Headache

In spite of the snowy days we've experienced recently, it really is spring and allergies really have started to affect us. For some it's the nasal congestion and runny nose, for others it's the itchy eyes and headaches, but for all that suffer from seasonal allergies, it's unpleasant.As with all clinical presentations in Chinese medicine, we look for the root cause and atthe branch symptoms. What do we mean by the root cause of allergies?  It's the pollen isn't it? Well, sort of. Sure, the pollen is the trigger and part of the root cause, but the other part is how your immune system is responding to the pollen. When your immune system senses the pollen, it floods your system with antibodies to attack the allergen. These antibodies trigger a cascade of events that cause the symptoms you experience with seasonal allergies such as runny nose, congestion, itchy eyes, chest tightness which are the branch symptoms. Sure, you can take over the counter medications to help alleviate symptoms, but what can you do to address the root...the immune response. In chinese medicine we use acupuncture and herbal medicine to regulate the immune system response.But how? Well, when acupuncture needles are…

Migraine, also known as one-sided headache, is a common clinical condition. The characteristic of migraine onset is sudden and intense pain, usually on one side of the head (left or right), often presenting as throbbing, pulsating, or stabbing pain. This condition frequently recurs and persists over time, severely affecting patients' daily lives. Among the twelve regular meridians, the Triple Energizer Meridian of Hand-Shaoyang and the Gallbladder Meridian of Foot-Shaoyang both run along the sides of the head and the ear. Therefore, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), migraine is referred to as Shaoyang headache. Based on the location of the migraine and the associated meridians, four acupoints—Sizhu Kong (TE23), Taiyang (EX-HN5), Waiguan (TE5), and Fengchi (GB20)—can be selected for rapid pain relief.Migraine Etiology and Pathogenesis According to TCM, the head is the "confluence of all yang meridians," being at the highest point of the body, where the three yang meridians of the hand and the three yang meridians of the foot converge. It is also considered the "abode of clear yang" and the location of the sea of marrow, with the essence blood of the five zang organs and the pure yang qi of the six fu organs ascending to it.…