Headache

頭痛 / 头痛

Pain or pressure in the head.

Quick Facts

Health Topic	Pain & Mobility
Also Known As	Head pain, Head ache, Migraine-like head pain, Tension head pain, Aching head
Common Symptoms	Pain or pressure in the head, which may be one-sided, bilateral, frontal, occipital or diffuse. Intensity ranges from dull to severe, and triggers can include stress, weather, posture or the menstrual cycle. Nausea, visual changes or neck tightness sometimes accompany the pain.
Related TCM Patterns	Wind-Cold · Wind-Heat · Liver Fire · Yang Deficiency · Blood Stasis · Lung Heat · Stomach Heat · Phlegm-Dampness · Dampness
Related Classical Formulas	Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin · Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang · Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang · Yin Qiao San · Ma Huang Fu Zi Xi Xin Tang · Da Qing Long Tang · Jing Jie Lian Qiao Tang · Wu Zhu Yu Tang · Cang Er San · Bai Du San · Jing Fang Bai Du San · Xin Yi San · Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang · Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin · Xin Yi Qing Fei Tang · Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San · Yu Nv Jian · Qing Wei San · Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang · Fang Feng Tong Sheng San · Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang · Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang

Headache in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, headache is organised by pattern rather than by location alone. Liver Fire, Blood stasis and Wind-Heat are among the patterns that may present with head pain. Differentiation considers whether the pain is distending and with irritability, fixed and stabbing, or accompanied by fever and sore throat, and whether the onset is acute or chronic. Classical formulas are matched to these pattern distinctions.

TCM Patterns Associated With Headache

The same presentation may be understood through more than one pattern. Pattern differentiation weighs the accompanying signs, not the symptom on its own.

Pattern	Common Features	Related Formulas
Wind-Cold風寒證Exterior Patterns	Chills that outweigh the fever, no sweating, a stuffy or runny nose with clear discharge, an itchy or scratchy throat rather than a sore one, body aches, and a cough with thin white phlegm. Symptoms often start abruptly after exposure to cold or wind. Tongue with a thin white coating; pulse floating and tight.	Da Qing Long Tang Cang Er San Bai Du San Jing Fang Bai Du San Xin Yi San Jiu Wei Qiang Huo Tang Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San
Wind-Heat風熱證Exterior Patterns	Fever that is more noticeable than chills, mild sweating, sore throat, thirst, and a cough that may be dry or with yellow phlegm. The onset is often abrupt after exposure to wind or heat. Nasal discharge can turn yellow, and the face may look flushed. Tongue tip red with a thin yellow coating; pulse floating and rapid.	Yin Qiao San Jing Jie Lian Qiao Tang Pu Ji Xiao Du Yin Fang Feng Tong Sheng San Chai Ge Jie Ji Tang
Liver Fire肝火證Heat Patterns	Irritability, a bitter taste in the mouth, redness of the eyes or face, and distending headache or rib-side discomfort. Sleep may be restless with vivid dreams, and the person often prefers cool drinks. Constipation or dark urine can appear when heat is stronger. Tongue red with a yellow coating; pulse wiry and rapid.	Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin Zhen Gan Xi Feng Tang
Yang Deficiency陽虛證Deficiency Patterns	Aversion to cold, cold limbs, preference for warm drinks and clothing, and low energy that worsens in cold weather. There may be loose stools, clear copious urine, a pale puffy face, and reduced libido or lumbar weakness. The person feels better with warmth and worse with cold exposure. Tongue pale and possibly swollen with a white coating; pulse deep and weak.	Ma Huang Fu Zi Xi Xin Tang Wu Zhu Yu Tang
Blood Stasis血瘀證Stagnation Patterns	Fixed, stabbing or piercing pain that does not move freely, often worse at night or with pressure. The complexion may look darker or purplish, and in women the menstrual flow can be dark with clots. Lips or nails may appear dusky. Tongue dark or with purple spots or congested veins under the tongue; pulse choppy or wiry and hesitant.	Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang
Lung Heat肺熱證Heat Patterns	Cough with yellow or sticky phlegm, thirst, a feeling of heat in the chest, and possible shortness of breath or flaring of the nostrils in stronger presentations. Fever may be present without marked chills, and the throat can feel sore or dry. Tongue red with a yellow coating; pulse rapid, possibly slippery.	Xin Yi Qing Fei Tang
Stomach Heat胃熱證Heat Patterns	Burning or discomfort in the epigastrium, thirst with preference for cold drinks, bad breath, and a tendency toward constipation or dry stools. The gums may feel swollen or sore, and appetite can be strong yet unsettled. Tongue red with a yellow coating, possibly dry in the centre; pulse slippery and rapid.	Yu Nv Jian Qing Wei San
Phlegm-Dampness痰濕證Phlegm Patterns	Copious white or sticky phlegm, a heavy chest or head, and a greasy tongue coating. There may be nausea, poor appetite, and a foggy or heavy mental feeling that worsens in damp weather or after rich food. Coughing brings up phlegm that is hard to clear completely. Tongue pale with a thick greasy white coating; pulse slippery.	Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang
Dampness濕阻證Damp Patterns	A heavy, sluggish body feeling, abdominal fullness, sticky sensation in the mouth, and reduced appetite. Stools may be sticky or incomplete, and the person often feels worse in humid weather. There can be oedema of the limbs or a greasy facial sheen. Tongue with a thick greasy white coating; pulse soft or slippery.	Qiang Huo Sheng Shi Tang