On June 14 this year, a 54-year-old widow was recommended by two persons to seek Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment at our clinic. One is her choir mate and the other is the wife of their pastor, both had experienced very satisfied effective result in the treatment of cervical spondylosis at our clinic. Her main complain was having headache frequently for years. She woke up that morning with severe headache, had no time to wait and determined to ask her son to drive and send her to our clinic. During the interview, she narrated to us her medical history as follows:

1.  Used to have long-term use of Dolfenal (mefenamic acid) for her treatment of headache.

2.   Hematuria, then found out her kidneys are inflamed with stones and are now under medication.

3.    Intravenous medication was administered for severe nausea and vomiting this April 2017 at the emergency department of a hospital.

4.   Total hysterectomy for uterine myoma 10 years ago.

5.   She is using different tourmanium stone products therapy and refrain from taking oral synthetic painkiller due to the severe side effects..

Before treatment, her pulse rate was 82 beats per minute and the characteristics of her pulse was floating and string-like, blood pressure was measured at 110/90 mmHg. Her facial appearance looks dull with a slippery light-colored tongue which had a thin layer of white coating. We first let her sit on the stool and check if she has cervical spondylosis problem. Although there were pathogens and a little stiffness found on the trapezius muscle area through palpation, but based on our clinical experience, that kind of condition will not lead her to such kind of severe headache. She also told us she felt numbness on her middle and 4th fingers of her left hand. We then let her lie down on bed then found out both sides of her mastication muscles are thicken with pathogens has more  dampness found at both temporalis areas then down to both sternocleidomastoid muscles. From here, we classified her headache as an exogenous (wind-cold-dampness) type predominant with dampness. We also found her both LV3 (Tai Chong ) acupoints surrounding area are tighten.

She was treated with Tuina massage first, more concentrated at both sides of the temporalis areas where the main stagnation were present (three (3) needles each side were inserted in addition to DU-20 Baihui). Other areas are aided with Guasha and cupping methods. She felt better already after the Tuina massage. We then further improve the condition by employing acupuncture treatment. Acupuncture points for invigorating qi and nourishing blood are also stimulated. After it, she told us she now feels like a new person without any burden. The numbness felt on her middle and 4th fingers also disappeared. We then check her blood pressure which has become 120/80 mmHg. The tongue features look the same. Her pulse rate after treatment was measured at 62 beats per minute and its characteristics tends to become slow fine and weak, especially the liver pulse had manifested as the weakest among the rest which indicates this patient has qi and blood deficiency in general. Below is the recommended herbal decoction formula for further dispelling the pathogens for her migraine called “Chuan Xiong Cha Tiao San”with additive in 3 sets for invigorating qi and nourishing blood.

Chuanxiong 川芎 Rhizoma Chuanxiong  15g

Jingjie 荆芥 Herba Schizonepetae 10g

Qianghuo羌活 Rhizoma Et Radix Notopterygll  10g

Baizhi 白芷 Radix Angelicae Dahuricae  10g

Xixin 細辛 Herba Asari  1.5g

Fangfeng 防风 Radix Saposhnikoviae  10g

Huangqi 黄芪 Radix Astragali  20g

Danggui 当归 Radix Angelicae Sinensis  10g

Shudihuang 熟地黄 Radix Rehmanniae Preparata  15g

Baishao 白芍 Radix Paeoniae Alba  10g

Gancao 甘草 Radix Glycyrrhizae  6g

Baihe 薄菏 Herba Menthae（last put/后下）  6g

Aside from the above treatment process, we also gave her some advises to prevent from reoccurrence of headache, such as do not let the wind from the electric fan or air-conditioning air blowing directly at her body. If her hair is wet after perspiration or washing, must wipe and have it dried up as soon as possible. Do not get into a place with air-conditioning after perspirationor the cloth is wet, must wipe and change cloth. Do not take a bath if her body pores are opened or body is tired. Be careful and not to let the neck muscles get tired easily due to wrong posture ……..