Imagine an important weekday morning when you're just getting ready to start your day and a sudden headache or dizziness strikes you that make it impossible for you to concentrate or even stand and walk properly. The impact of this condition on quality of life is profound. Headaches and dizziness aren't just symptoms, they're signals from our body that we may have a health problem. The middle-aged and elderly people are the most frequent group of this problem, and they have been trapped in this area for a long time and often seek medical treatment to no avail. In response to this disease, TCM acupuncture has shown a unique and significant therapeutic effect, allowing many patients to regain a clear and comfortable living state. Today, we're going to delve into how TCM acupuncture can bring hope to this common but deeply troubling problem.
Interpretation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory: The "Inner Code" to Relieve Dizziness
TCM interpretation of the root cause of the disease
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that headache and dizziness are mainly related to the dysfunction of the liver, spleen, and kidneys. Specific to the causes, they can be divided into the following categories:
Liver Qi Stagnation: In TCM theory, the liver is the organ of emotions and is responsible for discharging and regulating emotions. Long-term emotional depression or excessive life stress can lead to stagnation of liver qi, poor qi, and then cause headaches. This type of headache is more common in the forehead and presents as a dull ache or tightness.
Blood deficiency: Blood deficiency can occur due to an uneven diet, overwork, or chronic disease. Blood deficiency cannot nourish the muscles and veins, causing the wind evil to take advantage of the void to enter. At this time, the headache is often accompanied by dizziness, and the condition is mainly migraine, and the head feels pulled.
Phlegm and dampness obstruction: poor diet, fat and sweet taste lead to loss of spleen health, phlegm and dampness are endogenous and block the meridians, often leading to heavy head and brain swelling, headache, accompanied by dizziness and nausea.
Theoretical support for acupuncture
The theory of meridians in TCM is the theoretical basis of acupuncture treatment. The meridians are an important part of the human body, the channels through which qi and blood run, and are directly related to the functional state of the viscera. For the treatment of headache and dizziness, TCM acupuncture achieves the therapeutic effect by adjusting the meridians, dredging qi and blood, and balancing yin and yang. The following aspects are key when performing acupuncture:
Meridian adjustment: According to the location and type of headache, select the corresponding meridians and acupuncture points for acupuncture. For example, for headaches caused by liver qi stagnation, commonly used acupuncture points include Taichong acupoint, Liver Yu acupoint, etc.
Qi and blood dredging: Use acupuncture techniques such as lifting and inserting, twisting, etc., to stimulate acupuncture points, promote local blood circulation, improve the flow of qi and blood, and thus relieve headaches.
Yin and Yang Balance: By adjusting the acupuncture points of the Yin and Yang meridians, such as the Du and Ren meridians, it helps to restore the balance of Yin and Yang, which is especially effective in treating headaches caused by Yin deficiency and fire or excessive Yang.
Scientific and clinically confirmed
In recent years, several scientific studies have supported the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of headaches and dizziness. Studies have shown that acupuncture can significantly increase the level of neurotransmitter regulators in the brain, such as endorphins, which are effective in relieving pain and promoting good health. In addition, clinical trials have also found that acupuncture has good efficacy in the treatment of migraine, tension-type headache, etc., and has very low side effects, which is suitable for long-term management and treatment.
Specific applications of acupuncture: a traditional remedy to unlock headaches and dizziness
Acupuncture, as an important part of traditional Chinese medicine, has shown unique efficacy in the treatment of headache and dizziness. This section will introduce in detail the specific operation methods and theoretical basis of acupuncture for the treatment of headache and dizziness.
Acupuncture point selection and stimulation method
For headache and dizziness, TCM acupuncture mainly selects the following key acupuncture points:
Baihui acupoint: Located on the midline of the top of the head, when the midpoint of the line connecting the tips of the two ears, it is often used to clear the mind and relieve headaches caused by mental stress.
Fengchi Point: Located in the neck, the lower edge of the skull, the depression between the attachment points of the neck muscles on both sides, it is suitable for headaches caused by wind chill.
Temples: Located in a straight line at the corner of the eye, in the hollow of the hairline, it is effective in relieving migraines.
Hegu acupoint: Located on the back of the hand, the high point between the first and second metacarpal bones, it is effective in treating headaches, especially those caused by stress.
Acupuncture typically involves the following steps:
Disinfection: First, disinfect the selected acupuncture points to ensure the safety of acupuncture operations.
Acupuncture: Use a 0.25-0.30 mm needle, according to the depth of the acupuncture point, insert the needle vertically or obliquely, and the depth is generally between 0.5-1.5 inches.
Rotational insertion: After needle insertion, gently rotate or insert to enhance the stimulation effect, usually for 2-5 minutes.
Retention of the needle: Hold the needle on the acupuncture point for 30 minutes, during which time there may be one or two rotational insertions.
Post-acupuncture treatment: Gently press the acupuncture points for a few seconds after taking the needle to help local blood circulation and reduce discomfort.
Expected results vs. actual cases
Through the above operations, acupuncture can effectively regulate the qi and blood in the body, relieve the blockage of meridians, and thus reduce or eliminate headaches and dizziness. In the actual case, a 56-year-old patient suffered from chronic headaches for a long time, and after one course of acupuncture treatment (10 sessions), the frequency and intensity of headaches were significantly reduced.
Scientific research supports: evidence of acupuncture for headache and dizziness
Overview of domestic and international research
Several studies support the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of headache and dizziness. For example, a study published in the journal Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine showed that acupuncture has a significant effect on the treatment of migraines, with an effective rate of more than 85%.
Mechanism exploration
The mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of headache involves the following aspects:
Promote blood circulation: Needle stimulation can enhance local blood flow, improve qi and blood flow, and relieve headaches caused by poor blood circulation.
Regulates the nervous system: Acupuncture reduces pain sensation by stimulating the nervous system and adjusting nerve conduction and pain thresholds.
Releases endogenous pain-relieving substances, such as endorphins, which have a natural pain-relieving effect and can significantly reduce headaches.
Empirical data
For example, a study at Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine collected data on the treatment of 100 patients with chronic headaches, and the results showed that 90% of patients experienced significant relief of headache symptoms after acupuncture treatment, and 70% of them completely disappeared.