TCM can connect the dots between your symptoms

Gerry, a 33 year old man, came to Dr. Han's clinic and reported suffering from regular headaches that were disrupting his daily life and work schedule.  He would get a strong headache at least three times weekly and they would last an entire day.   He was tired of taking painkillers because he felt like they were affecting his digestion.  His western doctor had run several diagnostic tests, but they had come up negative.   During the initial consultation, Dr. Han discovered some other symptoms which were important to his TCM diagnosis:  Gerry

ground his teeth at night and wore a tooth guard prescribed by his dentist.  He tended to be constipated, and was prone to acne flare-ups on his upper back and cheeks.  Gerry admitted he liked to eat spicy food and that he would often go out to eat with his friends and that they would seek out the spiciest food they could find.   His headache pain was dull but strong and felt mostly on his forehead.  What is Gerry's diagnosis according to TCM?  Gerry is suffering from a classic case of Yangming Fire.  Gerry's headaches, teeth grinding, constipation, and acne are all caused by the Yangming Fire which is in turn caused by his eating too much spicy food.  Gerry had 12 treatments of acupuncture and took traditional Chinese medicine in pill form for 2 months.  He noticed that his bowel movements were easier, his skin was much clearer, his jaw was no longer sore upon waking and he no longer got any headaches.   Dr. Han taught him that diet plays a crucial role in health and that eating too much of one food type can put the body out of balance.   He still enjoys spicy food with his friends, but now only once a month instead of twice a week.