Many of us may have heard of headache and migraines. What are the difference between the two? Headache is usually nonvascular, but could also be vascular which is migraine headache as a primary disorder, or a secondary symptoms associated with injuries or other diseases.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we differentiate the patterns based on the location on our head, how it is felt like and frequency regular or irregular. It is important that we pay attention where the pain/discomfort is, how it feels like: sharp, foggy, cloudiness, dull/ache, and such. I will briefly explain what you could do to get some relief from your headache without medicine by massaging your feet with hand knuckles. It is the best to have someone else done it on you because it could be painful. It’s still highly recommended to get a diagnosis from your physician and seek treatments from your local acupuncturists or herbalists. Frankly speaking, acupuncture treatments could effectively address many primary headache symptoms but not all.

TCM Massage to get immediate relief:

• Forehead and supraorbital region – blockage on the Stomach channel, associated with digestion <= massage the top of your feet
• Occipital and nape – blockage of the bladder channel <= massage the lateral side of your feet along the fifth toes
• Temporal region – gall bladder channel
  • if the pain is on the left temporal region <= massage the RIGHT lateral top of your feet along the fourth toes
  • If the pain is on the right temporal region <= massage the LEFT lateral top of your feet along the fourth toes
• Parietal and vertex – Liver channel <= massage the top of your feet especially between the 1st and 2nd toes

Metaphors and correlations

• Chronic headache may be associated with birth trauma
• Temporal headache may involve rage
• Tension headache may involve worry
• Headaches are used to avoid many life situations
• Invalidating the self, self-criticism, or fear
• The head is the chief demander of our body. When it aches, it is a sign that our thinking has gone off; we are applying our thoughts incorrectly or that we are pursuing dubious ends. When a headache sounds the alarm, it is time to let go of our narrow-minded self-interest, of stubbornness, of pride that is driving us ever onward and upward. It is time to give attention to contemplate our roots, to attend that which is below the level of consciousness, and which we are replacing with thinking.

Affirmation

• I love and approve of myself.
• I see myself and what I do with eyes of love
• I am safe