Acupuncture for Upper Back Tension and Headaches

It is officially that busy time of fall when work, school, life, and current events are all competing for every second of the day.   As your body might be telling you, it is hard to sustain go-mode for weeks or months at a time.  If upper back tension has your neck and shoulders feeling clenched, or if it has progressed into tension headaches, we've got you covered.  

The good news is that we have a lot of effective tools to help you combat these physical manifestations of stress.  

• Cupping is very useful to bring much needed circulation to the area and start to pull apart the fascia and muscles that become sticky over time.  We can use Fire Cups that have a strong suction or Silicone cups that have medium suction and can be moved across the muscles in what we call, "Running Cups".   Either way, your muscles will enjoy the release of tension.  
• Gua Sha is a technique that uses a flat tool to gently scrape across muscles, bringing more blood flow in while flushing toxins that build-up out.  This helps tension relax as the muscles finally get some increased circulation.  Sometimes the skin may look red or even lightly bruised after gua sha but it is not painful to receive.
• Acupuncture is a very powerful way to address trigger points or knots in the muscles.  Especially along the cervical vertebrae and occipital area at the back of the head, acupuncture needles can help release tension in ways that a massage cannot.  Studies show that people who receive acupuncture have almost 4 times fewer chronic headaches than those who do not.     
• Herbal medicine is another option that is useful for addressing joint pain as well as relaxation and stress reduction. 

Don't let stress keep you from getting it all done in these busy times!  A series of 3-4 weekly acupuncture sessions is a game-changer when you need it most!