A migraine headache is defined is a severe, pulsating, one-sided headache, lasting from 4 to 72 hours and which is aggravated by routine physical activity. Migraines are often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and/or sensitivity to light and sound. In addition, visual disturbances (auras) lasting from 4 to 60 minutes, may occur either before or during a migraine headache.

Migraines are sometimes called vascular headaches because they involve a restriction in blood flow to the brain. Stress, or some other trigger, causes muscle tension and spasm at the base of the skull, restricting the blood supply to the brain. In response, blood vessels in and around the brain dilate in order to compensate for the reduced oxygen. The pressure of these dilating arteries on cranial nerves causes the severe throbbing pain associated with migraine headaches.

One of the best alternative therapies for a migraine headache is Japanese acupuncture combined with the ancient practice or “cupping”. Cups are round vessels, 1″ to 3″ in diameter, which are applied to the body with vacuum suction. The vacuum is created either by means of heating the air inside the cup or by a mechanical pump. The local area of low pressure causes the blood to gather under the cup near the surface of the body, creating an immediate improvement in circulation. In particular, cupping helps to reset or regulate the tension in the arteries… helping to relax overly tense arteries and tighten those that are too lax. Cupping certain areas on the back can produce this regulating effect throughout the entire body.

In addition to acupuncture and cupping, dietary and lifestyle changes can often help to reduce the frequency and severity of headaches. In this regard, the following suggestions may be helpful.

1) Experiment avoiding foods that are known to trigger migraines for some people. The most common problem foods, in order of importance, are:

• tannins in tea, red wine and apple cider
• chocolate
• aged cheese
• other dairy products
• peanuts
• poultry, including eggs
• caffeine in coffee, tea and cola drinks
• sulfites in processed meats and seafood
• beef
• wheat
• food additives such as MSG, artificial sweeteners (especially those containing Aspartame) and food colorings
• heavily processed or packaged foods

To find out if any of these foods are a trigger for you, experiment by eliminating one at a time for a couple of weeks and observe any change in the frequency or severity of your headaches. In addition, a number of prescription medications can cause migraine headaches in some people. Read the information sheet which comes with your medication and if headaches are a possible side effect, consult with your doctor to see if an alternative medication can be prescribed.

2) Feverfew herbal capsules – 125 mg. per day and containing at least 0.2% parthenolide. Check the label to make sure it contains standardized 0.2% parthenolide. This herb works best as a preventative and may be taken every day in the above dose. If a migraine occurs, take 500 mg. in one dose and do not take any more Feverfew that day.

3) Magnesium (Citrate or Amino Acid Chelate) – begin with 200 to 250 mg per day and gradually increase your dose up to 400 mg. If your stools become loose, back down the dosage to a comfortable level.

4) Exercise moderately, but every day. Exercise helps to regulate blood chemistry as well as vascular tension. It’s best to alternate with different exercises which move the major muscle groups of the body. Bicycling, rowing and swimming are excellent “non-impact” exercises.

5) Drink plenty of water. Your body weight divided by 2.5 equates to the minimum number of ounces of pure water (including juice) you should drink every day. It’s best to drink water mostly between meals.

6) Take flaxseed + borage oil complex – 1 to 2 tablespoons per day.

7) Two or three times each week, drink celery juice alone or combined with carrot, cucumber, spinach and/or parsley. Or, two 8-ounce glasses of this juice per day can be taken as a preventative, instead of Feverfew capsules.

Precautionary Note
Persistent headaches can be a sign of a serious health problem. If you have frequent or persistent headaches, it is recommended that you consult with your health care professional.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805

As a practitioner of Japanese acupuncture in Portland, I see that acupuncture is well known to be an effective treatment for a wide range of physical problems. But most people don’t realize that acupuncture also has a long history in the treatment of mental and emotional disorders. For depression, Bi-polar Disorder, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), acupuncture combined with nutritional supplements can be very effective, either as an alternative to drug treatment or as a supporting therapy.

