“Is it normal to have a headache after acupuncture?”
I'm 40, and I had an acupuncture treatment for my lower back two days ago. After the treatment I started to have headaches that come and go. Is it normal to have a headache after acupuncture?
28 Answers
No
How is your blood pressure?
How is your blood pressure?
It’s unusual to have this kind of reaction, but you better call your provider to let him know, he could help you out.
Mr. Anthony James Lorenzo
Acupuncturist
I do not consider that a normal response, no. Was your acupuncturist fully trained, with a master's degree in acupuncture? If not, it wasn't acupuncture... just some person poking you with acupuncture needles.
No
It is not normal, but sometimes that may happen. Do not worry about that and just report it to your acupuncturist.
If too many needles placed in the head, which would increase blood flow to the brain, it may cause a temporary headache.
No, it’s not normal to have a headache following an acupuncture treatment. Did you eat prior to treatment? Did you and/or do you drink enough fluids to hydrate appropriately?
it is common to sometimes have a headache, or a feeling of being light headed after acupuncture. I would consult your practitioner to make them aware. Sometimes people are more sensitive to treatments than others.
No, it is not, but in very few cases, it can happen. It can depend on where and how the needles were placed.
Headache is a sign you can’t ignore. Your body wants to communicate with you and let you know that your body needs your attention. Your headache could be from excessive or deficient symptoms. I don’t believe it’s from acupuncture treatment.
Sometimes people will get a headache right after if they haven’t eaten enough. If you are continuing to have headaches, sometimes that is the result of the first treatment moving things around and will get better with the second treatment.
Sometime the headaches are related to other things outside of the treatment.
Sometime the headaches are related to other things outside of the treatment.
Sometimes patients report feeling worse after acupuncture treatment. However, the symptoms they may experience due to acupuncture treatment working should only be a short increase of the symptoms they already had; i.e. the symptoms or complaint that they came in for. This is called the Law of Cure in that the symptoms appear to get worse, as the treatment is working and helping the body repair itself, before the symptoms are gone or at least decrease. If you did not have a headache before, it could be a number of things. It is possible to have a headache if you came to acupuncture having had alcohol, too much caffeine or were dehydrated. You should always avoid alcohol before treatment as well as making sure that you are hydrated and have eaten a little something. This is because the body is working hard - even if you are lying down. Sometimes, it is possible that too many needles may bring on a headache - particularly if you tend to be predisposed to headaches or other "upper extremity" issues like red eyes, sinus issues, ear pain/pressure or irritability. Of course, it could always be a coincidence as well. I would recommend you try another session, and make sure that you alert your practitioner what you experienced and that you drink plenty of water the day of.
No. In almost 40 years of my practicing acupuncture, I have never heard of anyone getting a headache after treatment.
Glenn R. Williams, D.C., L.Ac.
Glenn R. Williams, D.C., L.Ac.
If the acupuncturist treated the lower back ONLY, your headaches might be unrelated. However, sometimes if the patient was in a prone position and he or she was not comfortable, then it is possible to experience some tension headaches or neck pain. It is important to communicate with your acupuncturist about how you felt. I would recommend to decrease the time, the intensity of the therapy, and please, make sure to tell your therapist if you are not comfortable so appropriate adjustment can be made.
Alexandre Hillairet, DAOM.
Alexandre Hillairet, DAOM.
Yes! It can happen sometimes for some patients. It can be caused from laying down for long periods. If this occurs, I usually suggest lying on the side during treatment. This can prevent post-treatment headache.
Hello,
I don't think your headache is related to acupuncture treatment for lower back. If it is, it must be very rare case. I been practicing acupuncture for the past 17 years including pain management and haven't had complained about a headache as a side effect. You should consult with your acupuncturist again for further evaluation.
Best regards,
Danny Khounh
I don't think your headache is related to acupuncture treatment for lower back. If it is, it must be very rare case. I been practicing acupuncture for the past 17 years including pain management and haven't had complained about a headache as a side effect. You should consult with your acupuncturist again for further evaluation.
