Headache

A headache is one of potentially many symptoms and occurs from many sources.  For instance, headaches are caused by vessel problems caused from hypertension, subarachnoid space bleeding, and intracranial inflammation. 

Intracranial cavity diseases of adjacent organs or tissue (i.e. frontal sinusitis, maxillary sinusitis, eye, ear, teeth, and laryngopharynx including the five senses) The neck can also contribute to headache symptoms.  

Additionally, headaches induced by migraine and cephalalgia nervosa (premenstrual pain, post menstrual pain and menopause-physio related) and cetera, are commonly seen in clinical practice.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) 

The sources of this disease are known as wind, accumulated heat, liver yang, phlegm-damp and a weak constitution among others.

Wind causes yang pathogenic factors to easily invade the head and channels into the inner brain which blocks the upper part thus causing an imbalance in the upright Qi, resulting in a headache.

Also, accumulated heat in the stomach causing the Liver-Gallbladder-fire to channel towards the head via the Meridian’s Qi and in turn, a headache occurs.

Another example is the kidney-Qi becomes exhausted and the Yin-blood becomes empty that leads to the Liver Yang traveling towards the head and resulting in pain when the head sways.

Additionally, damp-phlegm blocks the middle burner causing functional loss to the spleen due to overwork. An exhausted spleen does not send clear Qi to the head thus, a headache is formed. At the same time, on the location of pain, the channel where it belongs to needs to be identified.

A headache located in the forehead will progress via the eye, nose, laryngopharynx, etc.  In addition, anemic patients may experience headaches.

People who have an ear disease or migraines may succumb to headaches. Unlocalized pain, or vertex headache belongs to the nervosa headache. An occipital headache is commonly seen in those who have hypertension or perhaps a brain tumor.   

Ache or pain in the forehead region that is not fixed (unlocalized), can be seen mainly in those who have brain artery sclerosis, a concussion of the brain, infection or poisoning.  

Chronic headaches often progress due to intracranial pressure trending up during the early morning accompanied by extreme pain with nausea and vomiting. The pain dissipates as the morning progresses. Chronic headaches presents itself in nervosa, a brain tumor, a subdural hematoma, uremia, diabetes mellitus, poisoning, etc.

Repeated attacks of headache appears in migraine, brain artery disease, hypertension, cervical vertebra problem,and brain trauma.

Acute attacks of headache appears in acute infection, head injury, subarachnoid cavity bleeding, and after lumbar puncture.

To diagnose headache accurately, attention must be placed on symptoms such as temperature, blood pressure, and five sensory organs.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

Wind Qi headache is divided into two classes which are early stages of infection versus prolonged infection. The former is acute, accompanied with symptoms of chills and a fever, stuffy nose, body pain and cough with phlegm and a floating pulse.  The latter is chronic and it presents itself with migraine and vertex headaches. Normally head-wind symptoms that manifest when there is sensations of chills and tiredness from minor physical activity or weak physical stature.

Kidney exhausted Liver Yang headache is caused by vertigo, insomnia, laziness, soreness of the lower back, involuntary emission of semen, palpitation, loss of memory, tinnitus and blurred vision.

Stomach heat or Liver-Gallbladder fire uprising causes symptoms such as a red face with heat, distending pain and throbbing, red eye, flank pain, thirst, incessant movement, chest-epigastric fullness and tight, nausea, constipation, yellow-greasy coated tongue, rapid-full/wiry-slippery pulse with force.

Phlegm-damp blocks the middle burner which leads to a swaying head or Qi deficiency that can not rise to the head and causes a headache that has symptoms of chest and stomach tightness, vomiting clear water, exhibits dizziness, a white coated greasy tongue and a slippery pulse.

Qi deficiency has symptoms of laziness, low voice, loss of appetite, tiredness, and the pulse is faint.

Types Of Healing Treatments

Acupuncture, Auricular Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine