Headache and Dizziness After an Accident
Table of Contents
The link between cervical injury and headache
Headache after a traffic accident is often more than a simple tension headache. Injury to the joints and ligaments of the upper cervical spine (C1–C3) causes cervicogenic headache, which begins at the back of the head and spreads to the temples and forehead. When the vertebral artery (椎骨動脈) running near the cervical spine is compressed, reduced intracranial blood flow can produce dizziness, blurred vision, and tinnitus (耳鳴).
Autonomic instability
The impact of the accident also affects the sympathetic ganglia along the cervical spine. Sympathetic hyperactivity leads to a wide range of autonomic symptoms — increased heart rate, sweating, indigestion, and sleep disturbance. Korean medicine differentiates this as liver yang hyperactivity (Ganyangsanghang, 肝陽上亢) or heart-kidney disharmony (Simsinbulgyo, 心腎不交), which guides the treatment direction.
Acupuncture — key acupoint prescription
Core acupoints for headache and dizziness are as follows:
- Fengchi (風池, GB20): Releases the suboccipital muscles, improves vertebral artery blood flow
- Wangu (完骨, GB12): Behind the mastoid process, releases the craniocervical junction
- Baihui (百會, GV20): At the vertex, lifts clear yang and relieves dizziness
- Taiyang (太陽, EX-HN5): Directly relieves temporal pain
- Hegu (合谷, LI4): Distal acupoint for head and face pain
Herbal medicine
For cervicogenic headache, Galgeun-tang (葛根湯) is the foundation, releasing tension in the neck and posterior cervical muscles. When dizziness is severe, Banhabaekchulcheonma-tang (半夏白朮天麻湯) is added. For a liver-yang-hyperactivity pattern, Cheonmagudeungeum (天麻鉤藤飮) is prescribed to bring down rising upper-body energy and address headache and dizziness simultaneously.
If left untreated, headache and dizziness easily become chronic and significantly delay return to daily life. If you have these symptoms after an accident, please begin specialized treatment as soon as possible.