#13 TCM Headaches – 2 Bladder/Kidney

The Bladder/Kidney Meridian, as well as the physical organs of bladder and kidneys, is associated with the season of Winter.  Water is the element associated with this meridian pair. In winter, life appears to have ceased.  In reality, at least in Chinese Medicine reality, decisive growth and change are occurring out of sight and underground.  Thus, the energy of this meridian pair is about beginnings.  It includes a childlike joy and enthusiasm coupled with deep and quiet reflectiveness.  Energy tends to be directed inward.  This element and season is called “The Philosopher.”

Winter people – those for whom the Bladder/Kidney pair is their primary meridian – tend to fall easily into the stress patterns of this meridian.  When balanced, however, they display nearly endless energy, enthusiasm, and self-confidence.  Authority sits well on them.

Bladder and Kidney, organs and meridians – in balance

• Great faith.  Trust in themselves and in the future.
• Self-confident, especially in their ability to listen to the direction of the Spirit.  Intuitive.
• Playful and spontaneous when feeling completely safe.  Trusting.
• Seeks knowledge and understanding.  Deep need to search out all kinds of truth, in detail.
• Articulate.  Communicative.
• Courageous and self-sufficient.
• Adaptive.  Likely to adapt to a situation rather than try to change it. (Does this characteristic belong in the “balance” group or in the “out of balance” section? Not quite sure, for myself.)

Bladder and Kidney, organs and meridians – out-of-balance

Emotional Symptoms

• Fear is what water people feel when they have extended themselves beyond their comfort zone.  Water can be a frightening limitless realm.  Water, and water meridian type people, can freeze inside when threatened or fearful.
• Fearful in situations where they feel they have no say and no control.
• When stressed, winter people have very little energy and even less physical stamina and resources.
• Better at envisioning a project than at carrying it through to completion.  Love to study and plan but easily bored by the production stage of the project.
• Unable to see the effect of their actions on others.
• They must be showered with love in order to be convinced that they are loved.
• Can be cold, isolated, even paranoid when feeling threatened or misjudged.
• Tend to adapt to other peoples ideas.  They are only truly themselves when alone.
• Like being alone so much that they tend to isolate themselves.
• Can be unforgiving and suspicious.

Physical Symptoms

• Chronic headaches and migraines.
• Bladder and kidney infections.
• Heart problems.
• Hardening of the arteries.
• Chilliness.

Balance Restored By

• Time spent alone.
• Time to think, reflect, study, and organize thoughts and priorities is essential.

Bladder/Kidney Related Headaches

Typically, bladder – even kidney – infections do not produce headaches.  However, one of the primary functions of the kidney is to control water balance throughout the cells of the body.  Another important function of the kidneys is to maintain acid/alkaline balance in the body.  The third major function of the kidneys is to remove both toxic and metabolic waste from the body.  Headaches result when the kidney fails in any one of these important responsibilities.

Improper water balance, especially if it is on the side of dehydration, slows both circulation and the movement of lymph fluid.  Stiffness in the muscles naturally results.  Any of these situations may produce a headache.   In addition, being too acidic for too long a period will naturally result in a headache.  Toxins and metabolic waste circulating in the body almost always produce lethargy and headache.

Another important factor in the relationship between the urinary tract and headaches is drugs.  Painkillers, such as those prescribed for migraine headaches, are notoriously hard on the urinary tract.  This is not just opinion on my part.  This has been shown in both scientific studies and in clinical data.  Your headache may not be causing your migraine BUT your migraine medication may very well be setting you up for kidney disease and eventual kidney malfunction and failure.

Headache (and other) Symptoms

• Crown of the head, usually.  Relatively mild in intensity.  Aggravated by emotional distress and fatigue.  Dizziness, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, and forgetfulness.  Being kidney related, this headache is commonly accompanied by weakness and pain in the lower back.  Low energy, even lethargy.  Emotionally soft and yielding.  Consequently, they may be too much driven by the need to please and serve.

• Entire head.  Dull pain with a sensation of emptiness in the head.  Involves both the kidney and the bladder channel.  If the bladder is involved, there will be stiffness or tiredness at the nape of the neck.  A deficiency of Kidney Jing creates a headache involving the entire head.  Remember (from TCM – Part One) that Jing nourishes the brain.  This cannot happen when Kidney Jing is deficient.  Therefore, simple thought and memory processes become difficult just before and during this type of headache.  Kidney-related headaches tend to be chronic.

• Occipital.  Pain manifests in the back of the head, at the top of the neck and extending to the area behind the ears.  Damage to kidneys and kidney infections cause metabolic waste to build up in the blood and, eventually, in the muscles.  Tight neck muscles, pinching the cranial nerves, can create pain in these regions.

Headaches and migraines related to the kidneys or the bladder – either meridian or organ, if the two can even be separated – are usually chronic in nature.

Women and Kidney/Bladder Headaches

Kidney/Bladder related headaches and migraines are common in women who have given birth multiple times.  The baby, especially as it grows, sits more and more heavily and directly on the mother-to-be’s bladder.  Additionally, the kidneys are filtering blood and disposing of waste products for two during pregnancy.  Sometimes, the kidneys are compromised in ways from which it is difficult to recover completely.

