Acupuncture for Migraine Relief: A Comprehensive Guide to Holistic Healing

By Published On: September 7, 2017Categories: Acupuncture, Blog, Migraines, Pain Management

Introduction: The Debilitating Reality of Migraines

Migraines are not just another headache; they are a severe, incapacitating experience that can significantly deteriorate one’s quality of life. The intensity of these attacks can be so overwhelming that they can incapacitate an individual for up to three days or even longer. The looming dread of the next episode can make even a symptom-free day a nerve-wracking experience. But what if there was a way to manage this debilitating condition more effectively? Enter Acupuncture for Migraine Relief, a holistic approach that aims to balance your nervous system and alleviate migraine symptoms.

Acupuncture: The Fitness Routine for Your Nervous System

Acupuncture is akin to a fitness regimen designed specifically for your nervous system. It stimulates balance or homeostasis within the body, targeting weaker areas of the nervous system to enhance their function. The nervous system is incredibly adaptable and receptive, and acupuncture aims to train these weaker areas through repeated stimulation. This helps the nervous system adapt to daily stresses and changes more efficiently.

Individualized Treatment Plans for Migraine Sufferers

Our skilled Acupuncturists perform a meticulous assessment to create a tailored treatment plan for you. They employ a combination of acupuncture points specifically designed to treat headaches and migraines. This individualized approach ensures that the treatment is as effective as possible, targeting the root cause of your migraines rather than just alleviating symptoms.

Understanding the Causes of Migraines

While the exact causes of migraines remain elusive, both genetic and environmental factors are known to play a role. Under normal circumstances, the nervous system adapts to changes in our environment. However, when it fails to do so, migraines or cluster headaches can occur. Factors contributing to this failure can include:

  • Diet, Alcohol, or Medications
  • Stress and Environmental Changes
  • Hormonal Imbalances, such as Serotonin levels
  • Sensory Stimuli like Bright Lights
  • Sleep Patterns

The Eastern Perspective: The Role of Qi in Acupuncture

In Eastern medicine, life energy or Qi (pronounced ‘chee’) flows along acupuncture meridians, which house the acupuncture points throughout the body. An uninterrupted Qi flow is essential for optimal health. Acupuncturists aim to reestablish or maintain this flow, thereby treating the underlying cause of diseases, including migraines.

How Acupuncture Affects Your Nervous System

Acupuncture stimulates nerves to send electrical impulses to and from the spinal cord, facilitating optimal communication between organs, muscles, and blood vessels. It also aids in the release of neurotransmitters, the body’s chemical messengers, providing natural pain relief. By selecting specific acupuncture points for migraines, an Acupuncturist can help your nervous system regain its optimal function, thereby managing your pain more effectively.

At-Home Acupressure Techniques for Migraine Management

As part of your comprehensive treatment plan, our practitioners will guide you through acupressure techniques that can be performed at home. These acupressure points for headache relief offer an efficient way to manage symptoms even at their earliest onset, giving you an additional tool in your arsenal against migraines.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Migraines with Acupuncture

Migraines can be a crippling experience, but they don’t have to dictate the quality of your life. With Acupuncture for Migraine Relief, you can take a proactive step towards managing your symptoms and improving your overall well-being. Our individualized treatment plans are designed to offer you the most effective relief possible, targeting the root causes of your migraines and not just the symptoms. Take control of your health today with acupuncture.

Our Experienced Practitioners:

Tammy Lalonde, CEO and Registered Acupuncturist

Dr. Tammy Lalonde 🇬🇧

Position: CEO, Acupuncture, Herbalism
Categories: Acupuncture, Addictions, Administration, Allergies, Amputation (Phantom Limb), Anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Auto-Immune Health, Back Pain, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), Cardiovascular Health, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Inflammatory Disease, Chronic Pain, Cupping, Cycle Health and PMS, Depression, Diabetes, Digestive Health, Electrostimulation, Emotional Health, Fertility, Fibromyalgia, Functional Medicine, Gender Reassignment, Guillain-Barre, Headaches & Migraines, Herbal Medicine, HIV and AIDS, Hormone Health, Inclusive Health, Insomnia and Sleep Health, Lupus, Men's Health, Menopause, Moxibustion, Musculoskeletal, Myasthenia Gravis, Neurological Health, Oncology, Pain Management, Post-Covid Syndrome, Pregnancy, Prostatitis, Psoriasis, PTSD, Respiratory Health, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sciatica, Seniors Health, Service, Sexual Dysfunction, Soft Tissue Injury, Specialization, Stress, Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ), Thyroid Disorders, Vasculitis, Whiplash, Women's Health

Caring for people is my passion and one of the greatest callings life has to offer.  I am a seasoned Paramedic and Acupuncturist with extensive experience assisting patients as they cope with obvious and invisible injuries. I have been there for those in desperate medical, psychological or traumatic situations, delivered beautiful babies in vehicles parked along the side of the road, and administered care in such odd locations as on a domestic airliner at 30,000 feet or when flying emergency medevacs over Arabian desertscapes. I know full well how to care for those in true crisis but have also witnessed so many more whose illnesses and injuries could be traced back to their treatment of the body as a whole, whether through their diet, fitness levels, or neglect. As my career has evolved, so has my focus, which has shifted to helping a greater number of people early on to prevent minor issues from evolving into larger and costlier illnesses.  In my practice I have found a niche offering by pairing these strengths in emergency care and women’s health with the respected skills and techniques from top practitioners in oriental medicine. All care is focused on returning the body, mind, and spirit to a whole.

