LIVER-YANG RISING HEADACHE (Case History)

Long term Deficiency of Liver Yin, Liver Blood or Kidney Yin can cause Liver Yang rising upwards. This pattern is also called "Arrogant Liver Yang". If left unchecked for many years, it can lead to Liver Wind Agitating Internally.

The symptoms mentioned here are fairly similar to these of Stagnant Liver Qi turning into Fire. However, the latter is purely an Excess pattern. The Fire dries up the Body Fluids and cause some clear sign of Dryness such as constipation, red eyes and face or scanty dark urine.

Liver Yang Rising, on the other hand, is both Excess (the Yang rising) and Empty (Deficient Yin or Blood) at the same time. The typical Excess symptoms are headache, tinnitus, deafness, propensity to outbursts of anger and etc. The typical Empty symptoms are Blurred vision, Insomnia, stiffness and numbness of the muscles, neck, knees, shoulder and upper back. There also some Empty-Heat manifestations such as dry mouth or dry skin.

Therefore the treatment should be focusing on subduing Rising Yang as well as nourishing Liver Yin and Blood.