Korean Medicine for Different Types of Headache — Different Causes, Different Treatments

Not all headaches are the same

Headaches require completely different treatments depending on their cause. Habitual use of painkillers can worsen the condition into medication-overuse headache (MOH), so it is essential to identify the type and apply tailored treatment.

Korean medicine diagnosis and prescription by type

• Tension headache: Bilateral squeezing pain with neck and shoulder tension → wind-cold headache (風寒頭痛) — Chuanxiong-chatiao-san (川芎茶調散)
• Migraine: Throbbing pain on one side, with nausea and light sensitivity → hyperactive liver yang (肝陽上亢) — Tianma-gouteng-yin (天麻鉤藤飮)
• Cluster headache: Severe pain around one eye with tearing and runny nose, occurring at the same time each day → fire-heat attacking the upper body (火熱上攻) — Modified Longdan-xiegan-tang
• Blood stasis headache: Fixed-location stabbing pain, history of trauma → Xuefu-zhuyu-tang (血府逐瘀湯)

Acupuncture points

• Fengchi (GB20), Baihui (GV20): Foundational points for any type of headache
• Taiyang (EX-HN5): Temple pain (temporal headache)
• Yintang (EX-HN3): Forehead pain (frontal headache)
• Fengfu (GV16): Back-of-head pain (occipital headache)

Keep a headache diary

• Pain location, character (squeezing / throbbing / stabbing), and duration
• Triggers (stress, lack of sleep, certain foods, menstrual cycle)
• Frequency of painkiller use (more than 10 days a month suggests medication-overuse headache)