Migraine
Migraine in Western medicine is a recurrent headache with unknown causes. Typical migraine headaches are one-sided, pulsating or throbbing, moderate or severe pain, worse with activity, and often with other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light or noise. The manifestations are generally thought to be neurovascular dysfunctions that are commonly triggered by stress, fatigue, insomnia, menstruation and weather changes.
From a TCM perspective, migraine is mainly due to invasion of wind and fire that cause meridian obstructions, and disturb the flow of blood and qi in the head. Also, liver dysfunction and its pertaining meridian have played important roles in the development process. TCM treatment for migraine aims to calm the liver, dispel the pathogens and unblock the meridians. The treatment plan should be individualized according to specific disharmony patterns.
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TCM disharmony patterns |
Headache manifestations |
Therapeutic principles |
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Stagnation of liver qi |
Distending or pulsating pain on one side of the head, accompanied by emotional depression, chest stuffiness and occasional belching |
Soothe the liver, relieve stagnation, regulate qi and stop pain |
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Hyperactivity of liver yang |
Distending pain in the head, accompanied by dizziness, blurred vision, ear ringing, irritability, insomnia, mouth dryness and flushed face |
Calm the liver, subdue yang and nourish yin |
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Blood stasis obstructing the collaterals |
Persistent and steady headaches, pricking or pulsating pain, accompanied by forgetfulness and palpitations |
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Retention of coldness and static fluid |
Headaches with cloudiness and heaviness sensations, or feel like a tight band around the head, accompanied by distention in the chest and upper abdomen, nausea or vomiting, excessive sputum, stomach upset that tends to be alleviated by warmth, cold limbs, no appetite and fatigue |
Warm the middle burner and restore its normal qi flow, eliminate dampness and resolve phlegm |