My academic preparation closely incorporates oriental medicine with Western healthcare. My passions build on natural strengths in highly stressful complex interactions, care management, and treatment of anxiety, depression and PTSD – particularly amongst Armed Forces and Emergency Services personnel. Within North America and the Middle East I have enjoyed a long standing career as a respected clinician, clinical educator, fire and emergency medical dispatcher.  I hold active licensure/registration with the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), the College of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA), the California Acupuncture Board, and the Alberta Herbalists Association (AHA).  I am a past Board Director with the Alberta Pain Society and a present member of the CAA Competence Committee.


Education:

  • Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM), American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
  • Master of Science (MS) – Traditional Chinese Medicine, American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
  • Master of Science (MS) – Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, cum laude, South Baylo University
  • Bachelor of Science (BS) – Holistic Science, South Baylo University
  • Diploma – Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic), Augustana University

Licensure

  • RAc – Registered Acupuncturist of the College of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)
  • RH – Registered Herbalist of the Alberta Herbalists Association (AHA)
  • LAc – Licensed Acupuncturist of the California Acupuncture Board
  • Dipl.Ac – Diplomate of Acupuncture of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM)
Tammy Lalonde, CEO and Registered Acupuncturist

Dr. Tammy Lalonde 🇬🇧

CEO, Acupuncture, Herbalism

Caring for people is my passion and one of the...

Yoko Masuda, Acupuncturist

Dr. Yoko Masuda 🇬🇧 🇯🇵

Position: Acupuncture
Categories: Acupuncture, Addictions, Amputation (Phantom Limb), Anxiety, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Back Pain, Cardiovascular Health, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue, Chronic Pain, Cupping, Cycle Health and PMS, Depression, Electrostimulation, Emotional Health, Gender Reassignment, Headaches & Migraines, Inclusive Health, Insomnia and Sleep Health, Menopause, Moxibustion, Musculoskeletal, Pediatric Acupuncture, Post-Covid Syndrome, PTSD, Sciatica, Soft Tissue Injury, Sports Injury, Stress, Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ), Thermie (Tiger), Whiplash

Dr. Yoko Masuda is a master practitioner – skilled in the rare craft of Japanese style acupuncture – where she incorporates and tailors gentle needling, moxibustion (specific deep heat), therme (heat massage) and cupping into her acupuncture treatment plans. These skills, as well as her reputation for delivering tangible results, make her a sought-after provider, especially in the areas of pain management, sports injuries, orthopaedic injuries and emotional health. Yoko firmly believes that the mind and the body are intertwined in healing and she continually advocates for a healthy lifestyle alongside of the care she provides.

Yoko received her acupuncture degree in Japan and, after working at several clinics in Tokyo, she accepted a staff acupuncturist position with the world renowned Cirque du Soleil touring show. For nearly twenty years, she went on to travel the far reaches of the globe, working on several other productions, and earning the respect of an international group of artists, staff and athletes before eventually selecting Edmonton for her permanent clinical practice. As a former high school physical education teacher, and also as an alumnus of the Japanese national rhythmic gymnastics team (where she competed internationally on numerous occasions), she has amassed an impressive background in sports therapy and physical education, uniquely positioning her to address all manner of orthopedic and performance related concerns.

Outside of work, Yoko enjoys travelling, the outdoors, and spending time with her husband and two elementary-aged daughters.

Education:

  • Diploma of Acupuncture, Hanada College, Tokyo, Japan

Licensure:

  • RAc, College and Association of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)

Fluency: 🇬🇧 – English |  🇯🇵 – Japanese

Yoko Masuda, Acupuncturist

Dr. Yoko Masuda 🇬🇧 🇯🇵

Acupuncture

Dr. Yoko Masuda is a master practitioner – skilled in...

