Q My headaches come so often that I'd like preventive treatment. Is preventive treatment possible in Korean medicine too?
A Yes, headache prevention is possible in Korean medicine as well. Starting preventive treatment is recommended when you have headaches 4 or more times a month or are at risk of chronification.
Detailed Answer
Indications for headache preventive treatment include 4 or more attacks per month, attacks lasting 48 hours or more each, insufficient effect from acute-phase medication, and risk of MOH. Western preventive drugs (topiramate, propranolol, amitriptyline, etc.) and Korean medicine treatment can be combined.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
Dongjedang's preventive treatment follows the same three-step principle of clearing the head: clearing the upper body, detoxification, and circulation. It proceeds by bringing down risen heat (clearing the upper body), releasing the blood stasis and phlegm-rheum that block the cerebral vessels (detoxification), and loosening the neck and shoulders to increase blood flow to the brain (circulation), and it usually continues for at least 3 months. In the first month we combine acupuncture and brain-clearing herbal medicine twice a week, reducing to once a week from the second month, and we objectively evaluate the effect with a headache diary.
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