The Link Between Headache and Gallbladder Problems
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Ask a doctor if they think there is a connection between headache and gallbladder problems, and you’ll likely hear, “There isn’t much of a link.”
Headache is usually not listed as a symptom of gallbladder problems, nor does a connection between the two appear to be a popular research topic, judging by the lack of such articles in medical research databases.
But ask someone who practices Eastern medicine — a practitioner who looks at the body in a different way — and you’ll get a much different answer about gallbladder and headache.
Eastern medicine practitioners recognize the “gallbladder headache,” and believe that certain headaches can be related to problems with what they call the gallbladder meridian.
The Gallbladder Meridian
In Eastern medicine, all of your internal organs — your gallbladder, your liver, your kidneys, and so on — are thought to be connected to channels inside your body known as meridians. And the gallbladder meridian runs along the side of the head. Gallbladder meridian problems can include emotions and headache but are not related specifically to the pathology of the gallbladder organ itself.
According to David Canzone, doctor of Oriental medicine and an acupuncturist in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the gallbladder “is an organ that functions in a system, [and the] meridians are seen as an outlet for the energy of these organs.”
Canzone says these meridians are similar to what Western practitioners call neuropathways. “So if you have gallbladder problems, an energetic blockage, it’s going to show up in the corresponding neuropathway, or meridian,” he says.
With acupuncture, “you can release the built-up tension in the gallbladder meridian,” says Canzone. “If you can relieve that tension, you can relieve that headache.”
Can Acupuncture Cure a Headache or Migraine?
Headache and migraine can be treated with acupuncture when patients seek alternative medical treatment. During acupuncture, needles are inserted into the skin along meridian pathways in an effort to release blocked energy and restore balance.
“In this study, they targeted some of the points along the gallbladder pathway,” Canzone says. “Simple headaches are also treated using the same acupressure points.”
RELATED: 7 Potential Health Benefits of Acupuncture
How Do I Know if My Gallbladder Is Out of Whack?
- Sudden pain in the upper right or center of the abdomen
- Sudden pain between your shoulder blades or in your right shoulder
- Nausea or vomiting
- Jaundice, or yellowing of the skin and eyes
- High fever
Canzone finds that the most common symptom of gallbladder meridian problems is pain in the upper back, where the gallbladder meridian crosses through the area between the neck and the shoulder. “If you have something going on in that nerve pathway and you have muscle tension in that part of the neck and shoulder, you could see that as the cause of a headache,” he says.
But he also says that people can have gallstones (a buildup of bile in the gallbladder) and never experience headache, while others with gallstones develop gallbladder-related headache.
Negative emotions, alcohol, and other abused substances can heat up the liver, and since the liver is in line with the head and the eyes, heat can travel from the gallbladder up its meridian pathway, causing a headache.
When and Where to Seek Treatment
If you’re having sudden, severe, or persistent headache, your first line of defense should be to contact your primary doctor. In some cases, headache can be a symptom of serious conditions that require medical treatment.
Similarly, if you are having symptoms of gallbladder problems, such as severe pain in the right side of your abdomen or pain in your upper back, schedule a check-up with your medical practitioner to rule out serious problems and get treatment, if necessary.
If your headache is ongoing and your doctor has ruled out other medical problems, a licensed acupuncturist may help to relieve your pain.
Additional reporting by Calley Nelson.
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