Bleeding in the treatment of recalcitrant headache

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients,  August-Sept, 2004  by Honora Lee Wolfe

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Keywords: Chinese medicine, acupuncture, bleeding, recalcitrant headache

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In issue #5, 2003 of Jiang Xi Zhong Yi Yao (Jiangxi Chinese Medicine & Medicinals), Luo Shihou of the Nanchang Municipal Hong Bu Chinese Medical Hospital in Jiangxi published an article titled, "Lifting the Borders on the Treatment of Recalcitrant Headaches with Bleeding." This article appeared on page 38 of that journal and consisted of three case histories.

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Introduction

While not specifically a cardiovascular disease, I believe that many headaches, especially severe ones, are in fact, vascular in nature. That is why, at least from a Western medical perspective, they often respond well to bleeding or channel pricking as a therapy. The following case histories are very interesting and may offer you a new option for treating patients who have not responded well to other treatment approaches.

Case 1: Static blood headache

The patient was a 60 year-old female retired worker who was first seen by Dr. Luo on April 6, 1994. Due to an external injury to the left side of the forehead region of the head, the woman had experienced pain and swelling for 20 days. Gradually, this pain had evolved into a left-sided headache and dizziness which were more severe in the afternoon and evening. The patient had been treated already with the external application of trauma medicines and the internal administration of blood-quickening, stasis-dispelling ready-made Chinese medicines but, after several days of treatment, there was no obvious effect. The patient's Western physicians wanted her to have surgery, but she was afraid that this would mar the beauty of her face. Therefore, the woman came to see Dr Luo. When Dr. Luo examined the woman, he saw that the area of the injury was dark and purplish and there was a swollen lump the size of an egg approximately 4.5 X 2.5cm. This was relatively hard to the touch and resisted pressure. The edges of the patient's tongue were dark and her pulse was fine and bowstring. Based on this, Dr. Luo categorized the patient's pattern as static blood obstructing the network vessels which should, therefore, be treated by quickening the blood and freeing the flow of the network vessels. To accomplish this, he needled an a shi point, retaining the needle for 20 minutes. Then he cupped this point in order to make it bleed. In combination, he also needled He Gu (LI 4) on the health side and Feng Long (St 40) on the diseased side with draining technique. The next day the headache and dizziness were markedly less and the swollen lump was markedly smaller. Therefore, he repeated the same treatment as above every other day for five treatments, at the end of which time the woman was cured.

Case 2: Recalcitrant headache

The patient was a 37 year-old male cadre who was first examined by Dr. Luo on July 8, 1992. This patient had a recurring left-sided headache for five years. This headache would recur any time this area of his head caught a chill. The pain felt spasmodic and crampy and refused pressure. The man had taken many analgesic formulas which would only remit the headache for an hour or so. When examined, Dr. Luo found engorged greenish purple veins on the patient's left ear and upper back. His tongue was dark red, and his pulse was bowstring and rapid. The patient's blood pressure was 120/70mmHg. Dr. Luo used a fine needle to pierce Qi Mai (TB 18) to let 3-5 drops of blood. Immediately after this, the headache stopped. Dr. Luo then taught the patient how to massage Tai Yang (M-HN-9) and Feng Chi (GB 20). Every night before bed, the man was instructed to massage these points for 3-5 minutes apiece. He was also counseled on regulating his emotions. On follow-up after three months, there had been no recurrence.

Case 3: Occipital nerve pain

The patient was a 45 year-old female who was initially examined by Dr. Luo on March 15, 1994. The patient complained that she had had occipital area pain for half a year. The patient had already tried some medications for cervical osteophytes which were supposed to treat occipital pain but to no effect. Since occipital nerve pain is tai yang channel headache in Chinese medical terms, Dr. Luo needled Hou Xi (SI 3), retaining the needles. This was in order to course and free the flow of this channel's channel qi. In addition, Hou Xi is also a meeting point of the governing vessel which also runs through the occipital region. Thus, Dr. Luo believes this point is essential for the treatment of nape of the neck pain and occipital pain. After withdrawing the needles, he pressed the holes to make them bleed. He did this once every other day. At the same time, he used a plum flower needle followed by cupping to bleed the area of the upper back and neck. After two treatments, the pain was markedly decreased. After a half month, it was completely cured.

Discussion

With patients who have suffered for a long time from headaches, regular body acupuncture and herbal therapies are not always very effective. In such cases, I can corroborate Dr. Luo's case histories above with my own clinical experience in the use of bleeding.