reduced if athletes are removed from participation. Immediate removal from play is the first step in mitigating prolonged SRC recovery . . . “

Dr. Bennet Omalu’s research on professional football players and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) brain degeneration was highlighted in the major motion picture Concussion and helped put this conversation into mainstream media. Now, communities and organizations around the country, drawing on the research of Dr. Omalu and others, are working diligently to increase concussion awareness among coaches, players, and parents, and to develop protocols for dealing with sports injuries.

Most of those who suffer a concussion do make a complete recovery. But knowing what to do when a head injury happens is as important as knowing CPR.

Symptoms of Concussion

Despite what you see in movies and on television, loss of consciousness typically does not occur with a concussion. Furthermore, the onset of symptoms can be delayed for hours or even days after a head injury, so stay alert for any new symptoms or behavioral changes during this post-injury period. Symptoms can include:

  • Temporary amnesia of the injurious event
  • Decreased concentration or “brain fog”
  • Difficulty learning new material
  • Headache or blurred vision
  • Sensitivity to noise or light
  • Emotional lability (involuntary laughing or crying)
  • Anxiety or depressed mood
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep dysfunction
  • Dizziness or imbalance
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Physical weakness
  • Slurred speech

5 DANGER SIGNS

Seek immediate medical attention for anyone exhibiting any of the following symptoms:

  1. A change in consciousness, manifesting as difficulty staying awake or alert, not making sense when talking, or not being able to understand what is being said
  2. Progressively worsening headache
  3. An increase in nausea or vomiting
  4. Pronounced physical weakness
  5. Slurred speech

If none of the five big danger signs above are present, then it is ok to treat symptoms at home, following some basic guidelines:

  • Plan a slow return to activity. The brain needs adequate time to heal; however, current research suggests that when it comes to SRCs, too much rest following a concussion may prolong the recurrence of symptoms. It’s important to talk to a physician about the best time to return to activity though a 24-48 hour period of rest is usually recommended.
  • Develop a regular sleep cycle. 8-9 hours per night at roughly the same time each day will benefit the brain and promote healing.
  • Stay hydrated.
  • Avoid watching TV or spending too much time in front of a computer screen. Although it may be difficult to abstain from on-screen entertainment, watching television and playing on the computer strains the brain. Resting quietly is the best way to allow the brain to heal.
  • Be patient. If symptoms return after beginning an activity, it’s important to stop and take more time to rest.

It is important to communicate with a physician throughout the recovery process, especially if symptoms aren’t improving, or recovery is slow. In addition to physical symptoms, an untreated concussion can cause changes to brain structure that result in cognitive difficulties, personality changes, and altered emotional functioning.

Supplemental Medical Therapies to Support Recovery from a Brain Injury

  • Arnica is a homeopathic remedy that reduces inflammation and swelling from an acute injury; available either topically or in pill form.
  • Glutathione, when taken intravenously, helps to decrease the free radicals that can build up after a brain injury. Free radicals destroy neural synapses and lead to cell death that can cause brain damage.
  • Omega-3 is proven to improve brain function and may help reduce the neural inflammation caused by a concussion.
  • Physical Therapy can be an important part of a person’s concussion recovery. “Brain Gym,” also known as “physical therapy for your brain,” can help those who have suffered a brain injury regain brain-related functions such as memory, vision, speech, emotional balance, physical coordination, learning, and expression. Craniosacral Therapy is a very gentle form of manual manipulation that releases physical imbalances and restrictions as well as residual emotional trauma that has been stored in the body’s membranes and connective tissue. It frees the central nervous system to perform optimally, strengthening immune function, and providing pain relief.
  • Specialized Blood Testing – this can be useful if recovery from a concussion is slow or incomplete. This testing can identify genetic markers that indicate the propensity for developing chronic inflammation. When the markers exist, steps can be taken to proactively reduce inflammation so the body and brain can heal more efficiently.

Be realistic about the course of recovery. In the case of concussion or severe TBI, the course of recovery generally follows the same pattern: an initial period of impaired brain function, a period of improvement, and a period where the mental functioning stabilizes without significant additional deterioration or improvement. All of these stages can last hours, days or months, or the case of severe injury, years. Other factors affecting the extent and speed of recovery include the resiliency of the injured brain (especially if there is a history of concussion), the subsequent recurrence of brain injuries or sickness, and lifestyle choices such as getting sufficient rest, nutrition, exercise, and mental activity.

The best medicine is always prevention, but when a head injury does occur, a prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential to minimizing or avoiding serious health consequences.

Give the brain time to heal. The two-pound tissue between our ears is worth protecting!

Patricia Alomar, M.S., P.T. & Gary Kaplan, D.O.

