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Headaches are one of the most common types of pain felt
in the head. A headache may be a primary problem or a
symptom of a more serious malady. Most headaches develop
slowly, are temporary, are unrelated to any other health
problems, and leave no aftereffects. Common causes of
headache are "stress", "tiredness", "fever accompanying
an infection", "excess of close work involving the
eyes", "high blood pressure"," sinus infection",
"temporomandibular joint
(jaw joint) dysfunction"etc. Headaches may also signal a
serious condition, such as an aneurysm (balloon like
swelling of an artery wall due to damage), or a brain
tumor.
This ailment,
according to TCM, has different syndromes. The treatment for
these syndromes using herbal medicine and acupuncture is shown
below.
Syndrome (a)
Headache due to
invasion of pathogenic wind-cold
A
headache due to the invasion of the body by pathogenic
(disease causing) wind-cold occurs especially after
exposure to wind. The pain may be extended to the nape
of the neck and the back regions. A person with this
kind of headache may have a thin, white tongue coating,
and a slow pulse.
To treat byHerbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine helps
dispel wind-cold and
relieve pain.
Simple Prescription: Chuanxiong rhizome (Chuan
Xiong)15g, chastetree fruit (Man Jing Zi)10g (
concentrated herbal granule). Dissolve them in hot water
and drink before sleeping.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Acupuncture and
moxibustion can help dispel
wind-cold and relieve pain.
Prescription/Formula: Baihui (Du 20), Taiyang
(Extra 1), Hegu (LI 4). Fengchi (G 20), Fengfu (Du 16),
Supplementary points should be selected according to the
channel and collateral in which the pain is located. For
frontal headache, Yintang (Extra 2), Shangxing (Du 23)
and Neiting (S 44); for parietal headache, Houxi (SI 3),
Taichong (Liv 3) and Zhiyin (B 67); for occipital
headache, Fengchi (G 20) and Kunlun (B 60).
Syndrome (b)
Headache due to
invasion of pathogenic wind-heat
A
headache due to invasion of pathogenic wind-heat may
cause a high fever, a slight aversion to cold, a sore
throat with congestion or thirst. It would make the
tongue go slightly red with a thin, yellow fur, and the
pulse beat faster.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine can help
dispel wind-heat and relieve pain.
Simple Prescription: Chrysanthemum(Ju Hua)15g,
dahurian angelica root (Bai Zhi)15g ( concentrated
herbal granule). Dissolve them in hot water and drink
before sleep.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Acupuncute or
moxibustion can help dispel wind-heat and relieve pain.
Prescription/Formula: Baihui (Du 20), Taiyang
(Extra 1), Hegu (LI 4). Fengchi (G 20), Dazhui(Du 14),
Quchi(LI 11), Supplementary points should be selected
according to the channel and collateral in which the
pain is located.
Syndrome (c)
Headache due to
invasion of
pathogenic wind-dampness
A
headache due to the invasion of
pathogenic wind-dampness would cause a heavy
sensation of pain in the body and nausea. The tongue
would go whitish with a greasy fur and the pulse feeble.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine can help
dispel wind-dampness and relieve pain.
Simple Prescription: Notopterygium (Qiang
Huo)15g, dahurian angelica root (Bai Zhi)15g (
concentrated herbal granule). Dissolve them in hot water
and drink before sleep.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion
Therapeutic principle: Acupuncture or moxibustion
can help dispel wind-dampness and relieve pain.
Prescription/Formula: Baihui (Du 20), Taiyang
(Extra 1), Hegu (LI 4). Fengchi (G 20), Fenglong(S 40),
Yenlingqian(Sp 9), Zusanli(S 36). Supplementary points
should be selected according to the channel and
collateral in which the pain is located.
Syndrome (d)
Headache due to
upsurge
of liver-yang
A
headache caused by an upsurge of liver-yang may cause
irritability, hot temper, dizziness and blurred vision.
The tongue may go red with a thin and yellow coating,
while the pulse is taut and rapid.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine can help
calm the liver to stop the pain
Prescription/Formula: Modified decoction of
gastrodia and uncaria. Gastrodia tuber (Tian Ma)9g,
uncaria stem with hooks (Gou Teng)12g, abalone shell
(Shi Jue Ming)(decocted first) 18g, capejasmine fruit
(Shan Zhi)9g, scutellaria root (Huang Qin)9g,
achyranthes root (Niu Xi)12g, bark of eucommia (Du
Zhong)9g, motherwort (Yi Mu Cao)9g, loranthus mulberry
mistletoe (Sang Ji Sheng)9g, fleece-flower stem (Yie
Jiao Teng)9g, poria with hostwood (Fu Shen).
