How to Relieve Headaches Through Chinese Medicine
Whereas your standard, over-the-counter painkillers simply address the symptoms of headaches, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments aim to address their root cause, held to be a deficiency of energy and restricted blood flow in the head. If you have nagging, chronic head pain, TCM offers a number of natural treatments. TCM employs herbal remedies and acupuncture, as it has for thousands of years. Follow these steps to use it to relieve headaches.
Things You'll Need:
Computer with Internet access
Know the Basics
1
Learn the fundamentals behind traditional Chinese medicine at the "TCMBasics" Web site (see Resources below). The concepts of Yin and Yang, the body's Meridian system of energy routes and the idea of "Qi," or "life energy," are all important.
2
Read more about Chinese diagnostic principles. To relieve your headaches, a practitioner will have to identify their root cause by using the four diagnostic techniques: smelling and tasting, touching, direct observation and inquiring about your history and habits.
3
Understand that headaches are thought to be the result of poor blood circulation or depleted Qi reserves in your head. You will relieve your headaches by addressing whatever problem your practitioner determines to be their cause.
Treat Headaches Using Chinese Medicine
1
Make an appointment to talk to a qualified practitioner of Chinese medicine. He or she will need to diagnose the type of headache you have through the use of the four diagnostic principles. There are two main types of headaches in traditional Chinese medicine: excess headaches and deficiency headaches.
2
Consult an expert in Chinese herbology. There are a wide variety of herbal treatments through which you can relieve your headache, but the herbs you will use will depend on the type of headache you were diagnosed with.
3
Consider acupuncture therapy. Practitioners believe that acupuncture opens up clogged meridian pathways, allowing for an improved flow of qi through the body, which will in turn help relieve your headaches.
4
Exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet with more emphasis on natural, unprocessed foods. Any Chinese medicine practitioner will tell you a healthy lifestyle only improves the flow of Qi and, therefore, your overall well-being.
Tips & Warnings
Be aware that appointments with most traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are comparable in cost to the price of a visit to a walk-in medical clinic. Expect rates to be moderate.
Seek immediate medical attention if your severe headache leads to fainting or vomiting. This is a sign that something more serious may be wrong.
Chronic headache conditions, such as migraines, should be discussed with your physician.
Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2031555_relieve-headaches-through.html
Whereas your standard, over-the-counter painkillers simply address the symptoms of headaches, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments aim to address their root cause, held to be a deficiency of energy and restricted blood flow in the head. If you have nagging, chronic head pain, TCM offers a number of natural treatments. TCM employs herbal remedies and acupuncture, as it has for thousands of years. Follow these steps to use it to relieve headaches.
Things You'll Need:
Computer with Internet access
Know the Basics
1
Learn the fundamentals behind traditional Chinese medicine at the "TCMBasics" Web site (see Resources below). The concepts of Yin and Yang, the body's Meridian system of energy routes and the idea of "Qi," or "life energy," are all important.
2
Read more about Chinese diagnostic principles. To relieve your headaches, a practitioner will have to identify their root cause by using the four diagnostic techniques: smelling and tasting, touching, direct observation and inquiring about your history and habits.
3
Understand that headaches are thought to be the result of poor blood circulation or depleted Qi reserves in your head. You will relieve your headaches by addressing whatever problem your practitioner determines to be their cause.
Treat Headaches Using Chinese Medicine
1
Make an appointment to talk to a qualified practitioner of Chinese medicine. He or she will need to diagnose the type of headache you have through the use of the four diagnostic principles. There are two main types of headaches in traditional Chinese medicine: excess headaches and deficiency headaches.
2
Consult an expert in Chinese herbology. There are a wide variety of herbal treatments through which you can relieve your headache, but the herbs you will use will depend on the type of headache you were diagnosed with.
3
Consider acupuncture therapy. Practitioners believe that acupuncture opens up clogged meridian pathways, allowing for an improved flow of qi through the body, which will in turn help relieve your headaches.
4
Exercise regularly and eat a balanced diet with more emphasis on natural, unprocessed foods. Any Chinese medicine practitioner will tell you a healthy lifestyle only improves the flow of Qi and, therefore, your overall well-being.
Tips & Warnings
Be aware that appointments with most traditional Chinese medicine practitioners are comparable in cost to the price of a visit to a walk-in medical clinic. Expect rates to be moderate.
Seek immediate medical attention if your severe headache leads to fainting or vomiting. This is a sign that something more serious may be wrong.
Chronic headache conditions, such as migraines, should be discussed with your physician.
Before you start any alternative medical technique, be aware that many have not been scientifically evaluated. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about how alternative medicine practitioners can be professionally licensed. If you decide to visit one, choose one licensed by a recognized national organization. Consult your primary health care provider about your decision first. Keep your doctor informed about the alternative medical technique you undertake.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2031555_relieve-headaches-through.html
