How to treat headache with Chinese herbs and Tuina

Headache is a very common disorder in our society and with a highly variable intensity, not only from the objective standpoint, but also subjective.

It is a condition which sometimes manifests itself in a small way and on time, while in other cases it may become chronic in full. Affects people in middle age, although studies indicate that in women, tends to have greater impact. Statistics indicate that approximately 5% of the population suffers from headaches of a more or less continuously and rare is the individual who has never suffered throughout the life.

Types of headache

There are many varieties of headache and each has particular characteristics somewhat in terms of the radiation zone, it is somewhat difficult to determine which is the most intense headache or more painful.

It is therefore important to analyze each type of headache, analyzing the characteristics of pain, the affected area, duration, frequency, situations in which it manifests and other symptoms associated with the headache, to rule out other Pathology and discerning in the kind of pain and appropriate treatment for each case.

Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine

But from the standpoint of traditional Chinese medicine, this type of painful conditions often occurs as a result of the condition of various pathogenic factors. We can summarize in two aspects, external-type, corresponding to climatic factors and the internal type, where emotions play an important role.

The headaches caused by etiological causes of an external nature, are produced, as indicated, because of the condition of the external pathogenic factors, which are wind, cold, heat, humidity. The wind is one of the most important factors of all, since it is one that carries others, open the door to penetrate the other factors that transports, therefore it is known as "the head of the pathogenic factors."

When there is an aggression of these pathogenic factors are alterations in the flow of energy and therefore of blood, and these locks are responsible for the manifestations of pain that is so annoying.

Headaches due to internal etiology, are produced as a result on the one hand by the lack of nutritional supply from other organs to the brain, manifesting as pain, as a system of notice of this irregularity. Emotional disturbances can also alter the energy flow in the direction of the head, providing a perverse energy that disrupts the normal and manifests as pain, as well as warning system about disturbance.

There is also another set of internal factors such as food deficiency that can lead to a lack of nutrition for the brain, or in an accumulation of pathogens, for their lack of metabolism and affect the proper functioning and nutrition of the same, this also can manifest as headache. On the other hand, excessive fatigue and physical and mental exhaustion can lead to an irregular energy relationship between various organs, leading to situations of headache, in turn, as a warning mechanism for such irregularities.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on determining the type of headache, according to etiology as the cause responsible and acts not only trying to eradicate the painful symptoms but also the cause, the pathogenic factor responsible for this situation.

To improve the prevention of some headaches, you should avoid situations with poor posture, avoiding stress, excessive fatigue, extreme hunger situations, to avoid failure or excessive sleeping hours sleeping and resting correct and necessary, regular physical exercise, etc.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, a part of acupuncture pressure can be used in specific acupuncture points to improve energy and blood circulation, avoiding blockages, tension and pain. For this reason, the massage is usually a pleasant and analgesic technique at the same time, not only by the relaxant, sedative and tranquilizing role it plays but also by the energy improvement it causes.

Point and energy

There are two very characteristic points which are useful not only massage but also the pressure on them. There are extra points that do not correspond to any particular meridian but are very useful in these cases of headache.

Yintang Point, located in the center of the ends of the eyebrows, in the center of the forehead called, whose primary functions include the dispersion of wind and sedation and analgesia. Being strongly indicated in cases of common headaches.

Another interesting point is Taiyang, also corresponds to an extra point, located near the midpoint between the end of the eyebrow and outer corner of eye. That is characterized by dispersing action of wind and tranquilizers actions of perverse Yang.

You should go to massaging and pressing the point along the Gallbladder Meridian, to the point Fengchi, known acupuncture point numbering VB.20, located in the depression located on both sides of the neck, under the occiput, between the upper end of the sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius muscle above the posterior hairline. Whose main functions are to relax the muscles, liver and down the Yang sedating, calming the spirit. It is also a great wind dispersal of both internal and external etiology. As its use is strongly indicated in cases of headache due to internal and external wind, with accumulation of liver yang. Although this is a dangerous insertion point, and therefore of use in well-trained specialists, does not reverse any complication when used under the technique of acupressure or digitupunture.

Another point of great interest also in cases of common headaches, is the Bladder, V.10, known by the name of Tianzhu, located half cun in the inner part of the posterior hairline, where the meridian is split in two lines, one runs at 1.5 cun lateral to the midline of your back and the other three cun. Its most characteristic features are unlock, calm and sedate meridians mind, translating this into actions analgesic, so its use is widespread headaches.

Phytotherapy for headache

There are other treatment options, in this case with herbal medicine, and always taking into account not only the property but also symptomatic etiology, the pathogenic factor responsible for that situation, so we have to deal not only reducing symptoms of minimal pain but also invaluable disperse and eliminate the pathogenic factor responsible, what is done in addition to symptomatic etiological treatment.

The most common plants used in these cases are exemplified by the Mint and Cinnamon, plants with very common features and help stimulation decongestants and energy circulation, which gives relief from the dispersion of energy blockages which often occur at the level of the meridians, preventing good circulation. Besides dispersing activity of external pathogenic factors such cold wind. Also suggest that these two plants give important analgesic actions, hence their activity against the most common headaches.

There is also a plant, in this case Asian Ligusticum chianxiong, which are used the rhizomes. Ligusticum chianxiong presents activities in circulatory blood, which gives a party a scattering venous activity blocking any blood that may have occurred as a result of the involvement of pathogenic wind factor, which is also capable of dispersing the same factor of causative pathogen.

There is also a fairly effective formulation in these cases of common headaches, mainly due to these external etiologies, Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San, being the main floor of the formulation, Ligusticum chuanxiong precisely, so that all its activities are referred to the main floor.

You can refer to another formulation, very effective in cases of internal etiologies, mainly due to changes in the emotions that cause a blockage in Liver Yang, a perverse generation rises and affects the head, manifesting as headaches, so formulation seeks to reduce and disperse the evil Yang, giving analgesic actions and therefore reducing the headaches because of these etiologies. The wording in question is Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin, one of the main ingredients of cat's claw, which is characterized by major tranquilizer and analgesic actions and circulatory energy improvements.

Source: European Foundation of TCM – TCM College

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