of the head at different times, it either indicates the presence of Liver-Wind, in which case the
pain will be accompanied by a pulling sensation, or the presence of Phlegm, in which case the
pain will be accompanied by a heavy sensation of the head.
Diagnosis According to Type of Pain
Generally, a dull ache indicates an Empty condition, while a sharp pain indicates a Full condition
from the 8-Principle perspective. A sudden onset tends to indicate an exterior invasion, whilst a
gradual onset tends to indicate an interior one. Empty conditions causing dull headaches include
deficiency of Qi and/or Blood, Liver-Blood deficiency and Kidney deficiency. Full conditions
include Liver-Yang rising, Liver-Fire blazing, Liver-Wind, Phlegm, stasis of Blood and Stomach
Heat.
Dull
A dull headache is due to one of the deficiencies outlined above.
Feeling of Heaviness
This is characteristic of Dampness or Phlegm obstructing the head and preventing the clear Yang
Qi from ascending to the head and the turbid Yin Qi from descending. The head typically feels
heavy, muzzy and as if it were wrapped in a cloth. The person would also find it difficult to
concentrate and think, especially in the morning.
Both Dampness and Phlegm may cause the above sensations but Phlegm is more obstructive and
it clouds the "orifices" and sense organs, causing dizziness and blurred vision. These last two
symptoms distinguish Phlegm from Dampness in the head.
Distending Pain
This is a typical Chinese expression which will be seldom used by Western patients (or at least
in Anglo-Saxon languages). The most frequently recurrent expressions regarding this type of
pain are "throbbing", "bursting" and "pulsating", all of which correspond to "distending". This
sensation is typical of a Liver-related headache which could be from Liver-Yang or Liver-Fire.
However, a distending pain can also be due to exterior Wind-Heat, in which case it will affect
the whole head, whereas in the case of Liver-Yang or Liver-Fire it will most probably affect one
or both sides of the head.