Craniosacral therapy for headache

Craniosacral Therapy for Chronic Headache Relief

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Chronic headaches affect millions of people each year and are one of the most common complaints expressed by our patients at The Kaplan Center. An individual can experience headaches for any number of reasons, including stress, stationary positioning in front of a computer, and muscle tightness causing a decreased range of motion in the neck and head. Other contributing factors could include improper alignment of the jaw, hormonal factors, a car accident, a change in vision, or some other disease process.

Craniosacral therapy is an osteopathic technique that can be a very valuable tool for treatment.

The craniosacral system, which extends from the cranium to the sacrum and coccyx, houses the central nervous system (CNS). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is formed in the brain and flows within the dural membrane (one of the 3 protective layers of the CNS), covering our bones, joints, and the sutures that interconnect those bones, in a rhythmic rise-and-fall of fluid volume and pressure. Acting as a “shock absorber,” the CSF delivers nutrients and washes away waste products from the metabolic processes. Tension in the membranes can disrupt the cranial rhythm.  Through gentle palpation, a trained craniosacral therapist can use this rhythm as both an evaluative and therapeutic tool. Our bodies have many different rhythms and are constantly in motion. In the same way that we refer to a “resting heart rate” or our “resting respiratory rate,” our cranial rhythmic impulse (flow of the cerebrospinal fluid) usually manifests between 6-12 cycles per minute.

Craniosacral therapy is a very effective, light-touch therapy that supports the body’s own healing resources.

Therapists are trained to feel and monitor changes in the body by placing their hands in the areas that are the source of dysfunction. They follow the body’s cues as the body works to release the tensions that are causing pain. Nerve endings in our skin send messages to the brain that stimulate a response either to pain or pleasure. A therapist’s gentle, non-invasive touch in a painful area allows the body to respond and relax, whereas too firm a touch activates neuromuscular tension and stress patterns, preventing the ability to affect this very deep core system. Using the gentle method, therapists are therefore able to feel changes in different anatomical structures in the body, bones, soft tissue, membranes, and fluids.

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During a treatment session, it is possible to feel a variety of sensations, such as heat, cold, pulsing and/or vibration, but patients don’t necessarily have to feel any of these in order for the technique to be effective. Almost always, a deep sense of relaxation is felt. Focusing on what you are feeling within your body during treatment is extremely helpful. Symptoms can momentarily increase and then resolve just as quickly. Patients might experience remembering an unpleasant or traumatic event in their life, or they might feel sensations in another part of their body that is not being touched. All of these are indications that tension within the body is returning to a state of homeostasis, a term reflecting balance within the system.

The effects of the treatment are not necessarily felt right away and typically several treatments may be needed to effect significant change. The patient could feel very relaxed, fatigued, looser in their body’s movements, or they could notice improved ease of breathing or even be slightly disoriented – all of which indicate that the body is experiencing a new normal and needs time to adjust to it. The goal of craniosacral therapy is that this gradual re-adjustment will help decrease some of the symptoms of headaches.

A self-help technique using a Still Point Inducer (SPI) can be tried at home. The SPI can be made by tying two tennis balls tightly in a sock so they cannot shift around. These are then placed on the back of the head with a rolled-up towel for support under the neck or by lying on the floor with the SPI under the head in line with the ears. Just ten minutes is enough to help with headache pain and the method can be repeated several times during the day.

If you suffer from recurring headaches or migraines, craniosacral therapy can be a safe and effective alternative to prescription medication. Its gentle touch can help release the emotional and physical imbalances that have been stored in the body’s membranes and connective tissue, enabling the central nervous system to perform optimally.

– Patricia Alomar, M.S., P.T.

 

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

Integrative_Med_for_migraine

3 Steps to Preventing a Migraine

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As anyone who suffers from the condition knows, a migraine is much more than a bad headache. It is a collection of neurological symptoms that may include throbbing pain on one side of the head, neck pain or stiffness, nausea, vomiting, and/or visual distortions called aura.

The severity of migraine symptoms can vary widely from person to person, ranging from minor issues with vision without pain to a general feeling of being unwell to being completely immobilized and unable to function. They can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days, and the frequency varies just as widely, from once or twice a week to once or twice a year. The one common denominator is that anyone that suffers from migraine headaches wants to know how to prevent them.

These 3 Steps Can Help to Prevent Migraine and/or Lessen its Frequency and Severity

1) Pinpoint What’s Triggering Your Migraine

The exact chain of events leading to a migraine is still not fully understood. Experts believe that migraine headaches are caused by abnormal brain activity, including dilation and constriction of the blood vessels within the brain. Although the neurological pathway is still unclear, a migraine is typically precipitated by one or more stimuli, commonly called “triggers.” Each person has their own unique set of triggers; the most common ones include stress, lack of sleep, hormone fluctuations, and a wide range of foods, from caffeine to artificial sweeteners.