The ancient physicians of China and Japan considered depression to be a form of Qi deficiency or Qi stagnation. The Qi, or Life-energy is either deficient or not flowing evenly throughout the body. The result is a subjective experience of weakness, fatigue, lack of motivation, sadness or even despair. In this ancient system of medicine, the lungs and the organs of digestion are considered the most important organs involved in the generation and distribution of Qi. Therefore, in treating depression, we focus attention on the Qi meridians associated with these two organ systems.

It’s interesting to compare this ancient perspective with western science which views depression as a deficiency or imbalance in brain chemistry…with particular emphasis on the neuro-transmitter serotonin. The importance of serotonin is underscored by the fact that almost every anti-depression drug is designed to increase serotonin levels in the brain. But if we ask how serotonin is produced in the body, we get a surprising answer…one which points back to the ancient physicians of China. Researchers have found that as much as 80% of our serotonin is produced in the gastrointestinal tract, as a by-product of digestion.

In Japanese style acupuncture, we use specific points and acupuncture techniques that lift the spirits and re-establish a normal flow of Qi in the body. In addition, there are a number of dietary and lifestyle changes that can help to increase energy and elevate the mood. If you suffer from mild to moderate depression, here are a few suggestions that can make a significant difference within a few weeks.

1.    Take a concentrated fish oil supplement which provides at least 5 to 1 ratio of  Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) to Eicosapentanoic acid (EPA). DHA is a major building block of brain tissue and has a proven track record as a safe and effective treatment for depression and ADHD. In Great Britain and Europe, many doctors are using DHA supplementation to replace conventional drug therapy for mild to moderate depression.

2.    Aerobic exercise for 20 minutes, at least 5 days per week, is extremely valuable to help balance blood chemistry and remove toxins. If regular exercise is not part of your daily routine, it is important to begin carefully and build up to 20 minutes gradually over 2 or 3 months. Discuss exercise with your health care professional in order to design a program that is best suited to your condition.

3.    Certain prescription and OTC drugs can contribute to depression. If you are taking a pharmaceutical drug, find out if depression is one of the possible side effects and discuss with your doctor.

4.    Likewise, recreational drugs are major causes of depression for many people. Marijuana, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, narcotics, cocaine, amphetamines and alcohol, can all disrupt normal brain chemistry and deplete serotonin levels.

5.    A diet for depression has to be specifically designed to fit each individual. But in general, it would be helpful to eat more fruit and vegetables and reduce sugar, fried foods, junk foods and highly processed foods.

Precautionary Note: Severe clinical depression is a serious disorder. If you believe that you may be severely depressed or have difficulty working and maintaining your daily routine, consult with a medical doctor who is trained in the diagnosis and treatment of depression.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805

As a practitioner of Japanese acupuncture in Portland, I am seeing a renewed interest in one of the most ancient are of cupping; the application of suction cups to the body.  We really don’t know where cupping originated. Some say the practice began in China where archaeologists have found evidence of cupping dating back to 1000 B.C.  However, the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, describes the systematic use of cupping by the early Egyptians, as far back as 1550 B.C.  In both of these ancient societies, cupping was highly respected as a treatment for disease and as a method of routine health maintenance.

In the early days, cups were made of animal horns or bamboo.  Later, they began to be made out of pottery and today, cups are usually made of glass or plastic.  Typically, cups are round vessels, 1″ to 3″ in diameter, and are applied to the body with vacuum suction.  The vacuum is created either by means of heating the air inside the cup or by a mechanical pump.  The result is that the cup sticks to the body and creates a local area of low pressure, which causes the blood to gather under the cup near the surface of the body.

From a western scientific perspective, cupping creates pressure in the local tissues by drawing blood to the surface from areas underneath.  Through this process, fresh blood moves into the areas below the surface.  The result is an immediate improvement of circulation in the affected area.  It has been found that cupping affects the circulation 4 inches below the surface of the skin where the cups are applied.  As a result, cupping can directly influence the health of the underlying tissues and internal organs.

