Acupuncture Approaches to Headache Treatment

Types of Headaches

External Headaches

• Generally acute, severe, rapid onset
• Accompanied by external signs (fever, chills, aversion to cold/wind)
• Sudden, strong headache with fever may indicate epidemic heat

Internal Headaches

• Vary from mild to severe, may come and go
• Termed as 'miscellaneous' by Dung
• Often rooted in liver function and stress
• Symptoms may include neck, shoulder, jaw tension, temporal headaches

Liver-related Headaches

Binding Depression of Liver Qi (Liver Qi Stagnation)

• One-sided or orbital headache (around the eyes)
• Symptoms: irritability, anger, sighing, chest tension
• Common among stressed office workers

Liver Fire Flaming Up

• Severe headache
• Symptoms: anger, loud voice, irritability, dizziness, insomnia, ear signs (tinnitus)
• Related to heat signs like bloodshot eyes, hot tongue
• Not to be confused with hyperactive ascension of liver yang

Hyperactive Ascension of Liver Yang

• Mixed excess and deficiency pattern
• Symptoms: red eyes, red cheeks, insomnia, dizziness, vertigo
• Related to deficiency of liver and/or kidney yin

Phlegm-related Headaches

Insubstantial Phlegm

• Originates in middle jiao
• Symptoms: clouding dizziness, vertigo, lack of clarity, digestive symptoms
• Types include wind phlegm, phlegm fire, and phlegm reversal/counterflow

Wind Phlegm

• Rapid onset convulsions, tightly shut eyes, sometimes vomit

Phlegm Fire

• Phlegmy headache with liver fire symptoms (red eyes, anger)
• One-sided, temporal, or orbital headache

Phlegm Reversal/Counterflow

• Symptoms: unsettled spirit, incoherent speech, dizziness, nausea
• Includes Draney limb reversal (cold limbs), phlegm blocking orifices (heart spirit disruptions)
• Often uses stomach channel points for treatment

Blood Stasis-related Headaches

• Intense, fixed headache
• Often history of head injury (acute or chronic)
• Tongue: dusky/purple, Pulse: choppy/rough, Possible darker complexion
• Common among concussion patients

Headwind (Toufeng) Headaches

• Long-term exterior invasion
• Severe headache, neck stiffness, eye pain, numbness, foul nasal mucus
• Associated with conditions like brain tumors, chronic rhinitis, glaucoma

Deficiency Headaches

Kidney Jing Deficiency

• Mild, dull headache
• Symptoms of premature aging, reduced mental acuity, chronic soreness (lumbar/knees)

Blood Deficiency

• Mild, dull headache
• Symptoms: insomnia, numbness, palpitations

Qi Deficiency

• Worse with exertion
• Symptoms: fatigue, dull headache at end of day

Yin and Yang Deficiency

• Yin deficiency: heat signs (empty heat)
• Yang deficiency: cold signs

Treatment Approaches

Channel Headaches

• Gallbladder Headaches: Points GB20, GB21, GB40, GB41, Liver points (e.g., LI4)
• Sinus Headaches: Large Intestine channel (LI4)
• Vertex Headaches: Liver points, possibly Kidney points
• Occipital Headaches: UB channel points

Additional Techniques

• Acupressure on related points
• Use of aromatic oils (e.g., white flower oil)
• Cupping for tension headaches
• General grounding techniques (qigong, breathing exercises, eating heavy meals)