Simple Prescription: Prunella spike (Xia Ku Cao)
30g (concentrated herbal granule). Dissolve them in hot
water and drink before sleeping.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Acupuncture or
moxibustion can help calm the liver to stop the pain.
Prescription/Formula: Baihui (Du 20), Hegu (LI
4), Fengchi (G 20), Xiaxi (G 43), and Xingjian (Liv 2).
A
headache due to phlegm-dampness may induce dizziness,
nausea or vomiting. The tongue would go whitish with a
greasy fur while the pulse goes taut and slippery.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine dries
dampness to resolve phlegm,
which, in turn, calms the pain.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Acupuncture or
moxibustion dries dampness to
resolve phlegm, which, in turn, calms the pain.
Prescription/Formula: Hegu (LI 4), Fengchi (G
20), Zhongwan (Ren12), Fenglong (S 40).
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Acupuncture and
moxibustion promotes blood circulation to remove blood
stasis from the channel, which in turn relieves pain.
Prescription/Formula: Hegu (LI 4), Sanyinjiao(Sp
6), Xuehai(Sp 10), Geshu(B 17).
Syndrome (g)
Headache due to
deficiency of both qi and blood
A
headache from a deficiency in blood and qi may also
cause dizziness, blurred vision, lassitude, and a
lustreless face. The tongue would acquire a white, thin
coating, while the pulse is thin and weak.
To treat by Herbal
medicine Therapeutic principle: Herbal medicine helps
replenish qi and tonify the blood to relieve pain.
Prescription/Formula: Modified decoction of four
ingredients plus others. Chinese angelica root (Dang
Gui)10g, chuanxiong rhizome(Chuan Xiong)10g, white peony
root (Bai Shao)10g, prepared rhizome of rehannia (Shou
Di)12g, chastetree fruit (Man Jing Zi)10g, chrysanthemum
(Ju Hua)10g, scutellaria root (Huang Qin)10g, prepared
licorice root (Gan Cao)6g.
To treat by Acupuncture and
Moxibustion Therapeutic principle: Acupuncture or
moxibustion helps replentish qi and tonify the blood to
relieve pain.
Prescription/Formula: Qihai (ren 6), Zusanli (S
36), Pishu (B 20) and Shenshu (B 23), Ganshu(B 18),
Sanyenjiao(Sp 6).
Generally speaking, Qigong is good for healing effect of
this specific ailment, however individual results may
vary. It improves the flow of the qi and the circulation
of the blood, so you'll experience more energy, but, you
won't see/ feel any immediate effects, as with many
exercises and therapies, it takes a few weeks or even
months of practice before you'll see any significant
improvements.
For the information of different types of Qigong ,just
click a link above.
This information is for education purpose only. We
strongly advise you seek a licensed Qigong master to
learn the correct ways to conduct these exercises before
attempting them.
(b) Medicated
diet
1.
Headache due to invasion of pathogenic wind-cold
PutSzechwan
Lovage Rhizome (Chuanxiong) 9g, 2 eggs, and 5 scallion
stalks into water to cook. When the eggs are done, take
them out and shell them, then put them back into the pot
to boil for ten more minutes. Eat the eggs and drink the
soup, once a day, continuously for several days.
2.Headache due
to invasion of pathogenic wind-heat Chrysamthemum
Flower (Juhua) 10g, some Ice Sugar (bingtang)
Put Chrysanthemum Flower into a cup, add boiling water
and Ice Sugar to it and stir, cover the cup with a lid
for ten minutes. Drink it anytime.
3.Headache due
to upsurge of liver-yang Prunellae
Spica (Xiakucao) 24g, lean pork 50g
Put them together to cook and get the soup. Drink the
soup once a day for several days.
4.
Headache due
to blood-stasis Five Walnut Seeds
(Hetaoren), white sugar 50g, yellow wine 50ml.
Grind the walnut seeds and white sugar into powder, then
put it into the pot, add some yellow wine, and cook it
with gentle fire for ten minutes. Take it twice a day
for several days.
(c) Life style
1) Strike a proper balance between work and rest.
2) Remain a cheerful frame of mind, and avoid mental
provocation.
3) Don't have any beverage with caffeine or alcohol.
4) Take less ham or chocolate.
5) Have more fish and ginger.
Acknowledgments:
Healthphone.com greatly acknowledges the support and
dedication of our
Healing Centre Panel, without whom this section
would not be possible.
We
also greatly acknowedge Ms. Najaf Munir, MBBS, for her
editorial support. Ms. Munir simplified the highly
technical medical documents into easy-to-read documents,
for the enjoyment and education of our numerous
visitors.