The general benefits of cupping are improved circulation, purification of blood, regulation of the autonomic nervous system and an overall cooling effect.  In addition, cupping reduces pain and swelling and speeds the natural healing process in the specific areas of application.  Cupping therapy is effective in the treatment of painful joints and muscles, digestive disorders, headaches, respiratory disorders, some skin conditions such as boils, eczema, etc., facial paralysis, weakness of the muscles, high blood pressure and common colds.

One of the side benefits of cupping is that it feels great.  The mild pulling sensation helps to release the muscles and calm the sympathetic nervous system, thus allowing a deep relaxation to move through the whole body.  It is not unusual for a patient to fall asleep while the cups are on, waking up afterward feeling relaxed and refreshed.  Cupping therapy is available from most acupuncturists as well as some massage and shiatsu practitioners.

Precautionary Note: Cupping therapy should be preformed by a trained practitioner. Cupping should not be performed on the abdomen or low back during pregnancy or near surgical incisions within one year of surgery.  Cupping is contraindicated in cases of allergic skin disorders, burns, severe edema, extreme fatigue, low blood pressure or bleeding disorders of any kind.  Also, cancer patients with an active tumor or patients who are taking blood thinning medication should avoid cupping therapy.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805

I recently lifted a large bucket of water incorrectly and felt a painless “pop” in my lower back. I assumed that I had pulled a muscle. Over the next 3 weeks, I tried to stretch it out and applied several healing techniques but my symptoms progressively got worse. Finally, I had severe pain in my right leg, a symptom known as sciatica. Then, I knew that I had herniated a disc.

A herniated, or bulging disc is when the soft tissue between the vertebra becomes injured and swollen and begins to exert pressure on one of the spinal nerves. In some cases, the tough outer surface of the disc can tear or break, allowing the soft inner nucleus to be extruded out of the disc and into the vertebral recess and the spinal canal. It’s a very painful condition but in 90% of the cases, a herniated disc will heal on it’s own, over 6 to 8 weeks of conservative treatment. During that period, the body’s natural healing energy goes to work, dissolving the herniated tissue and repairing the disc that remains in tact, a process called resorption.

To help reduce pain and buy time while the body heals, a steroidal epidural injection can be very helpful. This is a process of injecting a small amount of steroidal anti-inflammatory into the injured area to reduce inflammation and swelling and make the healing process considerably more comfortable.

Japanese acupuncture can also help to speed the process of resorption. In the case of an acute injury like this, I recommend treatments every 3 or 4 days. When applied correctly, acupuncture will ease the pain and help to direct the body’s healing energy to the affected area in the back. In Japanese style acupuncture, after an injury like this, we treat the Kidney and Liver channels as well as local points along the lumbar spine.

Other important healing techniques are cold packs to reduce inflammation, and complete bed rest for the first 2 or 3 days. After about 3 days, it’s best to resume a reduced schedule and try to stay vertical as much as possible. Walking is the exercise of choice (lots of it) and sitting is to be kept to a minimum. After 2 or 3 weeks, a gentle stretching program is recommended. After 6 to 8 weeks, it’s important to begin a strengthening program to prevent recurrance. In most cases, injury to the spinal discs is due to weak back muscles.

For a health care practitioner, an injury like this is very humbling. It reminds us that we really don’t know as much as we thought. And it helps to make us more compassionate with the suffering of others. Pain is a great teacher and helps to bring us down to earth and come face to face with our mortality and the frailness of the human condition. At times, we all have illness or injury which serve as an important “reality check” for us all.

Thank you for visiting my blog. If you have questions about acupuncture and shiatsu, or if you have a specific health concern, please contact me at:

Bart Walton, L.Ac.
Licensed Acupuncture & Shiatsu
Portland, Oregon
503/939-5805