Headache is one of the common symptoms in clinical practice, usually referring to pain limited to the upper half of the skull, including the area above the line connecting the eyebrows, the upper edge of the ears, and the external occipital protuberance. Headache as a main symptom can be seen in infectious febrile diseases, hypertension, intracranial diseases, neurosis, concussion, and migraine, among others. Headache falls under the categories of "head wind" and "headache" in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is believed that the meridians on the head are the meeting points of all yang meridians, where the essence of the five viscera and the clear yang qi of the six bowels converge. If the six exogenous evils invade, the seven emotions are injured internally, the ascending and descending are out of balance, and the yang qi is stagnated in the clear orifices, headaches can occur.
Wind-Cold Type: The onset of headache is relatively acute, with a feeling of being shattered, pain extending to the nape and back, aversion to wind and cold, and no thirst; the tongue coating is thin and white, and the pulse is mostly floating and tight.
Wind-Heat Type: The onset is sudden, with a distending headache, or even a splitting headache, fever or aversion to wind, thirst with desire to drink, red face and red eyes, constipation, and dark yellow urine; the tongue is red, with a yellow coating, and the pulse is floating and rapid.
Dampness-Wind Type: The headache feels like it's wrapped, with heavy limbs, chest tightness and poor appetite, difficult urination, and possibly loose stools; the tongue coating is white and greasy, and the pulse is moist.
Liver Yang Hyperactivity Type: The head aches with a distending sensation and dizziness, irritability and easy anger, red face and bitter taste in the mouth, or accompanied by tinnitus and rib pain, restless sleep at night; the tongue is red, with a thin yellow coating, and the pulse is taut and forceful.
Qi and Blood Deficiency Type: The headache is dizzying, worsening with fatigue, pale complexion, restless heart palpitations, spontaneous sweating, shortness of breath, aversion to wind, and a general feeling of fatigue and lack of strength; the tongue is pale, with a thin white coating, and the pulse is deep, thin, and weak.
Phlegm-Turbidity Disturbance Type: The headache is characterized by a feeling of heaviness and confusion, with fullness and oppression in the chest and epigastric region, and nausea accompanied by phlegm and saliva; the tongue coating is white and greasy, or the tongue may be swollen with tooth marks, and the pulse is smooth or slippery and taut.
Stagnant Blood Obstruction Type: The headache is long-standing and unhealed, with a stabbing pain that worsens at night, fixed and unchanging, or there may be a history of head trauma; the tongue is purple or has stasis spots and petechiae, with a thin white coating, and the pulse is deep, thin, or fine and choppy.
It is recommended to perform moxibustion once a day, targeting 2 to 3 acupoints each time, with each acupoint being treated for 30 to 40 minutes. Rotate the points treated, with a 10-day period constituting one course of treatment, and then rest for 2 to 3 days before continuing with the next course. (If time permits and there is a need, more acupoints can be treated with moxibustion. The specific duration should be adjusted according to one's own physical needs.)
1. The prevention of headaches lies in addressing the underlying causes, such as avoiding exposure to external pathogens, not having extreme emotions, being cautious of overwork and overindulgence in fatty and sweet foods to prevent the onset of headaches. 2. For patients with mental tension and emotional fluctuations, guidance and reassurance can help stabilize their emotions. Ensuring a quiet environment can also help alleviate headaches. 3. Dietary therapy recipe: Bamboo Shoot Porridge. 100 grams of cooked winter bamboo shoots, 50 grams of minced pork, 100 grams of millet, and 25 grams of sesame oil. First, cut the cooked winter bamboo shoots into shreds. Heat the sesame oil in a pan, stir-fry the minced pork for a while, add the shredded bamboo shoots, ginger and scallion, salt, and monosodium glutamate, and stir-fry until flavored, then set aside in a bowl. Cook the millet with water over a gentle heat to make porridge, and when the porridge is almost ready, pour in the prepared ingredients from the bowl and simmer for a short time. This dish has the effect of resolving phlegm and dispelling dampness. Take it twice a day, on an empty stomach in the morning and evening.