Does Your Head Hurt? Tell Me Where And I’ll Tell You Why

For traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), pain is a sign that something is wrong. It is not an enemy to beat, but the expression that something is wrong. Our body has become unbalanced and this is its way of informing us. A little rough, unpleasant, and sometimes long-lasting.

Deep down, he only asks us to interpret his language and get down to work so that it does not repeat itself or get worse.

The headache pain map

The distribution of pain in the head helps us to interpret what is happening to us.

• In the vertex, upper part of the head: situation of excess. The balloon is going to explode. Moving relieves it.
• Unilateral. It can be on the left or right side. The first symptoms are ocular. They tend to be repetitive. You have to deal with diet and habits.
• Pain in the occiput. It is born at the end of the vertebrae and goes up. Symptoms of exhaustion for a long time. You have to stop. You need tonics.
• Pain in the forehead, which can extend to the maxillary sinuses. Dull and chronic, not throbbing, and usually worse in the morning. Check if you consume too much sugar or dairy.

Causes of headache

In a succinct way the headache can tell us three very basic things : my head is too full; I have it empty because I have little food in my body; or it is still empty although I have nutrients, but they do not reach the head because there must be some obstacle in the way.

Like a balloon: excess

We imagine that our skull is a balloon : we are going to squeeze it. If it is too full of air and we press it, it will not like it and it may explode. This is our head. We can’t even touch it, the pressure bothers us and we can also feel heat.

Eyes or skin may be red. The color red speaks of excess, of fire, of heat. TCM tells us that there is too much chi (energy) in the upper body. Of all the discomforts, this is the one that has the best solution with medication.

As there is excess, any “anti” will eliminate it in the short term. But what happened?

We are like a pressure cooker and someone has put it on too big a stove. Any emotion such as anger, frustration, or anger can trigger it. Other times it is an external stimulant, such as wine, coffee or a large meal.

If these pain crises occur routinely, find ways to discharge the excess “fire.”

The movement is perfect for deflating the balloon. We can run, or we can open the field of vision to include amateur theater, walking in healthy settings, or doing yoga. Enjoy what you do, without demands. Our goal is to deflate the balloon.

We do not have to put one more obligation on ourselves. To ensure that, when everyday life “gives us” a new anger, it does not transform into a sharp and pounding headache.

I lack food!

The balloon is now too empty. What do you need? The food and oxygen that comes to you through the blood.

For TCM, for example, symptoms appear with menstrual blood loss. Or on the weekend or on vacation: if I relax after a week of stress, the body does not pump with the same force.

If we observe ourselves we can understand what our case is. Sometimes caused by something as simple as a lack of fluid. Drinking two glasses of water can be a surefire remedy. Although we are facing a generally more complex case.

What can we do? The medication is not capable of delivering a blood that does not exist. The most important thing is to review the diet and our habits. Have a good breakfast. Adding a miso soup will charge us with energy. Eat hot and nutritious: whole grains, legumes such as azuqui or beans. And we can always look for a tonic in the herbal shops.

Regarding habits, physical activity only if it is light.

If the problem is food, you can lie down with your legs slightly raised. The way to the brain is less expensive for the heart to pump.

Obstacles in the way

It is a situation halfway between the two previous assumptions: I have food, but I am not able to get it to its destination.

The path between the heart and the brain narrows at the neck. There it is very normal to suffer muscle contractures. It is as if all the tension rests near the cervicals and hinders the transport of nutrients.

The pain appears together with the muscular discomfort. Cupping by a therapist is a quick fix, but only in the short term. I should find out why I am so tense and remedy it.

There are not always stiff muscles. The concept of “humidity” appears, more linked to people without muscle tone. Sometimes overweight or fat accumulation in certain parts of the body. Generally at the waist: hips for women and tummy for men

It is also more common in people who think a lot, “ruminants”. Turning the same thing makes food stop being nutritious. They are not digested and accumulate as fat, everything moves slower. The oxygen and nutrients that go into the blood as well.

And these thinking people still use up more sugar for their brain. Again the head complains, well, its hungry tissues.

The solutions are slow in this case. A light but energetic diet. Movement to eliminate that accumulated fat and support us in the purifying action of the plants. The help of a professional here is essential.