Possible Remedies

Essential Oils

Single essential oils to consider for the bladder and kidneys include Bergamot, Birch and Geranium (stones), Goldenrod, Grapefruit,  Juniper Berry, Ledum, Ravensara.  Butterfly blends for the Bladder Meridian are ^LeCherish, ^LeEndoRelief, ^LeLetting Go, ^LeMeditation, ^LeReflections, ^LeSynopsis, ^LeVitality.  Butterfly blends specific to the Kidney Meridian are ^LeAcknowledge, ^LeBelieve, ^LeCherish, ^LeEndoRelief,  ^LeEZ Traveler, ^LeFaith, ^LeLetting Go, ^LeMeditation, ^LeMillenia, ^LeReflections, ^LeSanctuary, ^LeSynopsis,  ^LeSolitude, ^LeVitality, and ^LeWhispering Hope.

The Bladder Meridian responds well to essential oils of Cedarwood, Chamomile, Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Palmarosa, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Tea Tree, Thyme, and Yarrow.  Butterfly blends for the bladder meridian would be ^LeBelieve, ^LeBenediction, ^LeCherish, ^LeEZ Traveler, ^LeFaith, ^LeLetting Go, ^LeMillenia, ^LeMagi, ^LeSolitude, ^LeSanctuary, and ^LeWhispering Hope.   (For explanations of each of these oils as they apply to these meridians, please see  Butterfly Miracles with Essential Oils, Chapter 12 – Eastern Healing Philosophy, under the information for the #2 meridian pair, Water/Season of Winter Meridian.)

Herbal Solutions

The Nervine remedies mentioned in the previous blog, in the Herbal Remedies section of the Gallbladder/Liver discussion, are always appropriate for headache pain, as is the HD tincture.  The herbal formula, KT, is an excellent diuretic and nourishing formula for the bladder and the kidney.  KB is another such formula.  KS is the kidney formula that has proven useful in dissolving kidney stones.  Magnesium and Potassium, as discussed above, also.  Cornsilk, Cleavers, Plantain, Chamomile, Horsetail, Juniper, Parsley, Hydrangea, Goldenrod, Uva Ursi, Buchu, Marshmallow, and Mullein.

Homeopathic Remedies

Homeopathic low potency Blessed Water combinations to consider include Rescue Remedy, ER911, the Kidney Meridian Balance remedy, the Bladder Meridian Balance remedy, Glandular Support #3, CFS #3, Migraine #1 and Migraine #2,  Headaches #1 and #2, Nerve #1 and Nerve #2.   Low potency combination remedies, either homeopathic or in Blessed Water form, are very helpful, especially if you are not really familiar with homeopathic principles.  They can bring relief, even instant relief.  Other homeopathic or Blessed Water remedies to consider – in higher potency, if you so desire – are Ars, Berb, Calc, Chel, Chin, Lyc, Phos, Puls, Rhus-t, Sars, and Urt-u.  There are, also many other possibilities.

Deeper level healing requires a single remedy in a higher potency.  There are pages and pages of suggested remedies in decent homeopathic repertories.  Another segment of this series of articles discusses homeopathic remedies for headaches and migraines in more detail.

Possible Meridian Points

Placing essential oils on Meridian points works very well.  The neurovascular points for the Bladder and Kidney meridians, pictured below, would be especially appropriate.  Using an essential oil on your fingertips when holding any of the points below makes point holding even more effective.

GV 20 – This point, as you might recall from TCM – Introduction part of this series, is a major point for the relief of headaches with dizziness and eye pain.  This is especially true when yin deficiency has allowed for yang hyperactivity in the upper body.

Occipital Headaches

Bl 10 – Occipital (back of the head, at the spinal connection) – If there is stiffness on one side of the neck, this point should be combined with SI 3 on the same side of the body and GB 39, held on the opposite side of the body.
UB 60 – Occipital or entire head headaches.  This is a main acupoint for headache brought on by excessive energy or emotion.  This type of headache usually manifests with pain or numbness in the lower limbs.  (Sidenote:  This point is useful for expelling a retained placenta.)
Bl 3 and 4 – Frontal and sinus headaches.
Bl 9 – An occipital headache.  Head feels heavy. Neck pain.

Kidney Headaches and Kidney Related Issues

Bl 23 – All Chinese Medicine perspective Kidney related issues.  This includes the brain, bones, hair, teeth, and hearing.  Headaches, because the meridians of the head feed the brain, fall under this heading. also.  This is the Kidney Shu point.  (Please see related blog spot article for further information.)  K1 – bottom of the foot – useful to quell rising Liver Yang.  (Sidenote:  This point is also good for insomnia, palpitations, anxiety, poor memory hot flashes, hypertension. Interesting that a point on the bottom of the foot should have such a profound effect on the head and the heart.)

Deficiency, specifically

CV 4 – (located just above the symphysis pubis) – generally useful for deficiencies of all type of Chi.  A main point for Kidney deficiencies.  Genital/urinary issues with cold/stagnation patterns.
KD 3 – Nourishes Kidney Yin.  Specific to a headache in which the head feels empty.
St 36 – Tonifying to deficiency patterns of Chi and blood.
Bl 7 – Headaches with extreme dizziness.

Conclusion

I realize that this is a great deal of information.  Fortunately or unfortunately – according to your point of view – there is more to come because there are more meridians that, when out of balance, contribute to headaches and migraines.  Certainly, you are not expected to immediately assimilate all that you have just read.  I do hope, however, that the information presented will be reference material that you will find useful from time to time.

This blog is part of a series on headaches.  This series includes. . . .