Migraines affect about one in ten of the population, about 70% of all
migraine sufferers are women. It is believed that changing hormone levels during menstruation, ovulation and menopause may trigger attacks. The headache pain is thought to be caused by a spasm which occurs in the blood vessels of the brain. These blood vessels first
contract and then expand resulting in throbbing pain.

Certain types of food may also trigger migraine – such as aged cheese, citrus fruits, chocolate, red wine, coffee, red meat,
etc. The pill can also provoke migraine in susceptible women.

In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) there are different types of migraine.External wind-cold or wind-heat both cause headaches but are not classified as migraine. Its primary pathogenic changes are mainly due to the following four types:

1 Rising Liver Yang and Rising Liver Fire
Symptoms include: migraine, blurring of the vision, ringing in the ears, which is made worse when stressed, also the sufferer may experience hot flushes, thirst, red tongue and a taut pulse.

Treatment: Calm the Liver and suppress Yang.
Prescription: Long Dan Xie Gan Wan
Radix Gentianae Scabrae (Long Dan Cao)
Radix Scutellariae Baicalensis (Huang Qin)
Fructus Gardeniae Jasminoidis (Shan Zhi Zi)
Rhizoma Alismatis (Ze Xie)
Caulis Akebiae Mutong (Mu Tong)
Semen Plantaginis (Che Qian Zi)
Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Dang Gui)
uncooked Radix Rehmanniae (Sheng Di)
Radix Bupleuri (Chai Hu)
Radix Glycyrrhizae (Gan Cao)

2 Blood Deficiency

Blood deficiency is caused by failure of the blood to nourish the head correctly.
Symptoms: Headache, dizziness, palpitations, often worse in the afternoon, tiredness, pale complexion, associated with a heavy period, or in women who have had many children. Also pale tongue and thread pulse, often seen in people who are anemic.

Treatment: Tonify the Yin-Blood
Prescription: Shi Quan Da Bu Wan
Radix Angelicae Sinensis (Dang Gui)
cooked Radix Rehmanniae (Shu Di)
Radix Codonopsitis Pilosulae (Dang Shen)
Radix Astragali Membranacei (Huang Qi)
Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae (Bai Zhu)
Radix Albus Paeoniae Lactiflorae (Bai Shao)
Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (Fu Ling)
Radix Glycyrrhizae (Gan Cao)
Cortex Cinnamomi Cassiae (Rou Gui)
Radix Ligustici Wallichii (Chuan Xiong)

3 Internal Wind
Damp Phlegm clogs the head.
Symptoms: The signs and symptoms of stirring of internal wind include headache, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus, and muscle twitching.

Prescription: Chuan Qiong Cha Tiao Wan
Radix Ligustici Wallichii (Chuan Xiong)
Flos Seu Herba Schizonepetae Tenuifoliae (Jing Jie Sui)
Radix Angelicae Dahuricae (Bai Zhi)
Radix Et Rhizoma Notopterygii (Qiang Huo)
Radix Glycyrrhizae (Gan Cao)
Herba Asari Cum Radice (Xi Xin)
Radix Ledebouriellae Divaricatae (Fang Feng)
Herba Menthae Haplocalycis (Bo He)
green Folium Camelliae Theae (Qing Cha Ye)

Acupuncture is also an effective treatment for migraine, most cases are relieved during or immediately after acupuncture. The selection of acupuncture points will depend on the different type of migraine.

For mild migraine or severe migraine stabilization, there are external herbal patent medicines which help to prevent the attack with the additional bonus of improving general health. White Flower a special Chinese herbal oil with cool properties can be used externally to relieve the attack.
For Heat-Type-Migraine headaches with a burning sensation, Po sum On another Chinese herbal oil with warm properties, can be used externally for damp cold type migraines.

Case History

A shop owner, suffered from migraines since 1995. The patient had 1
to 14 attacks each month, lasting up to 3 days. her treatments started in September 1998. At that time she was she was having 14 migraines a month, with the pain on the front, back and top of the
head and a hot feeling with the pain. She also had hot flushes, felt lethargic, constipated and her tongue was red with a little coating on it. This was the raising Liver Yang type of migraine.

She was given acupuncture, using the points Tai Yang, Yang Bai,Qu
Chi,He Gu, Lie Que and San Yin Jiao, and two weeks of herbal patent formula Qi Ju Di Huang Wan. 2 weeks later she felt a lot better with just mild headaches, after another 2 weeks the migraine had slowed down even more and the patient had more energy.

By her third visit the patient had not had any bad attacks for two weeks. She now has follow up sessions once a month to prevent further attacks.

The end result is that the migraines have now ceased but in using TCM has resulted in the patient having overall better health and feeling more relaxed and less stressed.

Read more on Migraine treatment with botanicals