Dr. Michell Winton, Registered Acupuncturist

Dr. Michelle Winton 🇬🇧

Position: Acupuncture, Massage
Categories: Acupuncture, Back Pain, Cardiovascular Health, Chronic Pain, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Cupping, Cupping, Depression, Digestive Health, Electrostimulation, Gender Reassignment, Gua Sha, Headaches & Migraines, Inclusive Health, Insomnia and Sleep Health, Massage Therapy, Moxibustion, Musculoskeletal, Pain Management, Pregnancy, PTSD, Relaxation Massage, Respiratory Health, Sciatica, Seniors Health, Soft Tissue Injury, Sports Injury, Stress, Temporal Mandibular Joint (TMJ), Therapeutic Massage, Whiplash

Massage Therapy Pressure Scale 5-8Helping people comes naturally to Michelle! As a highly skilled Acupuncturist, Massage Therapist, and Advanced Care Paramedic she is widely recognized for developing unique care plans which draw on her knowledge and therapeutic touch gained across each of these specialized disciplines. Having over twenty years of combined expertise in caring for her patients, Michelle has had a front row seat to observe how stress and emotion affect the mind and body. Complementing her acupuncture services at Red Leaf Wellness, Michelle offers a variety of therapeutic and relaxation massage therapies, including pregnancy massage, myofascial release and myofascial cupping.

Michelle began her health career as a massage therapist, graduating the 2200hr Massage Program at Macewan University in 2001. Being active in competitive sport in her youth, Michelle understood the benefits of massage on sport performance, recovery and injury prevention. She subsequently branched into emergency care and became an Advanced Care Paramedic where she was able to offer a calming presence in stressful, emergent situations. Michelle has always believed that soft skills, an extra moment spent with family, or a hand to hold on the way to the hospital, can be as healing as the specific medical interventions themselves. Working as a Paramedic Michelle saw, and began to question, how it is that people differ in disease and the aging process and why the same drug benefited one person, but not the other. Her lifelong learning journey had her begin to look for these answers in the time-tested practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture, thus kicking off another quest for knowledge at MacEwan University’s Acupuncture Program.

Education:

  • Diploma – Acupuncture, Macewan University
  • Diploma – Emergency Medical Technician (Paramedic), Augustana University
    • Honors standings
  • Certificate – Massage Therapy Grant MacEwan College

Licensure:

  • RAc, College of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)
  • RMT, National Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC)
  • ACP, Alberta College of Paramedics
Dr. Michell Winton, Registered Acupuncturist

Dr. Michelle Winton 🇬🇧

Acupuncture, Massage

Helping people comes naturally to Michelle! As a highly skilled...

Headshot of a smiling woman with long wavy brown hair, wearing a rust-colored sweater and a heart-shaped pendant necklace.

Dr. Olivia Wiebe 🇬🇧

Position: Acupuncture, Herbalism
Categories: Acupuncture, Anxiety, Cosmetic Acupuncture, Cupping, Cycle Health and PMS, Electrostimulation, Emotional Health, Facial Cupping, Facial Rejuvenation, Gua Sha, Headaches & Migraines, Herbal Medicine, Hormonal Health, Hot Flashes, Insomnia and Sleep Health, Menopause, Moxibustion, Pain Management, Pregnancy, Stress, Women's Health

Olivia Wiebe is a dedicated practitioner of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, offering a compassionate and holistic approach to wellness. Graduating from MacEwan University in 2017 with a diploma in Acupuncture, Olivia’s journey into this ancient healing practice began during her high school years, where she first experienced its transformative effects. This initial exposure led her to a profound understanding of the body’s complex interplay with lifestyle and environment, shaping her therapeutic approach.

Equipped with deep knowledge in yin/yang theory, 5-element theory, meridian channels, and organ diagnosis, Olivia views health as a harmonious balance between physical, emotional, and environmental factors. Her commitment to expanding her expertise led her to pursue an additional 2.5 years of study in Chinese Herbology at Pacific Rim College in Victoria, BC. This rigorous training, coupled with her experience in Western Herbology, has enabled her to integrate a rich tapestry of herbal wisdom into her practice.

Olivia’s therapeutic focus includes alleviating aches and pains, addressing insomnia, stress, and anxiety, and enhancing women’s health, among other areas. She is passionate about assisting her patients in every step of their healing journey, regardless of their familiarity with Acupuncture or Chinese Medicine.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Olivia is an avid nature enthusiast, often found embracing the tranquility of the river valley or indulging in forest bathing with her beloved dog. She is also a skilled pianist, classically trained through the Royal Conservatory, and has shared her love for music by teaching piano lessons for over a decade.

At our clinic, Olivia Wiebe stands as a testament to the power of integrative care, combining her rich knowledge of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine with a deep-rooted passion for natural healing. Whether you are new to Acupuncture or seeking advanced care, Olivia welcomes all questions and looks forward to guiding you on your path to wellness.

Education

  • Diploma of Acupuncture, MacEwan University

Certifications/Licensure

  • Registered Acupuncturist – College of Acupuncturists of Alberta (CAA)
Headshot of a smiling woman with long wavy brown hair, wearing a rust-colored sweater and a heart-shaped pendant necklace.

Dr. Olivia Wiebe 🇬🇧

Acupuncture, Herbalism

Olivia Wiebe is a dedicated practitioner of Acupuncture and Traditional...

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