One of the most effective ways of identifying your specific triggers is to keep a migraine journal. Keeping a record of when and where you get a migraine will help you figure out the foods, events, or other stimuli that typically precede your migraine attack. You can simply use a notebook to record these details or look for online resources or smartphone applications to help you keep a thorough migraine journal.

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However, even if you keep a meticulous journal, common migraine triggers such as nutritional deficiencies, hormone imbalances, and other underlying or co-existing medical problems may go unnoticed without medical testing. If you suffer from migraines, make sure that you get a comprehensive physical exam, and discuss testing for nutritional deficiencies or other co-existing conditions (common ones include depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and sleep disorder) with your physician.

2) Avoid Your Personal Migraine Triggers

Once you have identified your migraine triggers, the next step is to make a personal commitment to eliminate them as much as possible. For you, this may be as simple as not eating certain foods. It may be necessary, however, for you to make more substantial changes, such as radically modifying your diet, eliminating or taking new medications, getting more sleep, and/or reducing your stress level through exercise and meditation. For most of us, making lifestyle changes isn’t easy, but migraine pain offers superb motivation. You can also ask your physician for advice and support (and refer to the Additional Resources section below).

By and large, the best way to lessen the frequency of migraines is to identify and avoid your personal migraine triggers.

3) Explore Your Migraine-Prevention Treatment Options

There is a wide range of clinically proven preventive treatments that can help reduce the frequency of a migraine attack so make an effort to explore your options! Nutritional interventions, acupuncture, manual therapies (Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine), injection therapies, herbal remedies, prescription medications – or a combination of these treatments – can help you to become migraine-free. The important thing is to stay open-minded in determining what can actually work for you.

Functional Medicine, the approach we take at the Kaplan Center, looks at each patient’s medical condition, medical history, and specific needs. By doing so, we’re able to provide a more personalized approach to treatment that will provide the best outcome for long-term migraine relief.

If you suffer from migraines, make sure to take the time to identify your own migraine triggers, get a comprehensive medical evaluation, and learn about your prevention and treatment options. Your head will thank you!

Additional Resources

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

overlooked causes of migraines

5 Overlooked Causes Of Migraine Headaches

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With migraine headaches, it’s important to look beyond the symptom to target the disease.

Lindsay was 23 years old, fresh out of college, and working at her dream job in Washington, D.C., as a congressional aid. Working in Congress, 10-hour days are the norm and for Lindsey, typically the first to arrive in the morning and last to leave in the evening – that was a short day.

She was in charge not only of the Senator’s schedule but also required to be at his side taking notes at all his meetings, as well as keeping him informed as to who he was meeting with and why.

Young, energetic, with an excellent memory and a gift for attention to detail, Lindsay was a rapidly rising star in the highly competitive world of Capitol Hill. When we met, Lindsay was clearly intelligent, completely charming, and terrified that everything she had achieved could be completely undone by progressively crippling migraines.

She had suffered from migraines since she was 16 and had seen several physicians, including neurologists. Yet despite trials of numerous medications, the headaches had become more frequent and debilitating within the last year.

According to the American Migraine Foundation, 1 billion Americans of all ages suffer from migraines. Women are disproportionately affected, impacting approximately 1 in 5 American women versus 1 in 16 men.

For most migraine sufferers, the attacks occur one to two times a month or less, but about 4 million people agonize with a migraine 15 days or more a month. Migraine headaches are regarded as one of the top 20 of the world’s most debilitating medical illnesses.

Most physicians treat migraines as a disease, when in fact, they may be a symptom. By this, I mean that if you go to your doctor complaining of headaches that are diagnosed as migraines, the appointment typically ends with a prescription for medications to either prevent the occurrence of the headache or treat the acute headache, with little if any testing.

It’s rare for any consideration to be given to why you get the headaches. But, if you can find the underlying cause, you have a much better chance of finding the cure.

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Here are five frequently overlooked causes of migraine headaches:

1. Celiac disease and gluten intolerance

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease to gluten, a protein found in the grains wheat, barley, and rye. About 1% of the population suffers from Celiac disease and unfortunately, it’s estimated that over 80% of the people with Celiac disease are undiagnosed.

Gluten intolerance (GI) affects about 6% of the American population. GI, while not associated with the damage to the lining of the small intestines as seen in Celiac disease, can make you almost as sick as Celiac disease.

Because eating grains causes Celiac disease and GI, we tend to think that this is an intestinal problem and expect to see people complaining of abdominal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In fact, both these diseases can present with minimal or no gastrointestinal symptoms and a large number of other symptoms including migraines, peripheral nerve damage, seizures, anxiety disorders, depression, and even schizophrenia. This was documented in an excellent review published in 2012.

You can screen for Celiac disease with a simple blood test, but we do not have any reliable testing for GI as of yet. Treatment for both conditions is the elimination of all gluten-containing foods from your diet.

