Chinese Medicine: Eight Causes of Headaches, Their Origins, and Treatment – The Epoch Times

Headache is a localized pain that occurs in the head, neck, or above the shoulder. Frequent headaches not only affect one’s life, relationships, and work but also have a chance of developing into depression. Dr. Teng Cheng Liang, director of the Cheng Liang Medical Clinic, suggests eight common causes of headaches, explains their sources, symptoms, and how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treats them.

Migraine

Migraine is a chronic, recurrent headache that is often accompa…….

Migraine

Migraine is a chronic, recurrent headache that is often accompanied by various autonomic nervous system symptoms. Migraine attacks are usually unilateral, accompanied by pulsating sensations, and can last from 2 to 72 hours. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, photophobia, and sensitivity to sound. These accompanying symptoms can aggravate the pain of a migraine.

Clinical statistics show one-third of migraine patients can feel the start of symptoms, such as distorted vision, enhanced sensitivity to sound, light, and smell, and physical disturbance, followed by the onset of migraine.

Migraines occur more frequently in adolescents and young adults, and more often in women than in men. In some people, they are caused by high blood pressure.

Cluster Headache

This is a recurrent unilateral headache, involving stabbing pain behind one eye or in the temple. It may be accompanied by tearing, nasal congestion, pupil changes, or eyelid drooping. Symptoms can last from a few minutes to several hours.

Cluster headaches tend to occur periodically and will resolve on their own after a time. The patients are almost always male: this type of headache rarely affects women.

Temporal Artery Vasculitis

This is a type of vasculitis or inflammation often occurring in the temporal and ophthalmic arteries. The cause of the disease is unknown, but current research has found it may be related to autoimmune disease.

The most common symptom of temporal artery vasculitis is recurrent headaches, usually in the temporal lobe. There can also be painful pressure on the temples, and blurred vision. If left untreated, temporal artery vasculitis can lead to blindness.

In addition to headaches, other symptoms include muscle pain, muscle weakness, weight loss, joint pain, and fever. The average age of onset for this disorder is about 75. More female patients experience this condition than males.

Toxic Substances

There are many chemical toxins that cause headaches, including carbon monoxide, lead, nitrate, and plasticizer. These substances can easily aggravate headaches.

Plasticizers are common hormone-disrupting chemicals, also known as endocrine disrupters. They are frequently found in fast-food packaging and may affect the food itself. They can directly interfere with the body’s hormonal balance and produce toxic reactions. Once the blood-brain barrier is broken, plasticizers can directly affect the brain, causing migraine, vomiting, dizziness, and other symptoms.