半夏白术天麻汤 / Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang
Treats the following symptoms:
Relief Vertigo originates from Li Dongyuan’s “Dongyuan’s Collection of Ten Books” published in 1529. It is a special formula for headache and dizziness caused by Phlegm. Due to failure of Spleen functions, turbidity Phlegm priming Liver Wind, Liver Wind and Phlegm disturbing the head and blinding the brain, this leads to dizziness, vertigo, headache, migraine. Turbidity Phlegm blocks the Qi; therefore, headaches and dizziness may also be accompanied by chest tightness and nausea. The effect of the formulation is resolving Phlegm and calming the Liver Wind, also strengthening Spleen and removing Dampness.
A modern application is often used for those with Phlegm, such as dizziness and vertigo, chronic headache, migraine, Menier’s disease, autogenic vertigo, neurological vertigo and epilepsy caused by disturbance of the head by Liver Wind and Phlegm.
Case:
“A female patient, 70 years old, with vertigo and headache for 10 days. The Western medical diagnosis was “Menier’s Syndrome“. She had Panic, vomiting, salivation, palpitations, anorexia, sticky mouth, tingling tongue, repeated urges to change clothes, small and soft stools, white greasy tongue and weak soft pulse. Diagnosed as Wind Phlegm offence and lack of Qi. After using Relief Vertigo for a few days, the symptoms reduced greatly. After taking it for another few days, the patient had no more symptoms and was cured.”
CHRONIC HEADACHE AND MIGRAINE
Disease description:
A migraine attack can cause pulsating and throbbing headaches, lasting between a few hours and up to three days. They are usually on one side of the head and accompanying symptoms are nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, as well as sensitivity to light, noise and smell. Migraines can occur with or without the so-called “aura”. This precedes the headaches and is usually caused by visual disturbances. A combination of factors such as lifestyle, diet and family predisposition can lead to a migraine attack with intense headaches.
Chronic headaches due to excessive muscle tension can be caused by persistent incorrect strain or psychological factors. Tension headaches are more likely to cause pulling pain or pressure pain, severe restrictions in everyday life and high psychological stress, as well as high internal tension.
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Chinese medicine says that “head is the meeting place of all Yang meridians”, “the brain is the sea of the marrow”, it means that all Internal Organs send Essence and Blood to the head. Because of this close relationship, factors that imbalance organs can be the cause of headaches. Although the symptoms are in the head, it is closely related to Liver, Spleen and Kidney. Headache can also be a cause of External Wind or Invading Cold. To be summarized there are two types of headache, the External caused and Internal caused.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Wind-Cold Headache
For headaches with an unclear cause, Wind-Cold can be the reason with signs of headaches and stiffness on the occiput, stiff back and neck, body aches, aversion to cold, runny nose, headache worse when exposed to wind or when the season/ weather changes.
Recommended formulas to use:
Liver Yang Rising
Intense, severe, throbbing, expanding pain; pulsating and pounding in the Gallbladder Meridian, temples, eyebrows or behind one or both eyes; better sitting up, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances, ‘flashing lights’, dizziness, dry throat, insomnia, irritability.
Clear Hyperyang alternatively Relieve Interior Wind
Recommended formulas to use:
Blood Stagnation
Recommended formulas to use:
Damp Retention
Damp prevents Clear Yang from rising to brighten the sense orifices, turbid Yin fails to descend: head feels ‘wrapped in a towel’; dull, heavy, difficulty thinking, affecting whole head or forehead, sinusitis, nausea, chest fullness.
Recommended formulas to use:
Qi and Blood Deficiency
Deficient Qi fails to ascend, Blood fails to nourish brain and patient feels a dull headache on whole head or forehead, better for rest, worse for overwork, better lying down, poor appetite, tired, loose stools, poor concentration.
Recommended formulas to use:
DIZZINESS AND VERTIGO
Typical symptoms:
dizziness and vertigoDisease description:
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
A variety of reasons can cause dizziness and vertigo: Liver Yang Hyperactivity, Liver Wind upset disturbs the head, weak body, excessive bleeding, failure of nourish brain marrow, Phlegm blocks Spleen and Stomach function and disrupt the brain marrow.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Liver Yang Rising
Hyperactivity of Liver Yang leads to: severe dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus, irritability, outbursts of anger, a flushed face, blurred vision, headache, a bitter taste in the mouth.
Relieve Interior Wind alternatively Clear Hyperyang
Recommended formulas to use:
Qi and Blood Deficiency
Deficiency of Qi and Blood prevent Clear Yang from rising to and nourishing the brain, leading to: dizziness and vertigo or fainting in severe cases. This can happen after activity or exhaustion. Individuals are typically tired during the day, but suffer from insomnia or dreams a lot at night, have poor concentration, poor memory and appetite.
Recommended formulas to use:
Phlegm Disturbance
Phlegm prevents Clear Yang from rising to the brain leading to: dizziness and vertigo, a tendency to lose equilibrium, a heavy head, nausea, chest heaviness, cloudy thinking, poor concentration.
Recommended formulas to use:
HYPERTENSION
Disease description:
Blood pressure is the force that a person’s blood exerts against the walls of their blood vessels. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher your blood pressure (Hypertension). Currently, blood pressure values up to 139/89 mmHg are considered normal or high normal, while 120/80 mmHg are classified as optimal. Often, with no warning signs at first and developing insidiously, hypertension damages organs after a short time, because the small blood vessels are particularly affected. Later on, general symptoms may occur at first, such as dizziness, headaches, palpitations, shortness of breath on exertion, nervousness and sometimes even sleep disturbances.
Explanation according to the Traditional Chinese Medicine:
The causes of hypertension in Chinese Medicine are emotional disorders, eating disorders, labour and rest disorders. Long-term emotional depression and anger cause Liver Qi Stagnation and further cause Liver Fire, which consumes Yin fluid. Overeating fat and sweet, thick taste hurts the Spleen and Stomach, gathers Dampness and produces Phlegm. Phlegm disturbs and blocks the head, causing Phlegm-type hypertension.
Possible syndromes causing these problems:
Liver Yang Rising
Increased blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, a flushed face, swollenness in the head and eyes, tinnitus, irritability, scanty sleep, bitter taste.
Tongue: Red tongue tip, edges, yellow coating.
Relieve Interior Wind + Disperse Blood Stagnation
If blood pressure goes up suddenly very high: Clear Hyperyang
Recommended formulas to use:
Phlegm Disturbance
Blockage of Phlegm disturbs the flow of Qi increasing blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, heavy headedness, chest oppression, nausea, drowsiness, poor appetite, patients have obesity.
Tongue: Thick, white, greasy coating