Disorders of the Head

Headache

Headache is undoubtedly the most common pain disorder that the therapist encounters in CAM practice. The causes of headache are manifold and occur not only in disturbances in the head region, but also as a result or symptom of an internal disease, injury, high blood pressure, allergy, menstruation, or as an early symptom of serious conditions.

The most common causes of headache include:

• States of internal tension. Depression, fear, accumulated aggression, and exhaustion can all tense the muscles of the neck, which can cause headache. Patients, however, also tend to complain of other symptoms such as sleep disorders.

• Excessive muscle tension in the shoulder and neck muscles, in connection with poor circulation. We see this commonly in patients who strain their shoulder or neck muscles unilaterally or spend time in drafty rooms.

• Disorders of the spinal column.

Because headaches are always a symptom and not a disease, we must first clarify their cause, for example, high blood pressure, liver disease, or allergy.

Symptoms

Headache that is caused by muscle tension or disorders of the spinal column:

• Often persistent headache. Location is mostly in the areas of the neck/back of the head, radiating to the forehead, sensation of cold, misperceptions in the area of the top of the skull.

Beware! Resistant to pain-killers. Relief of pain by warmth, massage.

Suggested Therapy

In standard cases, a single cupping session (Fig. 7.1) will be sufficient. If necessary, one treatment daily for up to 4 days.

Fig. 7.1 Dry cupping in the neck and shoulder region in segments C4–C6, especially in points that are sensitive to pressure.

In patients with severe pain, supplemental therapy (neural therapy) is indicated.

In headaches where the source is found in hypertonia or hyperemia, wet cupping is recommended: paravertebral in segments C3–C5.

Migraine

Migraine is a particular type of headache. You should, however, only make the diagnosis of migraine when you are dealing with the strictly outlined clinical picture for this disease.

Migraine presents a clearly definable clinical picture whose typical symptoms allow a diagnosis with great certainty. Possible triggers are the psyche, frequently at the onset of menstruation, certain foods, the effects of weather, lack of sleep, and so on.

Symptoms

• There is usually a sudden onset of an attack with half- or double-sided headache, pulsing, severe, aggravated by light and noise, located mostly in the temples or forehead-orbital region, and often accompanied by flickering lights before the eyes, nausea, and vomiting.

Suggested Therapy

In migraine attacks with vasoconstriction of the vessels, cupping (Fig. 7.2) or cupping massage is the “method of choice” (pain relief through warmth).

In the vasodilatory stage, on the other hand, cupping rarely improves the condition (pain relief through cold). In such cases, cupping is of purely diagnostic significance, and you have to employ other therapies, such as neural therapy.

In migraines with vasodilatory manifestations: wet cupping in segments C3–T4.

Supplemental Therapy

Depending on the case:

• Psychotherapy.

• Phytotherapy. Plant-based psychotropic drugs, for example, St. John’s wart.

• Autogenic training.

• Homeopathy. This disease is very diverse in terms of triggers and manifestations, and also closely related to the disposition and condition of the patient. Hence migraine requires a very precise response and the choice of a far-reaching remedy. In cases where the treatment of migraine is ineffective, you have either chosen the wrong remedy or the wrong diagnosis.

• Neural therapy. In patients with severe pain, quaddle therapy with local anesthetics is indicated as supplemental therapy.

Fig. 7.2 Dry cupping in the neck and shoulder region in segments C4–C6, especially on points that are sensitive to pressure.

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Cupping as Supportive Therapy within Conventional Western Medicine Self-regulatory Mechanisms in the Body—A Crash Course for Patients Cardiovascular Disease Dry Cupping Locomotor System The Therapeutic Conception of Dry Cupping

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