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2. Magnesium deficiency

This may play a role in the occurrence of migraines in up to 50% of the people who suffer from this condition. (An excellent summary of this research was published in 2012.)

Magnesium is essential for a wide range of functions in the body and unfortunately, it’s easy to become deficient in magnesium and difficult to measure with a blood test.

Low nutritional intake, excess consumption of coffee, sodas, and alcohol, chronic stress, chronic illness, and intestinal problems (such as Celiac disease creating problems with absorption of magnesium) can all lead to deficiency.

The foods highest in magnesium, such as halibut, mackerel, boiled spinach, bran breakfast cereal, and nuts such as almonds, cashews, and pumpkin seeds, are not foods that typically make up much of our diets.

I encourage my patients suffering from migraines to make the necessary dietary changes and to supplement with between 250 and 500mg of magnesium a day.

One of the side effects of taking magnesium is diarrhea. If you develop diarrhea while taking magnesium, decrease the dose or try switching the type of magnesium you are taking.

We also treat many of our migraine patients with IV magnesium.

3. TMJ disorder

The temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) is the joint where your jaw connects with your skull. The joints are located in front of your ears on either side of your face. If your teeth are misaligned or you grind your teeth, a condition called bruxism, you can develop dysfunction and pain at the TMJ.

Symptoms of TMJ dysfunction include popping of the joint, pain at the joint, difficulty opening your mouth, and headaches. Proper diagnosis and treatment require that you see a dentist familiar with this condition. The headaches caused by TMJ can be misdiagnosed as migraines and TMJ can be a trigger for migraines.

4. Thyroid disease

Both low and high thyroid levels can cause headaches. Thyroid disease, usually associated with fatigue, dry skin, and hair loss when thyroid levels are low, and rapid heart rate and anxiety when thyroid levels are high, may present with migraine as the only significant symptom. This so-called subclinical presentation of thyroid disease can also be seen in adults and children.

Diagnosis can be made with a simple blood test.

5. Mold toxicity

This is highly controversial, but in my experience, mold toxicity is a significant cause of many diseases, including migraines. Molds can produce allergic reactions when inhaled, but the bigger concern is the toxins called mycotoxins that are chemical toxins present within or on the surface of the mold.

Mold toxins can affect almost every organ in the body, but the brain is almost always affected, resulting in neurotoxicity. People with mold toxicity have complaints that vary from mild cognitive impairment to symptoms that look like multiple sclerosis.

Headaches are a common complaint of people suffering from mold toxicity. Mold toxicity should be considered in anyone who has migraines and a history of exposure to water-damaged buildings where mold grows. Unfortunately, very few doctors know about this condition or how to evaluate a patient for the problem. For more information on mold toxicity, see the Biotoxicity and Neurotoxicity page on this website or visit Dr. Shoemaker’s website SurvivingMold.com.

As it turns out, Lindsay’s migraines were a result of being gluten intolerant and having low magnesium levels. Once she eliminated all gluten from her diet and improved her magnesium levels with magnesium IVs, her migraines dramatically improved.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

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A Functional Medicine Approach to Treating Migraines

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Causes of migraine headaches vary for each individual. Finding a lasting solution goes beyond the prescription pad and requires a more in-depth evaluation of one’s overall health.

A Functional Medicine approach to treatment looks for triggers, predisposing factors, or imbalances that could be contributing to the frequency and severity of your migraines.  In this video, Dr. Lisa Lilienfield explains the treatment protocol for migraines at The Kaplan Center.

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2

 

The Mystery of Migraines, 2-Part Video Series

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Do you suffer from recurrent sinus or tension headaches and wonder if they are migraines? Do your headaches result in one or more of the following symptoms?

  • Visual disturbances
  • Sinus pain
  • Fatigue
  • Light and sound sensitivity
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Throbbing head pain

Migraines are a total body experience. They start as a wave of depressed brain activity and end with dilation of the blood vessels in the meninges and pain signals from the brain stem. But there is a threshold that is reached before this process begins.

In this video series, Dr. Lisa Lilienfield will explain how these headaches could be related to and part of a process in the brain leading to the “perfect storm” that we call migraine. Dr. Lisa will explore the multiple triggers, and modes of prevention and treatment including medications, supplements, diet, and lifestyle changes that will keep us from crossing that threshold. She will also explore other treatable conditions that may contribute to migraines, such as mold or heavy metal toxicity, Lyme disease, temporomandibular joint syndrome, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, and nerve irritation from injury or arthritis of the neck.

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We don’t know why migraines occur, which makes it a mystery, but knowledge is power. Watch as Dr. Lilienfield discusses how to avoid this “perfect storm.

Part 1: Defining the Migraine: Symptoms, Triggers & Stages

Part 2: Prevention and Treatment

We are here for you, and we want to help.

Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2