About 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches, and 28 million of them suffer from migraines, according to WebMD. Many of these 28 million people take medication to prevent or treat their migraines, while others suffer needlessly. If you tried medication to treat your migraines and were unhappy with the results, consider the numerous alternative treatments available.

Kristen Horner, who owns Live Oak Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, performs acupuncture on a patient seeking relief from migraine headaches.
Photo by Duane A. Laverty

Acupuncture needles are so thin that patients can hardly feel them.

Acupuncture

This ancient Chinese treatment originated thousands of years ago. Kristen Horner, owner of Live Oak Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, has practiced acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine for seven years.

“Scientists say it changes the way our bodies perceive pain,” Horner said. “It alters the way pain is transmitted in the spinal cord and alters the activity of the immune system and blood vessels.”

Many might cringe at the thought of tiny needles sticking into their bodies. Yet many people find relief.

“Most first-time patients are pleased and surprised to find that having an acupuncture treatment is a relaxing and pleasant experience,” Horner said. “Acupuncture needles are very thin and flexible, about the diameter of a cat’s whisker. Some people feel nothing at all when the needles are inserted while others experience a sensation similar to a mosquito bite, followed by an aching or tingling sensation. Acupuncture does not feel like getting a shot or having blood drawn.”

Acupuncture is a valid treatment option for headaches or migraines attributed to hormones, weather changes and diet, Horner said. Every patient’s treatment is unique, but an average course of treatment consists of eight to 10 sessions, with most patients noticing a clear benefit within three to four sessions, she said.

“Because it stimulates the body’s ability to heal itself, acupuncture is a valuable complement to conventional medical treatment of almost any condition,” Horner states on her website.

One woman who found relief through acupuncture is Wanda Lehnus, who suffered from debilitating migraines for 30 years.

“I would get them once or twice a month,” Lehnus said. “The migraine would usually cause me to throw up, go to bed so I could not hear anything or see anything, and sleep until it wore off.”

Lehuns tried traditional Western medicine, yet received no relief. She sought acupuncture and found healing. She now sees her acupuncturist once a year to prevent the migraines from returning, but no longer suffers from migraines. “I would highly recommend acupuncture to others because it has worked for me. No pain is felt,” Lehnus said. 

For more information, visit www.liveoakacupuncture.com.

Iridology

Iridologists take a picture of a patient’s eye, then examine the patterns, colors and other characteristics of the iris to gain insight into the patient’s health. Ruby Lawler and Lora Slaughter practice iridology through House of Sunshine; their practice is based in Tyler, and they visit Waco to treat patients six times per year.

According to their website, “Iridologists see the eyes as ‘windows’ into the body’s state of health,” Slaughter said. “Iridology will not show or name a specific disease, but, rather provides information about the body tissues. It helps show us the weakest link.”

“For clients with migraines we try to pinpoint the root cause of the migraines and suggest dietary and nutritional changes for foods that may be triggers,” Slaughter said. “For others, migraines could be caused by sleep issues or hormone imbalances. Our goal is to make the migraines go away long term, not just kill the pain temporarily.” They achieve this through nutritional counseling, providing herbal recommendations and detox foot spas.”

The number of treatments differs with each patient. Less healthy patients often seek treatment every six to eight weeks, while others go every four to five months. Once a patient finds relief and moves to the maintenance stage, they visit Slaughter and Lawler once a year.

For more information, visit www.thehouseofsunshine.com.

Bioesthetic dentistry

Some people experience migraines and chronic headaches as a result of jaw misalignment or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. One Waco dentist who addresses this problem is Dr. Chad Latino.

“I had some patients that would come in with jaw (TMJ) pain,” he said. “These patients have typically gone from dentist to dentist, doctor to doctor, specialist to specialist without any positive results. We as dentists were not taught much about how to treat TMJ, so these patients are left without a sense of hope for treatment. I wanted to make a difference for these people.”

This led Latino to become one of only 10 dentists in Texas (250 in the United States) certified in the Maxillary Anterior Guided Orthotic (MAGO) procedure.

“While there are several theories on the cause of migraines, I believe that many people suffer with migraines due to the fact that their jaw joint is not in the proper position when their upper and lower teeth come together,” Latino said. “By using the principles of bioesthetic dentistry, I look to create a situation where the jaw joint is in the proper position when the upper and lower teeth come together. It makes a huge difference.”

Latino also says that if jaw misalignment is the culprit, most patients clench or grind their teeth, experience facial pain, earaches, neck and shoulder pain, worn down or chipped teeth, sleep apnea or snoring.

Some people compare the MAGO to a night guard, however Latino explained the difference. “A traditional night guard is designed to protect your teeth from clenching and grinding . . . the facial pain,” he said. “MAGO therapy goes far beyond that. It gently guides the jaw into proper alignment . . . a night guard addresses the clenching and grinding, but a MAGO addresses why you clench and grind.”

After suffering from muscle aches and headaches for about five years, Laura Crapps finally sought treatment from Latino. “I typically took pain reliever almost every day because the aches were so frequent. They just never seemed to go away,” Crapps said. “After getting the MAGO there was a drastic difference in the head and body aches. At the beginning I took pain reliever about once a week. Then once my jaw settled, I took pain reliever so infrequently I couldn’t remember how long it was between the time I needed it and took it last. Now that I’ve had my teeth fixed, I rarely have to take any pain reliever. My neck and back aches went away pretty quickly.”

For more information, visit www.wacofamilydentist.com.

Chiropractic

Paul McMullen, owner of McMullen Chiropractic Clinic on Waco Drive, has treated many migraine patients during his 35 years in practice.

“Every migraine sufferer is different,” McMullen said. “Everyone has different triggers (controllable and uncontrollable). Those who suffer need to be treated by someone who has treated migraine patients in the past and can do a thorough background check on a patient’s history.”

After the initial screening process, a chiropractor recommends any additional testing needed, such as a CAT scan, an MRI or a referral to a neurologist.

If a chiropractor determines that chiropractic treatment will be beneficial, the frequency of office visits varies. Sometimes patients require weekly visits, sometimes monthly. Most patients can expect to see their chiropractor once a month.

Chiropractic treatments include chiropractic adjustment, chiromanipulative therapy (CHT), stretching, physical therapy, therapeutic pillow, therapeutic ultrasound and recommendations on controlling triggers.

For more information visit www.mcmullenchiropractic.com.

Helpful tips

If you suffer from migraines, follow these steps to gain a better understanding of you migraines.

— Keep a migraine diary (chart symptoms daily, as well as triggers, food, pain level, sleep, etc.). Forms are available online at www.migrainesupport.com. There is also a free app available for the iPhone called iManage Migraine.

— Consider uncontrollable triggers: weather, menstrual cycle, illness.

— Consider controllable triggers: stress, sleep, activity level, food (for a complete list of possible food triggers, visit www.houstonheadacheclinic.com/nutrition.html).

Many neurologists support the use of alternative treatments in conjunction with Western medicine, so talk to your doctor about your treatment plan, then determine which course of action is right for you.