Best regards,
Danny Khounh
I don’t see a relation between your headaches and acupuncture.
Dr. Maryam Mansouri, Lac. OMD.
Dr. Maryam Mansouri, Lac. OMD.
No, it is abnormal. I suggest you not go there to have acupuncture treatment again.
Dr Duke Mansell
Acupuncturist
Acupuncture has many effects on the body. The part to optimal health is never linear, but has ups and downs. If you make us aware, we can resolve a headache after a treatment.
Each individual is different. Sometimes the acupuncture treatment can stimulate the release of toxins. Make sure to drink plenty of pure water.
It's not a usual reaction to acupuncture, but it can be a normal one. Sometimes, your treatment can release energy from one area but it gets stuck in another. It may also be due to too many needles in the upper part of your body. This causes the energy to rise up and can cause headaches, lightheaddedness, dizziness, etc. However, if the root condition (why you're feeling the pain to begin with) isn't being addressed, the practitioner will end up only moving the pain around your body. We call this "chasing the dragon" (sounds cooler than it is). If you're feeling a headache, pain, or other symptoms after every treatment, I would recommend trying a different practitioner or style of acupuncture.
It is a short-term side effect that happens after treatment because of the treatment itself and sometimes patient has been not enough to eat, drink or do something which has reacted with the treatment, usually gone after 24-48 hours. If the symptoms persists after two days, it is very important to contact the practitioner and discuss the problem with them.
Everyone has different reactions to acupuncture. If the patient has a lot of toxins, it could appear as headaches so you are detoxing.
Anything can happen after acupuncture treatments, some of the things are a result of the treatment and some of them are things that would've happened anyway. This is similar to putting gas in your car and then getting a flat - not necessarily related.
If the headache IS a result of the treatment, it is usually from the body starting to rid itself of toxins. As the toxins are being eliminated the body feels them coming from all parts of the body (could be headache, could be shoulder pain, etc) headaches are a common result when there is back or shoulder treatments from my experience.
The headache could also be a result of the body being regulated and rejecting dietary or other habits lifestyles one partakes in. One example there is when I treated a patient for shoulder pain and afterward cigarettes tasted gross to her. The headache may be a side effect of another aspect of something.
Not knowing your case specifically, it is best that you go back to your practitioner and tell them what happened, especially if it is still going on. If not, wait til your next appointment to tell them as it may just have been the body ridding itself of toxins.
Good luck.
If the headache IS a result of the treatment, it is usually from the body starting to rid itself of toxins. As the toxins are being eliminated the body feels them coming from all parts of the body (could be headache, could be shoulder pain, etc) headaches are a common result when there is back or shoulder treatments from my experience.
The headache could also be a result of the body being regulated and rejecting dietary or other habits lifestyles one partakes in. One example there is when I treated a patient for shoulder pain and afterward cigarettes tasted gross to her. The headache may be a side effect of another aspect of something.
Not knowing your case specifically, it is best that you go back to your practitioner and tell them what happened, especially if it is still going on. If not, wait til your next appointment to tell them as it may just have been the body ridding itself of toxins.
Good luck.
Patients don't generally complain of headaches after treatments, but your acupuncturist is moving energy that can hit a block that causes pain. This may be what happened for you. Let your practitioner know next time you go in, but I don't imagine it will happen again.
There are several reasons. Points that was used by your acupuncturist may have been to over-stimulating. Not having enough liquid or food before and after the treatment. Inadequate rest with rigorous activities may also be a reason. Please consult with your acupuncturist.
It is unusual to have a headache after acupuncture treatment. It may be due to nervous or other factors. Please discuss this issue with your acupuncturist if you still have a headache after next treatment.
No, it's not typical for a patient to experience headaches after an acupuncture treatment. There's a lot that could be going on here and without a great deal more information here's the best advice I can offer: talk to your provider and let them know what you're now experiencing. Hopefully the feedback will give them the information they need to adjust your treatment so this doesn't happen again.
