Traditional Chinese medicine believes that there are many different types of illnesses that can cause headaches. Some headaches are caused by external toxins entering the body, such as wind-cold, wind-heat or wind-damp. Others are the result of internal imbalances in the body. For example, excessive liver fire, sticky phlegm, blood depression, Qi deficiency, and blood deficiency. When treating headaches, it is important to accurately determine the disease, as the wrong treatment will only make the situation worse. How does TCM treat headaches caused by external causes? Headaches caused by external toxins are often sudden in onset and are often accompanied by other symptoms caused by wind. If the headache is caused by wind-cold, the pain tends to occur at the back or top of the head. It is accompanied by coldness, tension and soreness in the shoulder and neck muscles, and congestion in the nose. In this case, the most common treatment is to take Chuanxiong Tea Tonic Pills with green tea. If the headache is caused by wind-heat, the symptoms will be very intense at the onset. Corresponding symptoms include fever, sore throat, thirst, restlessness, and rapid heartbeat. In this case, the most appropriate treatment is to take Yin Qiao Jie Wu or Cold & Flu Spirit. If the headache is caused by a humid environment, it can cause a dull ache and the head can feel very heavy, as if it were wrapped in a wet blanket. This can also cause chills, nasal congestion, confusion, and fatigue. In this case, the most effective treatment is to take Huo Xiang Zheng Qi Pills. This is also effective for headaches caused by internal dampness. All the above acute headaches caused by external causes are partly due to sinusitis. If squeezing the nasal passages or sinuses causes a headache, then it is advisable to take rhinitis tablets. How does TCM treat headaches caused by internal causes? The internal cause of headache is hyperactivity of liver and yang. When a person feels angry or frustrated, or if there is a chronic deficiency of liver and kidney yin, liver yang will become hyperactive. The symptoms are dizziness, irritability, nausea; and pulsating pain on both sides of the head or behind both eyes. The most common treatment is to take Tianma Hooked Vine Drink. It is also very effective in relieving muscle tension in the neck and shoulders caused by headaches. The two herbs contained in Tian Ma Xie Tang Tang are specifically used to treat headaches caused by liver imbalance. The main symptoms of headaches caused by excessive liver fire, i.e. rising deficiency fire, are similar to those caused by hyperactive liver yang. They manifest as symptoms such as red face, red eyes, irritable temper and yellow tongue coating. Their standard treatment is to take Gentian and Liver Pills, which can effectively treat damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder. Headaches caused by Blood Stagnation can cause severe, constant pain in a certain area, accompanied by symptoms such as a disturbed pulse and a purple tongue. Usually, blood stagnation is caused by past trauma. People often choose herbs such as Yanhusuo pain relief pills tablets to soothe the blood and relieve the pain. Headaches caused by Qi deficiency usually flare up or worsen after excessive physical exertion, but the headache will lessen the next morning or after getting enough rest. Dull pain is often accompanied by symptoms of fatigue and loss of appetite. For this condition, the principle of treatment is to benefit Qi. The common treatment is to take the Tonic Chinese Qi Pill or the Ginseng-Qi Daidan Pill. If the headache is caused by blood stagnation, it will produce a dull pain that is more intense than when there is Qi deficiency. Its typical symptoms are a white face and tongue, dizziness, and a weak pulse. The pain can flare up or intensify when a person is starving or has a menstrual period. The most common treatment is to use Gynecological Eight Precious Pills to replenish Qi and Blood. In addition, nourishing tonics such as angelica soup or he shou wu soup can also be effective in replenishing blood. They are not only easy to take, but also taste good.