Headache, Post Concussion Syndrome

By Francis Bugarin

Patient Presentation

52 year old, male gentleman with chief complains of almost constant left temporal headaches which feel piercing, sharp, and throbbing. There is a scar at the location of the headache, where a lighting fixture fell from the ceiling onto his head. Pain was also accompanied by dizziness, nausea, and some vertigo like symptoms. Pain also felt in chest/sternum area which radiates and refers to the upper thoracic and lower cervical region on the back. He noted that all the above symptoms are aggravated by exposure to heat. He was diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome.

Prior Treatments

No information.

Current Symptoms

Left temporal headache characterized by piercing, sharp, and throbbing sensations.

Chest pain radiating through to the upper back and lower cervical region.

Dizziness, nausea, vertigo.

All symptoms are aggravated by heat.

Acupuncture 1, 2, 3

A1

Sick Meridians: Gallbladder, Bladder, REN, Small Intestine.

A2

Balance Meridians: Heat Imbalance Global Balance, HT, SI, LV, GB.

A3

Points: 1st 6 treatments – Fire Gua #36, Left: HT5, HT7, HT8, GB34, GB40, GB43, Right: SI1, SI5, SI8, LV1, LV3, LV5, Brain Zone (3-5 Needles).

• 2nd 6 treatments – Metal Gua #18, Left: HT4, 5, 7, GB34, 38, 40 Right: SI1, 2, 8, LV1, 2, 3, Brain Zone (5 needles).

• 3rd 6 treatments – Left: Group 3, PC6, LU7, HT5, Group 4 UB40, GB34, ST36, Right: Group 1 KD1, LV1, SP1, Brain Zone (5 needles), Group 2 LI3, SI3, SJ3.

Initial Results

Overall symptoms improved to about 40-50% and he was much less sensitive to heat as his symptoms were not as aggravated by the sun as they were before.

Treatment Course

Treatment strategy combined both Image and 5 Element Gua on the Heat Balance Global Balance truss to Clear Heat in the channels for the first 6 visits. The visits were 1-2 times a week for 5 weeks.

Step 1 – Sick Meridians: Gallbladder, Bladder, REN, Small Intestine.

Step 2 – Balance Meridians: Heat Imbalance Global Balance, HT, SI, LV, GB.

Step 3 – Points: 1st 6 treatments Fire Gua #36, Left: HT5, HT7, HT8, GB34, GB40, GB43, Right: SI1, SI5, SI8, LV1, LV3, LV5, Brain Zone (3-5 Needles).

Follow-up Results

I shifted the treatment strategy for the second set of 6 visits because of the improvements in symptoms. I kept the truss structure the same, but modified the points from Gua #36 to Gua #18. Use of the Brain zone also improved symptoms of dizziness, headaches, nausea and were not modified and kept in the 2nd set of 6 treatments. The visits were 1-2 times a week for 5 weeks again.

2nd 6 treatments – Metal Gua #18, Left: HT4, 5, 7, GB34, 38, 40 Right: SI1, 2, 8, LV1, 2, 3, Brain Zone (5 needles)

After 2nd set of 6 treatments, the patient reported about 70-80% improvement but stated the most prominent symptom that remained was vertigo-like symptoms. Treatment strategy adjusted to Strategy of 12 Magical Points:

3rd set of 6 treatments

Group 1: Yin Jing Well Points on right foot (SP1, KD1, LV1), Brain Zone.

Group 2: Yang Shu Stream Points on the right hand (SI3, SJ3, LI3).

Group 3: Jing River Points on the left hand (LU7, HT5, PC6).

Group 4: He Sea Points on the left foot (UB40, GB34, ST36).

3rd set of 6 treatments were still in progress when this case study was submitted, and the patient has thus far experienced 65%-70% improvement in general.

Related Video

In this video, Dr. Eileen Yue Ling Han teaches how to needle the Brain Zone (Shàng Liú 上瘤).

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