5 Types Of Headaches And What You Can Do.

Headaches are more than just a symptom; they’re a signal that something is off balance in your body. Headaches are classified based on their location, nature, and accompanying symptoms. They are often linked to imbalances in the body’s internal systems, such as Liver Qi stagnation, Blood deficiency, or external pathogenic factors like Wind, Cold, or Dampness.

Common Types and Causes:

1. Wind-Cold Headache:
   • Symptoms: Sharp pain, stiff neck, and shoulders, aversion to cold, no thirst.
   • Cause: Invasion of external Wind-Cold.
   • Treatment: Warm the meridians, expel Wind and Cold.
2. Wind-Heat Headache:
   • Symptoms: Throbbing pain, fever, aversion to wind, red face and eyes, thirst.
   • Cause: Invasion of external Wind-Heat.
   • Treatment: Clear Heat, expel Wind.
3. Liver Yang Rising Headache:
   • Symptoms: Severe, throbbing headache, dizziness, irritability, flushed face.
   • Cause: Hyperactivity of Liver Yang, often due to emotional stress.
   • Treatment: Subdue Liver Yang, nourish Liver Yin.
4. Blood Deficiency Headache:
   • Symptoms: Dull headache, dizziness, paleness, fatigue, palpitations.
   • Cause: Insufficient Blood to nourish the brain.
   • Treatment: Tonify Blood, nourish the brain.
5. Dampness or Phlegm Headache:
   • Symptoms: Heavy, foggy sensation in the head, nausea, chest fullness.
   • Cause: Accumulation of Dampness or Phlegm.
   • Treatment: Transform Phlegm, resolve Dampness.

Inflammation in TCM

Common Patterns and Treatments:

1. Heat Toxin:
   • Symptoms: Redness, swelling, pain, fever, irritability, thirst.
   • Cause: Accumulation of Heat and toxins.
   • Treatment: Clear Heat, detoxify.
2. Damp-Heat:
   • Symptoms: Swelling, heaviness, yellow discharge or phlegm, greasy tongue coating.
   • Cause: Combination of Dampness and Heat.
   • Treatment: Clear Heat, resolve Dampness.
3. Blood Stasis:
   • Symptoms: Fixed, stabbing pain, dark complexion, clots in menstrual blood (if applicable).
   • Cause: Impaired circulation of Blood.
   • Treatment: Invigorate Blood, remove stasis.

Common TCM Treatments

1. Acupuncture:
   • Used to restore the flow of Qi and Blood, alleviate pain, and balance the organ systems.
   • Specific points are selected based on the type and location of the headache or inflammation.
2. Herbal Medicine:
   • Custom herbal formulas are prescribed to address the underlying imbalances.
   • Common herbs include:
     • For Heat and inflammation: Huang Qin (Scutellaria baicalensis), Jin Yin Hua (Lonicera japonica), Lian Qiao (Forsythia suspensa).
     • For headaches: Chuan Xiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong), Bai Zhi (Angelica dahurica), Tian Ma (Gastrodia elata).
3. Dietary Therapy:
   • Recommendations are made to avoid foods that exacerbate the condition (e.g., hot, spicy foods for Heat conditions).
   • Foods that support healing are encouraged (e.g., cooling foods for Heat, nourishing foods for Blood deficiency).
4. Qi Gong and Tai Chi:
   • These practices help improve the flow of Qi, reduce stress, and enhance overall health.

The Connection Between Headaches, Inflammation, and the Nervous System

Liver and Headaches:

• The Liver ensures the smooth flow of Qi and Blood. Liver Qi stagnation or Liver Yang rising can cause headaches and nervous system issues like irritability and dizziness.
• Treatment: Soothe the Liver, move Qi, subdue Yang.

Heart and Inflammation:

• The Heart governs Blood and mental activities. Heat in the Heart can manifest as inflammation and affect mental clarity.
• Treatment: Clear Heart Heat, calm the mind.

Kidneys and Chronic Conditions:

• The Kidneys store essence (Jing) and govern bones and marrow, including the brain. Kidney deficiency can lead to chronic headaches and nervous system disorders.
• Treatment: Nourish Kidney Yin or Yang, support essence.

You can find herbs to support the kidneys here.