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HEADACHES

Mary Anne Matta

LOCATION TYPE INDICATION NOTES POINTS DR. TAN

Occipital Tai Invasion of Wind. Coupled with stiff neck Chronic headaches here indicate KD BL 10, GV 16, BL 60 KD 1 or 2
Yang Deficiency manifesting on its pair (BL (Treat Yin to
channel) cool Yang)
Forehead Yang Dull frontal headache – Stomach Deficiency Damp or Phlegm in the head will cause GV 23, ST 8, Yin Tang, GB 14, ST 41 LI 4
Ming Sharp frontal headache – Stomach Heat muzziness and heavy head Commands
face

Temporal Shao GB channel mostly affected. Associated with Pain can be behind the eyes as well Tai Yang, GB 8, SJ 5, GB 41 LV 3 (treat Yin
Yang LV - Yang Rising, Fire, or Wind to cool Yang)

Vertex Jue Yin Can be dull due to Blood and Qi not rising to Can reflect LV involvement, but not always GV 20, LV 3 -
the head (deficiency type)

Entire Head -- Chronic – KD Jing Deficiency Changing positions of pain around the head – Wind Invasion - LU 7, LI 4 HT 8 supreme
Acute – invasion of Wind, severe sharp pain indicates Wind (either EPF or Liver Wind) LV Wind – LV 3, LV 8 controller

EXCESS TYPES - TCM PATTERNS


Wind Cold à headache that is distending/pulling in the occiput, cold sx, stuffy nose, seasonal allergies
§ Tongue is normal with thin white coat
§ Pulse is floating and tight
§ Points to clear wind and cold - GB 20, GV 16, BL 10 & 12, LU 7 & LI 4 (source/luo tx for wind)
§ Consider Cupping to release the exterior

Wind Heat à splitting headache, heat signs, fever, thirst


§ Tongue is red with possible thin yellow coat
§ Pulse is rapid and floating
§ Points to clear wind and heat – LI 4 (wind heat), LI 11, GV 14 (heat), GB 20, GV 16, TW 5 (wind heat)

Wind Damp à headache that feels like a towel wrapped tight, poor appetite, heaviness, chest oppression
§ Tongue has a greasy coat
§ Pulse is soft and slippery
§ Points to resolve wind damp - GB 20, GV 20 (clear the head)
§ Points to support the ST/SP – CV 12, BL 20, ST 36, ST 40 (damp)

LV Yang Rising à severe, pulsing temporal headache, blue veins popping out, bilateral, worse lying down and in the afternoon. LV signs: angry, bitter mouth, red face, nausea, vomiting
§ Tongue is red with a thin yellow coat
§ Pulse is wiry, rapid, and forceful
§ Points to course the Liver, and tonify Yin (to subdue the Yang) – LV 3, SP 6, KD 3
§ Points to stop headache – GB 4, GB 20, Taiyang, GB 43 (clear GB heat)
§ Points to tonify the ST/SP – PC 6/SP 4, GB 34 (He Sea of GB) , CV 12, ST 36

LV Fire à further progression of LV Yang Rising, even stronger headache, irritability, and heat signs; shouting
§ Tongue is red with a yellow coat. Red sides
§ Pulse is wiry, rapid, and forceful
§ Points to clear Heat – Bleed Jing Well points, LV 2, GB 43
§ Points to stop headache – GB 20, Taiyang
§ Points to tonify Yin – SP 6, KD 3

Phlegm Turbidity à lack of clarity in the mind related to phlegm in the head. Pain or uncomfortable feeling is heavy, dizzy, worse with damp weather, possibility of other phlegm signs like
mucus, nausea, vomiting, chest or epigastric fullness or distention
§ Tongue has a greasy white coat
§ Pulse is Slippery
§ Points to raise clear Yang and clear the mind – ST 8, GV 20
§ Points to tonify the ST/SP – CV 12, ST 36
§ Points to resolve phlegm – ST 40

Blood Stasis à fixed stabbing drilling pain, worse at night. Know red flags as a more serious condition may be present such as concussion, bleed, tumor, stroke, aneurism, meningitis:
Ø Headache following trauma Ø Extreme neck stiffness (meningitis)
Ø Vomiting w/o nausea Ø Sudden onset, or progressively getting worse
Ø Fever Ø High Blood Pressure (could lead to stroke)
§ Tongue may be purple, dusky, or have dark sides or spots
§ Pulse is choppy or wiry (pulse of pain)
§ Points to Move Blood – SP 6, SP 10, BL 17 (remember that in this case we would not use LV 8 because it is more of a blood tonifier than a mover)

DEFICIENCY TYPES – TCM PATTERNS


Qi Deficiency à dull consistent headache, whole head, or frontal (Yang Ming), worse with exertion, better with rest, poor appetite and fatigue.
§ Tongue is pale with thin white coat
§ Pulse is weak
§ Points to tonify all Qi – SP 6, ST 36, CV 6
§ Points to raise clear Yang to the head – GV 20
§ Points to tonify SP in cases of SP involvement – BL 20

Blood Deficiency à headache is worse with exertion, pain is dull & ‘empty’, palpitations, insomnia, poor memory, dry skin, worse after menses in women, pale face
§ Tongue is pale
§ Pulse is thin (blood deficiency) and weak (qi deficiency)
§ Points to tonify the blood – BL 17, 18, 19, 20, LV 8
§ Points to tonify Qi – ST 36, SP 6, BL 23
§ Points to raise clear Yang to the head – GV 20

KD Deficiency à empty feeling in the head, weak low back & knees, fatigue
§ Tongue is pale if Yang deficient and Pulse is deep and empty
§ Tongue is red with little coat if Yin Deficient and Pulse may be thready or thin
§ Points to tonify the KD – KD 3, BL 23
§ Points for general deficiency of Qi – CV 4, GV 4, ST 36, GV 20 (raise Qi to the head)

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