At a glance
Migraines and Calgary Chinook headaches that disappeared the moment the needle reached the right point, then faded away completely with continued treatment.
Presentation
Headaches are one of the most common reasons patients come to the clinic, and in Calgary they take two recognisable forms. The first is migraine — intense, throbbing or pulsating pain, usually on one side of the head. The second is the 'Chinook headache,' the intense head pain that arrives with Calgary's sudden Chinook weather shifts, familiar to many people who live here.
Diagnosis
At root, these headaches reflect a blockage of Qi and blood at the head — circulation that has become stuck, producing pain. Many patients also carry an underlying deficiency of Qi and/or blood, which both makes them prone to the blockages and shapes how they're treated. A distinctive feature of TCM headache treatment is that the point chosen depends on exactly where the headache sits.
Treatment
Treatment is tailored to the location of the pain, with herbs to support the whole picture. Points are matched to the region of the head:
- LR-3 (Taichong) — for headaches at the temples
- the LU-5-to-9 area on the forearm — for headaches at the back of the head and neck
- Mei Leng Gu Xue 眉棱骨穴 (the eyebrow region points) — for headaches at and behind the eyebrows
- LI-4 (Hegu) — for headaches across the forehead
- RN-12 (Zhongwan) — for headaches between the eyes and eyebrows
- HT-3 (Shaohai) — for headaches felt behind the eyeballs
Chinese herbs are added to help Qi and blood flow through the head, with tonifying herbs for patients who also have an underlying Qi or blood deficiency.
Result
In many cases the headache disappears instantly and completely the moment the needle reaches the right point. With a course of TCM herbs and continued acupuncture, the headaches then come less and less often and with less and less severity, until they disappear completely.
This reflects an individual patient experience, not clinical trial data.
Results vary from person to person depending on the condition, its severity, and how an individual responds to treatment. TCM and acupuncture are not a substitute for care from your physician or another regulated health professional. If you’re dealing with a serious or urgent symptom, please see a doctor first.