Ian Rawlinson L.Ac.

I first became aware of how effective Chinese medicine can be in treating migraine headaches in 1978. At that time I was living in Cambridge, England where I was teaching yoga. One of my students, Anna, had started classes because she was suffering from chronic back pain, insomnia, fatigue and migraine headaches. Within a few weeks of starting her classes Anna’s most of Anna’s complaints had eased, but what had not changed were her migraines. They persisted with devastating regularity.

At that time there were very few acupuncturists in England, but fortunately one lived nearby and Anna decided to go and see him. Within a few weeks of treatment Anna’s migraines were greatly reduced and after further treatment they ceased altogether. I was very impressed by this radical improvement in Anna’s health and went to see her practitioner. At that first meeting I was immediately fascinated by what I learnt about Chinese medicine. One of the things that I found most compelling about this tradition of medicine was the emphasis on treating the primary cause of an illness. I began reading about the different traditions of acupuncture and within a couple of years I had begun my own training.

What Causes Migraines?

There can be many underlying causes for migraine headaches, but one of the most common involves the Liver meridian. In Chinese medicine the Liver meridian is described as being responsible for the “smooth flowing of the chi”. When the Liver meridian loses its capacity to move the chi smoothly, the chi can become blocked and stagnate. Over time this stagnation gradually builds up, and finally rises up to the head causing a migraine.

Treatment

As previous blogs have explained that Chinese medicine focuses on treating the underlying cause of a condition. If Liver chi stagnation is the primary cause of a patient’s migraines, acupuncture points that help restore the flow of chi will be used. The treatment principle is to disperse the stuck energy of the Liver meridian.  Points such as “Supreme Rushing” and “Gate of Hope” will often be included in a treatment. In addition to acupuncture treatment Chinese herbal formulas can be very helpful in regulating the flow of chi in the Liver. Xiao Yao Wan or Relaxed Wanderer is an ancient formula, first used in 1085 A.D. is often an ideal choice to complement acupuncture treatment. This is especially true for women where the menstrual cycle is a major factor in contributing to the migraine, as this formula is also helpful in regulating the menstrual flow.

Ian Rawlinson has practiced Chinese medicine in Petaluma for 23 years.

www.rawlinsonacupuncture.com