What is your headache telling you?
In Chinese Medicine a headache is never just a headache, dependant on the location on the head, the nature and onset of the pain, and the accompanying presenting symptoms, a headache can have numerous aetiologies.
The head is the area where all the yang channels cross and meet, bringing clear yang upwards to the orifices and assisting in the quality of the 5 senses.
Read below to see what your headache could be telling you.
Forehead-
The stomach channel and digestive organs can be involved in pains around the forehead. Heat in the stomach can be transmitted up to the forehead via the Yang Ming meridian. The large intestine channel also affects this area, the channel terminates at the level of the midpoint of the lateral border of the ala nasi, and therefore is a hugely beneficial point to treat headaches attributed to sinus blockage, caused through external damp, wind, cold or heat pathogens. These headaches will involve the large intestine channel and the fullness can be felt in the forehead and the cheekbones.
Temporal -
The sides of the head are connected to the Liver and Gall Bladder meridians. These headaches can be felt unilaterally or bilaterally and tend to be of an excess nature, meaning that there is a blockage to the flow of Qi causing the pain. This stagnation can combine with heat, internal wind or high blood pressure to produce the distending, spasm like pain. This pain can be describes as tight, or boring pain and is linked to emotional stress, pre menstrual tension and anger. The pain can also be worse in the afternoon.
Vertex-
The liver pathways and the Du channel both ascend to the top of the head. The liver organ and channels are deeply connected to blood & Qi and a deficiency of either could be felt at the vertex. This is due to the inadequate Yin fluids reaching the area. This type of headache may be eased by laying down.
Morning deficient pain-
A lack of Qi will produce a headache which starts as soon as one rises from bed, due to the difficulty of the Qi reaching the head. The sufferer may feel better as the day goes on, providing they don’t have to do too much work, which depletes more Qi, exaggerating the headache. Relaxing later in the evening and laying down will ease the deficiency type headache.
Qi and blood tonifying Chinese Herbal Medicines/ Acupuncture are required .
Morning excess pain-
Dampness and Qi stagnation excess headaches can start upon waking, due to the lack of movement whilst sleeping, which is noticed as soon as the sufferer stands up. Dizziness can accompany the pain, however the increased movement will drain the damp downwards, and move any stagnation, allowing the pain to subside.
Qi moving and damp draining Chinese Herbal Medicines/ Acupuncture are required.
Afternoon deficient pain-
Yin deficiency will result in a headache worse in the late afternoon evening. This is due to the lack of Yin fluids are unable to control the Yang energy, resulting in Liver Yang rising up to the head.
Yin tonifying and empty heat clearing Chinese Herbal Medicines/ Acupuncture are required.
Afternoon Excess Pain-
Pain which increases as tensions rise and the working day goes on, are related to Liver Qi Stagnation. Relaxing after work in the evening, taking holidays and even weekends away from stress will reduce the pain temporarily.
Qi moving and harmonizing Chinese Herbal Medicines / Acupuncture are required.
There are many more details which are taken in to consideration when a Chinese Medicine Practitioner diagnoses your exact situation and prescribes individual herbal prescriptions and acupuncture sessions.
Headaches should not left untreated, acute or chronic pains can be the result of more serious pathology and the sooner you seek medical attention the sooner you can restore normal homeostasis.
The above is written for interest and educational purposes and is not to be used as a replacement for professional advice and treatment.
