Dull Headache in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Understanding different dull headache patterns according to TCM theory
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Condition Categories
A dull headache is often described as a persistent, mild to moderate pain that can feel like a band tightening around the head. Unlike sharp or throbbing pains, dull headaches are typically characterized by a lack of intensity, but a constancy that can be just as debilitating. It's a common symptom that many experience, varying in duration and often accompanied by a sensation of pressure or fullness in the head.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) interprets dull headaches as manifestations of internal disharmonies within the body's energetic pathways. Unlike Western medicine, which may attribute headaches to physical causes such as tension or chemical activity in the brain, TCM considers factors like energy (Qi) blockages, organ imbalances, and the influences of external elements like Wind or Dampness.
Identifying the underlying disharmony is a critical step in TCM, as it informs a treatment plan tailored to restore balance and alleviate the headache.
TCM Patterns for Dull Headache
Each pattern represents a distinct underlying imbalance that can cause dull headache
Damp-Heat invading the Spleen
Diagnostic signs
Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
Red with sticky yellow coating
Accompanying symptoms you may experience
Recommended herbal formulas
Dampness in the Gallbladder
Diagnostic signs
Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian)
Thick sticky white coating, either bilateral in two strips or unilateral
Accompanying symptoms you may experience
Recommended herbal formulas
Diagnostic signs
Rapid (Shu), Slippery (Hua)
Red with sticky yellow coating
Accompanying symptoms you may experience
Recommended herbal formulas
Herbal Formulas for Dull Headache
Traditional Chinese Medicine formulas used to address dull headache