Headache is one of the common symptoms we see around us, but if it leads to a chronic headache, we need to be careful. If you have more than 15 headaches per month, it is considered a chronic headache. When a headache becomes chronic, it not only interferes with daily life, but also causes nervousness to appear, causing insomnia, and in more severe cases, it can lead to depression.
Modern medicine considers the causes of headaches to be fatigue, overwork, severe stress, and excessive tension and contraction, but the exact cause is still unknown. Therefore, the prevention of headaches is not a fundamental solution because it tends to depend on lifestyle habits such as exercise and rest.
In oriental medicine, the cause of headaches is considered to be due to bile toxins. Bile toxins are not digested at all due to poor eating habits and remain in the stomach and intestines, where they decay and accumulate in the stomach and harden. Bile toxins accumulated in the stomach and intestines slow the movement of the stomach and make digestion difficult. This disease caused by bile toxins is called ‘dungjeok disease’.
Gallbladder disease starts in the stomach and intestines, but if left untreated, it accumulates in blood vessels and lymphatic vessels and obstructs blood flow, affecting the neck, shoulders, and brain, leading to headaches and dizziness. In particular, if biliary toxin penetrates into the brain, diseases such as cerebral infarction and cerebral tumor may occur.
The treatment of headache caused by biliary tract is to remove biliary toxins and restore the function of the stomach. Fermented oriental medicine containing medicinal substances that cause heat in the stomach can warm our body and dissolve toxins, and it strengthens the heart and helps smooth blood supply to the stomach. However, the treatment period may vary depending on the patient’s condition, so it should be performed following diagnosis and sufficient consultation with the medical staff.
In order to prevent the disease and to prevent recurrence, it is recommended to maintain a proper diet and lifestyle. Avoid instant, flour, and irritating foods, and overwork and stress can increase the risk of indigestion, so it is recommended to maintain adequate rest.
(Writing: Byung-Jo Na, Director, Widam Oriental Medicine Hospital)
